OurLifestyle
KIA’s NEW 2021 SELTOS Positioned between the Soul Crossover and the bold-appearing Sportage, the allnew 2021 Seltos is Kia Motors latest entry in this popular fast growing sport utility segment. Imported from Korea, Seltos includes a welcomed level of ruggedness and basic refinement within the subcompact SUV category. Offered in five trim levels: LX, EX, S 2.0L, S 1.6T and SX, the Seltos LX includes all-wheel-drive with a base price point of $22,000. Similar to Kia’s larger three-row, awardwinning Telluride, the design theme is an engineering blend of their bold appearance footing which helps set it apart from other rivals such as the: Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Kicks, Fiat 500X, Hyundai Venue, Jeep Renegade, Chevy Trax and the Mini Countryman. The vehicle’s expressive presence is further defined by Kia’s signature tiger nose front grille. The side view includes a distinctive, fairly-modern profile that tends to form a streamline appearance. If “offroading” is something that appeals to you, the lower front has 7.2-inches of ground clearance. The factory’s optional, two-tone roof layout gives Seltos an added layer of head-turning coolness and character. Additional key aspects include the vehicle’s fairly long wheelbase, large engine hood cover, full LED headlights (depending on the trim) aggressive front bumper design, front and rear protective underside skid plates and black wheel arch cladding. Red wheel center caps are included as are dual-exhaust outlets with chrome trim pieces 14 | OUR TOWN | AUGUST 2020
and a uniquely engineered tailgate housing that connects the rear tail lamps to create a sense of width and overall stability. And depending on the option packaging, you’ll discover either their standard 17-inch alloy wheels and tires or their attractive 18-inch tire and wheel combination. Powering this sub-compact SUV is a fuel-efficient 2.0-liter four cylinder engine. A more robust and spirited 1.6-liter Turbo engine is also within the product mix. The 2.0-liter, multi-port fuel injected engine, produces 146 horsepower. Its EPA rating for city/highway is 27/31 MPG. It’s matched with a Continuously Variable Automatic Transmission on the LX, S and EX models. The Turbo 1.6-liter gas direct injected engine has an output of 175 horsepower and reflects 25-MPG city/30-MPH highway. It’s paired with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission on the S and SX variances. Also standard is keyless entry, tinted privacy glass, eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear camera with parking guidance, one USB port and a dual level rear cargo storage floor. Under the heading of safety technologies: six airbags with rollover sensors are standard as is electronic stability control, traction control system, tire-pressure monitoring and downhill brake control. The interior cabin comes with a wide and sophisticated instrument panel. It has a high-tech feel with an asymmetrical, easy-to-interrupt design. The spacious interior within has notable hip, shoulder, leg and head room in both rows. Two-stage
a bold entry into the
SUV MARKET
reclining rear seats enhance the second row comfort. I also uncovered dubious exterior road noise at highway speeds and some of the interior “touch points” have hard-surface materials. The vehicle’s strong and rigid body is composed of 61 percent advanced high-strength steel. Seltos is packed with technology features including the “Kia Drive Wise” suite of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems as well as a choice of three drive modes – Normal, Eco, Sport – each using specific settings for powertrain, drivetrain and steering. Also optional is an eight-speaker Bose premium sound system. The Kia warranty consists of 10-year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty and five-year/60,000 mile limited basic warranty. Also included is their five-year/60,000 mile roadside assistance. The Turbo S model I drove had a sticker price of $26,740 after the shipping charges of $1,120. Currently, there are some 800 Kia dealers here in the U.S. BY DAVID FINKELSTEIN
David Finkelstein is a Master/ Skill Automotive Service Technician and a shop owner. He’s also invented garage service tools for mechanics and has served on both National and local Automotive Trade Industry Boards. He pioneered “Car Talk Radio” starting out with KMOX/CBS Radio and hosted “Auto Talk” on KFTK/FOX News Radio for 15-years. David tests and evaluates new vehicles weekly and does some consulting with various auto manufacturers.
