It seems that the Kia Seltos will be sold in the United States and that it will premiere in North American guise at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show.
As pointed out by Carscoops reader “charlotteharry57”, Kia’s official U.S. media site currently features a countdown to November 20 at 11:25 a.m. P.T. In the background of this countdown is a darkened image of the Kia Seltos.
Also Read: New Kia Seltos SUV Filmed In The U.S. But Local Launch Remains Uncertain
Kia unveiled the Seltos back in June and it has quickly gone on sale in various markets around the world, including Australia. From the moment the Seltos premiered, there had been talk regarding whether or not it would be sold in the United States but the South Korean automaker remained mum on details. In September, an undisguised prototype was snapped testing along a canyon road in California.
We have reached out to Kia seeking clarification that it is indeed preparing to launch the Seltos locally.
Depending on the market, the Kia Seltos is available with two petrol engines and a diesel. The petrol engines include a 1.6-liter turbo pumping out 175 hp alongside a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated variant with 147 hp. The diesel is a 1.6-liter unit pumping out 134 hp.
The most recent crossover launched by the Hyundai/Kia family in the United States is the tiny Venue. While one may consider these two as inter-family rivals, the Seltos is actually slightly larger than the Venue and should attract a different customer base.
Initial reviews of the Seltos have been positive with reviewers noting its quiet and calm ride as well as its practicality.
Something big is coming. #KiaLAAS2019 #LAAutoShow
Tune in to https://t.co/2L08wXd4xQ on Nov. 20 to see what we have in store. pic.twitter.com/lzf39Sa18f
— Kia America (@Kia) November 18, 2019