New Kia Seltos HTE Base Variant Spied – No Infotainment, No Speakers

Kia could be looking to make Seltos facelift base HTE variant more affordable, as rival Maruti Grand Vitara already starts at a lower price point

Launched in 2019, Kia Seltos has been a spectacular success. The SUV recently achieved the sales milestone of 5 lakh units in India. For months, Seltos had ranked as the second bestselling compact SUV in the country.

However, with time, Seltos has lost some of its sheen. This is especially true in the context of new rivals such as Maruti Grand Vitara. Honda Elevate seems like another key contender. To tackle such challenges, Kia will be launching the Seltos facelift on July 04.

Seltos facelift base HTE variant spied

With Seltos facelift, Kia is looking to improve the value for money proposition for base-spec as well as top-spec variants. Talking about the former, interiors reveal that there is no infotainment and no speakers. This appears to be a downgrade, focused on reducing the starting price. Existing base-spec HTE variant of Seltos is equipped with a 3.8-inch audio with steering mounted controls. It has 4 speakers.

By offering a no-frills Seltos base HTE variant, Kia should be able to achieve a competitive price point. It would be relevant for folks with limited budgets. The existing Seltos base HTE variant is available at Rs 10.89 lakh. In comparison, Maruti Grand Vitara Smart Hybrid Sigma 1.5L 5MT base model starts at Rs 10.70 lakh. With the Seltos facelift base HTE variant, Kia could be looking to reduce the price gap.

Seltos facelift will be getting a range of style upgrades, which will be available with base-spec HTE variant. Features that are likely to be carried forward for Seltos facelift base-spec HTE variant include projector headlamps, steel wheels, shark fin antenna and keyless entry. Inside, the SUV will have manual AC, power windows, front and rear USB charger, rear AC vents, manual driver seat height adjust, tilt & power steering and central locking.

Seltos facelift base-spec HTE variant will have safety features such as 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, all wheel disc brakes, ESC, HAC, vehicle stability management, rear parking sensors and tyre pressure monitoring system.

What base-spec HTE buyers will be missing

There are plenty of new features available with Seltos facelift. Most of these will be available with mid-spec and top-spec variants. One of the key upgrades is the panoramic sunroof. As of now, Seltos is available with only a single-pane sunroof. A panoramic sunroof introduces a host of new experiences across city commutes and weekend getaways.

Seltos facelift will be getting ADAS as well. It will be a radar-based unit, most likely to be borrowed from Kia EV6. Some key ADAS features could include blind spot detection, forward collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, lane keep assist and safe exit assist. Seltos facelift will also be getting the 1.5-litre turbo petrol motor that is currently in use with Hyundai Verna and Kia Carens. It generates 160 PS of max power and 253 Nm of peak torque.