Kia Seltos 2024 Review

In today's local compact SUV market, competition is becoming increasingly intense. Consumers not only value practicality in terms of space but also have rising expectations for smart configurations and refined design. As a popular model under Kia, the 2024 Seltos Public version focuses on exterior upgrades and configuration optimizations in this facelift, aiming to strengthen its competitiveness in the same class. This test drive will focus on evaluating the car's design quality, daily driving performance, and space practicality to see if it can meet the core needs of Malaysian family users.

In terms of appearance, the new car adopts Kia's latest "tiger-nose" front grille design. The larger blacked-out front grille, combined with the seamless LED daytime running lights, significantly enhances its recognition. The side profile retains the rugged lines of a compact SUV, while the 17-inch alloy wheels have a sportier design compared to the previous model. The blacked-out D-pillar creates a floating roof effect. Changes at the rear are concentrated in the taillight area, with the new seamless LED taillights echoing the front light group. The silver skid plate below and the dual-exit exhaust decorations (purely decorative) enhance the sporty feel. As for the lighting system, both the headlights and taillights support LED light sources, offering clear and technologically advanced visual effects when illuminated at night.

Stepping inside, the first noticeable improvement is the enhanced interior texture. The dashboard is covered with soft-touch plastic materials, paired with piano black panels and silver trims, giving an overall more refined ambiance compared to the older model. The central infotainment screen has been upgraded to a 10.25-inch floating touchscreen, integrated with the Kia Connect smart system, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system performs well in terms of operational smoothness and response speed. The air-conditioning control area retains physical buttons, and the tactile feedback of the knobs and buttons is clear, making blind operation convenient. The seats use a combination of leather and fabric materials, with manual adjustment for the front seats. The cushioning of the backrest and seat base is relatively soft, ensuring long-distance comfort.

Regarding space performance, the new car has a wheelbase of 2630mm, which is at the mainstream level for its class. The front row offers ample seating space, and with a 175cm tall passenger adjusting to a comfortable sitting posture, there remains a one-fist gap above the head. The rear space is impressive, with legroom of up to two fists and headroom of one fist, ensuring that even with three adult passengers, the space does not feel overly cramped. In terms of storage, the front central armrest box has moderate capacity, and the door storage slots can hold two bottles of mineral water. The rear central armrest has integrated cup holders, and the middle floor bump is not high, making it friendly for the middle passenger. The trunk has a standard capacity of 433 liters, which can be expanded to 1380 liters by folding down the rear seats, enough to meet the needs of family shopping or short trips.

The powertrain retains the 1.6L naturally aspirated engine, with a maximum power of 90kW (123PS) and a peak torque of 151N·m, paired with a CVT continuously variable transmission. During daily driving, power delivery is smooth and linear. The throttle response is nimble at startup, making it suitable for urban traffic conditions. However, after accelerating to 80km/h, the power reserves become slightly insufficient, requiring a harder press on the accelerator to overtake as the transmission simulates gear shifts to increase the RPM. Driving modes include Economy, Normal, and Sport. In Sport mode, throttle sensitivity increases, RPMs remain in a higher range, and power response becomes more direct.

In terms of handling, the steering wheel is lightweight and precise, making it suitable for female drivers or daily commuting. The suspension system adopts a front MacPherson independent suspension and rear torsion beam non-independent suspension, tuned for comfort, capable of filtering out most small bumps on the road. When driving over speed bumps or uneven roads, the suspension's rebound feels slightly stiff, but overall performance aligns with the positioning of a compact SUV. At high speeds, the vehicle's stability is good; at 120km/h, there is no significant play in the steering wheel, and both wind noise and tire noise are within acceptable levels.

In the fuel consumption testing phase, we drove about 50km in urban traffic conditions and 50km on highways. The final combined fuel consumption was 6.8L/100km, not far off from the official claim of 6.5L/100km. The fuel economy meets expectations. Regarding braking, the brake pedal travel is moderate, and the braking power is released linearly. During emergency braking, the vehicle remains stable without any obvious nose-diving effect.

As for comfort configurations, the new model comes equipped with automatic air conditioning, rear air conditioning vents, and USB charging ports, enhancing the experience for rear passengers. In terms of noise control, the engine is almost inaudible at idle. At speeds below 80km/h, both wind and tire noise are minimal. Once the speed exceeds 100km/h, wind noise gradually finds its way into the cabin, but it does not affect normal conversations.

In summary, the core strengths of the 2024 Kia Seltos Public lie in its design upgrades, practicality, and intelligent configurations. Compared to competitors in the same segment, such as the Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross, the new model's pricing is expected to be more competitive, while its level of features is on par. Its dynamic performance is smooth and comfortable, making it suitable for daily family use. Though the powertrain is not particularly strong, it is entirely sufficient for city commutes and short trips.

This car is more suitable for family users who prioritize cost-effectiveness and space, especially those looking for a compact SUV that balances daily commutes and family outings. If you're after high-performance or off-road capabilities, it may not be the best choice. However, for most Malaysian families, its well-rounded performance is enough to meet demands.

Overall, the 2024 Kia Seltos Public strengthens its competitiveness among its peers with optimized design and configurations. It boasts no significant shortcomings, making it a highly practical and family-friendly compact SUV.