Sources suggest that Korean automotive giant Kia may introduce 6 airbags and an iMT transmission for the Seltos and its facelift. Kia first introduced the Seltos SUV in India back in 2019 and gave it a mid-cycle update in 2021. During this update, Kia streamlined the variants on offer to make it simpler and introduced the all-new global logo. However, the latest update from Kia witnessed the discontinuation of the mid-spec HTK+ diesel automatic variant of the Seltos SUV.
Kia has not provided a reason behind the discontinuation of the Seltos’ HTK+ diesel automatic variant leading to various speculations. First of which is the low demand for the variant and the second being the likely introduction of the iMT. Sources also commented that Kia has requested dealerships across India to stop accepting bookings for the HTK+ diesel automatic variants. Customers who aspire to get the diesel automatic combo in the Seltos will need to go for the top-spec GTX+.
Meanwhile, to fill in the gap left behind by the HTK+ AT, Kia may introduce an iMT variant for the Seltos. Similar to the petrol iMT variant, the diesel iMT Seltos will cost considerably less than the HTK+ that it replaces. Reports suggest that the Seltos iMT diesel will cost around INR 50,000 more than the standard manual variant. The iMT transmission will allow users to enjoy the thrill of changing gears without the hassle of a clutch.
Sources and reports suggest that Kia will soon introduce new features for the Seltos as part of another update. This may include the introduction of 6 airbags as standard across all variants of the Seltos, similar to the Carens. Kia may introduce these updates during March 2022, which is much sooner than the launch of the facelifted Seltos.
The automaker may introduce 6 airbags as standard due to the anticipated revision of safety norms that may arrive soon. The revised safety norms suggested by the Government of India states that all OEMs must provide 6 airbags as standard. Meanwhile, the facelifted Seltos is likely to sport a revised exterior design with updated interiors and a panoramic sunroof.
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