[Venkatesh]

The Kia Seltos facelift has debuted at the Busan International Motor Show.



Link

[shankar.balan]

Apologies for the slight reality check below.

Is there any information on the safety rating score of this? Do you think they would have learned a little from the various articles and comments about their poor score and this ‘step motherly’ treatment of India as a market, when compared to their ‘ International Product Spec’?

However good their vehicles may look and whatever fantastic gizmos they may have, unless and until these chaps start treating India on par with any other proper International market and give us the same standards of product, without compromise, then neither Hyundai or Kia deserve our respect nor custom.

[W16rocks]

Even with this launch, I feel the safety rating of the seltos won’t improve, on the other hand it may be more hazardous as a newbie relying on ADAS Might cause more accidents and in turn an unsafe car may cause much more casualties.
Kia and Hyundai should focus on better safety and Treatment to Indian market.

[FiestaST]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Apologies for the slight reality check below.

Is there any information on the safety rating score of this? Do you think they would have learned a little from the various articles and comments about their poor score and this ‘step motherly’ treatment of India as a market, when compared to their ‘ International Product Spec’?

+1

Very curious to know how Seltos will evolve on the safety front because it is the product they built their footing on in India.
Kia definitely moved in right direction after getting poor crash test result by making 6 and 4 airbags standard on Carens and Seltos respectively along with ESP.
However, I am waiting to see if they will improve the structure to instil some of the lost confidence in the brand. With the way Seltos is priced and positioned, I expect nothing less than it's international variant.

[FiestaST]

Originally Posted by reinhardt93

I really do hope they bring the AWD version to India as they have in the American market.

Don't think Indian version will get AWD. To begin with, US AWD has multilink independent rear suspension is offered with 1.6T + DCT only which we don't get in any of Hyundai/Kia products.

[rajshenoy]

I really wish Kia and Hyundai focus on safety aspects for the steep price they are charging. There is no end to this gadget madness and in the process we are ending up seeing cars as mobile phones(which require frequent upgrades after 3-4 years )

[Livnletcarsliv]

This is just a facelift and not an upgrade. So in all possibilities, there won't be any structural or quality change. This is purely a cosmetic (minimal cosmetic) and gizmo update and nothing else. Still, they (not just Kia, in fact, every automaker except for Tata & M&M), don't treat India on par with other markets when it comes to safety and build quality in the cars below 25L.

[The Rationalist]

Expecting Kia to make any changes to the Seltos is pointless, as long as their customers aren’t bothered. I wish the upcoming Bharat NCAP will make more people aware about the poor safety, that’s all what we can hope. Even in a estemeed forum like this there are scores of defenders for poor safety and those who point out their strawman fallacies attract infractions. So it’s upto each individual to make their priorities in life, it’s like the proverbial horse which can be taken to the water, but whether to drink is it’s choice!

[Venkatesh]

Kia Seltos facelift Interiors and Exteriors detailed - Link

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by FiestaST

+1

Very curious to know how Seltos will evolve on the safety front because it is the product they built their footing on in India.

Kia definitely moved in right direction after getting poor crash test result by making 6 and 4 airbags standard on Carens and Seltos respectively along with ESP.
However, I am waiting to see if they will improve the structure to instil some of the lost confidence in the brand. With the way Seltos is priced and positioned, I expect nothing less than it's international variant.

Sorry. You seem to have missed the crash test results on Carens. Kia is doing good numbers in India, undoubtedly. But to say Kia India has moved in the right direction with regard to safety is totally a wrong statement. If they had, the Carens would've scored a 4 star rating at the very least. Packing more airbags has more to do with the new regulation than the manufacturers embracing safety out of nowhere. There clearly is vast difference in the body shell and structural integrity of their India spec cars and their export variants. So upping the number of airbags doesn't quite change the safety equation as much.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-...ml#post5346072 (Kia Carens scores 3-star Global NCAP safety rating)


https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-...ty-rating.html (Kia Carens scores 3-star Global NCAP safety rating)

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Apologies for the slight reality check below.

Is there any information on the safety rating score of this? Do you think they would have learned a little from the various articles and comments about their poor score and this ‘step motherly’ treatment of India as a market, when compared to their ‘ International Product Spec’?

Absolutely nothing changed on that front as the Carens crash tests revealed. More margin per car is the mantra. In other words, cut those "unwanted" extra UHSS members and give few fancy gizmos here and there.

On a similar note, Jimny for India also may be undergoing a re surgery to get it "India ready" and hence the unusual delay.

