Kia has pulled the covers off the second-generation Seltos for 2026 (likely as MY2027), and it now looks like it’s been fully welcomed into Kia’s EV family photo.
The new small SUV adopts a boxier, more upright body and the same “Star Map” lighting signatures we’ve seen on the EV9 and EV5, right down to the vertical DRL graphics and full-width rear light bar. Flush-fitting door handles, chunkier black cladding and contrasting lower sections give it the aesthetic of an EV, despite being combustion and hybrid propelled.
Underneath, the Seltos shifts to Hyundai-Kia’s newer K3 platform, shared with the latest Kona, bringing gains in refinement, safety tech and cabin space. Overall length and wheelbase are up compared with the outgoing model, with dimensions of 4460mm long, 1830mm wide, and 1635mm tall (2690mm wheelbase), and Kia is talking up a more planted stance and quieter highway manners.
Inside, the dashboard is basically a shrunken EV9/EV5 affair; twin 12.3-inch displays sitting on a single curved panel, a separate 5.0-inch climate screen, and an open centre console with physical buttons for core functions such as radio volume and toggle switches for climate controls.
Globally, the engine lineup will pair familiar 2.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre turbo units with the brand’s latest small-SUV hybrid system, expected to mirror the Kona Hybrid’s 1.6-litre petrol-electric combo. The new 1.6 turbo sees a power drop from 146kW to 142kW, and the 2.0L base unit remains at 110kW.
A dedicated hybrid variant is locked in for Australia, though final outputs and fuel figures are still to come. Kia’s local arm says suspension tuning will again be done here, with a local launch pencilled in for late 2026.
That gives the current MY26 Seltos – which in Australia runs from about $31,000 to $46,000 before on-roads – a decent run before the EV-faced replacement arrives, likely with a modest premium for the hybrid when pricing is confirmed closer to launch.
Could this be a class-leading small SUV when it arrives? Let us know your thoughts below.
