Meet the Kia Seltos – a fresh alternative to the Volkswagen T-Roc
December 10, 2025 by Siobhan Doyle
Car changing is a big deal
The Kia Seltos is set to make its UK debut next year, offering petrol and hybrid options. Consumer writer Siobhan Doyle tells you everything you need to know.
Say hello to the Kia Seltos, a small SUV poised to take on the Volkswagen T-Roc and Toyota C-HR when it arrives in the UK next year.
Kia hasn’t revealed prices yet, but expect the Seltos to land around £30,000, with a generous amount of kit and the choice of petrol or hybrid engines. It will also slot neatly between Kia’s Stonic and Sportage in its SUV line-up.
Want to know more? Here’s what we know so far about the Seltos.
Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.
New Kia Seltos design: bold but not over the top
Of course, looks are subjective, but I think the Seltos feels more grown-up than your typical small SUV. From the wider grille and distinctive star-map lighting to the floating roof and strong shoulder lines, it looks purposeful without overdoing it. I particularly like the rear design: those vertical tail lamps make the car feel wider and more planted.
The trims let you pick the mood: the X-Line feels rugged and ready for adventure, while the GT-Line feels sharper and sportier. The Seltos also offers colours such as Iceberg Green, Gravity Grey, and matte Magma Red that really give the car personality. Wheel options will range from 16 to 19 inches.
New Kia Seltos interior and infotainment: modern and open
Step inside, and the Seltos feels surprisingly open compared with the T-Roc’s darker, more sober cabin. A clean, horizontal dash hosts twin 12.3-inch screens – one for infotainment, one for the driver’s display – around four inches larger than the standard T-Roc display.
What’s more is that you get physical buttons to control the climate, so you don’t have to dig through menus on the touchscreen to adjust the temperature. Happy days!
It also looks incredibly sophisticated and refined inside, with flowing horizontal lines, contoured surfaces, and carefully placed satin silver accents. Kia says the interior is inspired by the natural elements of light, water, and the Earth, and the panoramic sunroof and earth-toned seats really reinforce that feeling.
The cabin offers plenty of features: panoramic sunroof, 64-colour ambient lighting, reclining rear seats (up to 24°), Bose or Harman Kardon audio, and a shift-by-wire column shifter that frees up console space.
You also get a generous 536 litres of boot space and flexible storage options, including a dual-level cargo board. That’s around 90-litres more boot space compared to both the T-Roc and the Toyota C-HR.
New Kia Seltos engines and performance: one for every need
The new Kia Seltos comes with a range of engines designed for everyday life and longer journeys.
You can choose from a 1.6-litre turbo petrol with 177 hp, available with either an automatic or manual gearbox, a higher-output 1.6-litre turbo with 190 hp and automatic gearbox, or a 2.0-litre petrol tuned for smooth, efficient driving. That gives the Seltos a broader engine line-up than the T-Roc, offering more choice for different driving needs.
There’s also an all-wheel-drive option with multi-link rear suspension which gives you better grip and stability. And with this, you get Terrain Modes for snow, mud, or sand, while Drive Mode Select (Eco, Normal, Sport) adapts performance for city streets or motorway driving.
A hybrid option will also eventually join the range. And while we’re still a little light on the exact details, Kia says it will offer better efficiency, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) for powering devices, and Kia’s Smart Regenerative Braking 3.0, which automatically adjusts energy recovery based on traffic and navigation.
We’ll be getting behind the wheel of the new Kia Seltos once it comes to the UK, so be sure to keep an eye out for our full review.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
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