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Offtopic : But how does Tata feature in your good book? None of their cars in the same segment are not crash tested. Nexon EV, Harrier, and Safari are all untested vehicles. Kia at least have a rating. It is clear that Tata is doing some black magic to prevent their cars from being tested. Agreed with M&M. They keep setting safety benchmarks with every launch. But then, as long as XUV700's waiting period is in the range of years, Hyundai/Kia will keep selling.

Agreed on Harrier and Safari not tested yet. But let's not forget they've couple of 5 star rated cars in the stable - Nexon and Punch. And Punch comes in the 10 lakh price range. What has Kia to offer on that front? 22 lakhs(Seltos) and still a 3 star rated car, riding on few decimal points?

[padmrajravi]

Originally Posted by Livnletcarsliv

Still, they (not just Kia, in fact, every automaker except for Tata & M&M), don't treat India on par with other markets when it comes to safety and build quality in the cars below 25L.

Offtopic : But how does Tata feature in your good book? None of their cars in the same segment are not crash tested. Nexon EV, Harrier, and Safari are all untested vehicles. Kia at least have a rating. It is clear that Tata is doing some black magic to prevent their cars from being tested. Agreed with M&M. They keep setting safety benchmarks with every launch. But then, as long as XUV700's waiting period is in the range of years, Hyundai/Kia will keep selling.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

None of their cars in the same segment are not crash tested. Nexon EV, Harrier, and Safari are all untested vehicles. Kia at least have a rating.

Nexon EV is an exception here.

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

It is clear that Tata is doing some black magic to prevent their cars from being tested.

This statement is kind of generalising Tata as a brand which I don't agree. I don't think Tata is preventing something per se. Tata has always been a safe brand (Not just in the contemporary world but since its Indica days). So it's just that trust factor that kind of assures me that Tata WILL/MAY not take a chance in what they are known for/good at. Even with M&M not all models are crash tested - Eg Bolero, Bolero Neo, etc. Does that mean M&M is not a safe brand?

[padmrajravi]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

Agreed on Harrier and Safari not tested yet. But let's not forget they've couple of 5 star rated cars in the stable - Nexon and Punch. And Punch comes in the 10 lakh price range. What has Kia to offer on that front? 22 lakhs(Seltos) and still a 3 star rated car, riding on few decimal points?

Originally Posted by Livnletcarsliv

This statement is kind of generalising Tata as a brand which I don't agree. I don't think Tata is preventing something per se. Tata has always been a safe brand (Not just in the contemporary world but since its Indica days). So it's just that trust factor that kind of assures me that Tata WILL/MAY not take a chance in what they are known for/good at. Even with M&M not all models are crash tested - Eg Bolero, Bolero Neo, etc. Does that mean M&M is not a safe brand?

Generalization was not my intention. Sorry if it came out that way. I was talking about Seltos competitors. I feel Seltos/Creta is still the only credible alternative in this monocoque cross-over segment after XUV700. All other competitors, NexonEV, Harrier, Safari etc are untested. About Tata preventing crash test - A manufacturer who volunteers all its new cars for crash testing, holding back on their flagship twins, is enough to put doubts in my mind. Allowing the trust in the brand to overshadow that critical aspect does not seem like a good idea to me.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Generalization was not my intention. Sorry if it came out that way. I was talking about Seltos competitors. I feel Seltos/Creta is still the only credible alternative in this monocoque cross-over segment after XUV700. All other competitors, NexonEV, Harrier, Safari etc are untested. About Tata preventing crash test - A manufacturer who volunteers all its new cars for crash testing, holding back on their flagship twins, is enough to put doubts in my mind. Allowing the trust in the brand to overshadow that critical aspect does not seem like a good idea to me.

It is a given going by the brand legacy and factual safety standard of all the other models. Again, there is no doubt that the twins should be put to testing. Even the Compass/Hector is not tested. But it still sells like hot cakes considering safety standards as a significant aspect for both. So if Compass and Hector are considered safe, there absolutely no doubt that the Tata twins WILL also be safe.

Anyway, coming to the topic of this thread, this is just a name-sake facelift for Seltos with some tech updates and feature enhancements. Nothing will change in the sales numbers per se unless there is a price change.

[Kosfactor]

Finally they have given it the infotainment screen it deserves. The whole package looks fantastic, some new colors will certainly help as Seltos otherwise is omni present in the urban roads. I do not know if this model makes it here, but its good to see though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hx1R74Ukbg