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One of Kia’s Best Affordable SUVs Is About to Get the Telluride-Inspired Redesign It Needs

The hugely successful Seltos is gearing up to enter a new generation.

Close-up of the front hood and grille of a light gray Kia car parked on a stone pavement.Kia
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By Chris Chin

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Kia is gearing up to reveal an all-new, second-gen model of one of its most compelling crossover SUVs, the Seltos. The Korean automaker just released some teaser photos, all to provide a taste of what’s to come. And it certainly looks like futuristic styling is on the table.

The Seltos arrived in 2019 as a more rugged subcompact crossover SUV and alternative to its famous hamster-mobile, the Soul. And because we’re just on the heels of 2026, that means it’s turning about seven years old.

While both crossovers featured the usual two-box shapes, the Soul was more of an urban runabout while the Seltos catered to more outdoorsy types, especially with its optional all-wheel drive.

Close-up of a light blue SUV's front with black side mirror and LED headlight, partially obscured by a blurred gray vehicle.
Judging by this photo, one could almost mistaken the new Seltos for a next-gen Sorento.
Kia

Despite offering two types of small CUVs, both with squarish upright shapes, the Seltos went on to become one of Kia’s bestsellers. And now, the brand is looking to keep the ball rolling.

Telluride-inspired styling

Silver Kia SUV parked on a gravel road with a lake and snow-capped mountains in the background.
As seen on the new Telluride, the Seltos looks to incorporate a similar front-end design.
Kia

Similar to the hierarchies of other automakers, the Seltos takes styling inspiration from its larger, more expensive siblings, like the Sorento and the Telluride.

And because the Telluride just received its major overhaul to also usher in a second-generation model, the Seltos is on track to follow the same path. Particularly since it also launched around the same time as the OG Telluride.

Judging from the quick teasers, the story looks to be the same. We can tell the new Seltos appears to retain its subcompact and boxy proportions.

Rear corner of a silver electric SUV with angular red taillights parked on cobblestone pavement.
The new Seltos appears to retain its boxy shape, but with updated and more futuristic styling.
Kia

But the photos show just enough to reveal the uniquely styled front end. It’s very similar to the one scene on the latest Telluride and even on the current Sorento. LED daytime-running-lights, which Kia calls “Star Map” lights, line the outer corners of the front fenders in a vertical waterfall-like orientation.

In between sits a black-painted multi-slot grille, which presumably houses some sort of hidden headlight assemblies. Only, like the Telluride, they’re tucked away and out of sight, until turned on. And the hood also features a similar shape to the Sorento’s with its tapered front end.

A Sorento mini-me

Side view of two silver SUVs parked closely with blurred trees in the background.
The blacked-out window surrounds, which flows from the A-pillar to the C-pillar, contribute to a “floating roof” appearance.
Kia

The side profile also looks similar to the current Seltos. But this time around, Kia’s designers incorporated a “floating roof” effect, thanks to its newly blacked-out window surround trims, which appears to flow rearward and into the C-pillar.

And at the back, similarly-shaped angular taillights festoon the rear, for a very avant-garde and tech-forward effect.

Blue Kia SUV with black grille and alloy wheels parked on a gravel road at sunset.
Despite turning seven years old, the current Seltos is aging well and still remains very relevant.
Kia

Squint your eyes enough, and you could almost pass the new Seltos as a shrunken down Sorento. Which is what it pretty much is.

The current Seltos features the choice of either a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline four-cylinder with a continuously variable transmission, or an optional 1.6-liter turbo gas-four with a conventional eight-speed automatic. The latter of which provides plenty of surprising oomph in a rather mundane segment.

Gray Kia SUV parked on a snowy mountain road with snow-covered hills in the background.
The Seltos also takes styling inspiration from its larger midsize sibling, the Sorento.
Kia

We’re anticipating a similar arrangement of choices for the new model. But what remains to be determined is if Kia decides to add an optional gas-electric hybrid powertrain.

Both Kia and the industry are trending in that direction. And if it’s any indication, the Sorento, Telluride and even the Sportage all feature optional hybrid powertrains.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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