[Rohitbotta]

How is the diesel holding up now? I was planning for a GTX+ 2020 model. Would you suggest me anything I should be asking the dealer upfront??

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by Rohitbotta

How is the diesel holding up now?

It's too early to comment as my car has just run 500 km but I don't see any issues with the car. I'm enjoying each and every drive with it.

I was planning for a GTX+ 2020 model. Would you suggest me anything I should be asking the dealer upfront??

Nothing specific if you have already decided on the variant. They have something called "Basic Kit" which costs around 17K for GTX+ and is added to the OTR price of the car by default. It includes some of the Kia accessories (like upgraded floor mat, visor, pillows, neck rests, etc). You can get the complete list of accessories that are included in that kit from the dealer. If you are not interested in this kit, you can reject it upfront.

[Gannu_1]

Vinay, welcome back to India dude!

Stumbled upon your new car's ownership thread when I was casually browsing through this section. Many congratulations on the Seltos AT! Curious as to why you didn't go for another hatchback like the i20? Our department head got himself a top-end Seltos DCT - quite a car with features from a segment or two above. It set him back by Rs 21+ lakhs in Chennai. Took a short drive in the car and I was impressed.

Keep updating the thread. Your i20 ownership thread and the way you kept that black car was quite something! Here's a pic of her:

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

DRLs (captured in iPhone)
Attachment 2010388

That's the iPhone 11 Pro's camera for you!

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Vinay, welcome back to India dude!

Thanks Ganesh!

Stumbled upon your new car's ownership thread when I was casually browsing through this section. Many congratulations on the Seltos AT! Curious as to why you didn't go for another hatchback like the i20?

I came back to India during the BS4 to BS6 transition period and there were not much choices in the hatchback category. I actually had set my eyes on only one car before I came to India - Honda City 2020 Petrol AT. I had seen the pictures of it from Thailand reviews and I absolutely loved the styling of it. I knew I could never go wrong with the Vtec engine. I was constantly following up with the Honda dealers about the launch but most of them were acting as if they are doing a big favor for me by returning calls. When Honda decided to postpone the launch in March, I dropped the plan and started looking into the Crossover category and finalized Seltos. Compared to Honda dealerships, Kia dealerships treated me like a King

Keep updating the thread. Your i20 ownership thread and the way you kept that black car was quite something!

Sure, I'll update regularly. I actually wanted to go with a Black Seltos but it requires lots of elbow grease to maintain a car of this size. I don't think I'll be able to detail this car like i20. Hence went with a more neutral color this time. I actually wanted to go with Silver as it's the easiest color to maintain but the waiting time was 2-3 months.

That's the iPhone 11 Pro's camera for you!

It just works

[guyfrmblr]

Dash Cam Update:

I got a dash cam for the car this week. I ordered the 70Mai Smart Dash Cam Pro from Amazon last week and it arrived day before yesterday. I installed it today. I got the one without the GPS module. Thanks to BHPian @dksv, I just followed the steps that are listed in this post (The Kia Seltos SUV (SP Concept). EDIT : Launched at Rs. 9.69 lakhs).

The packaging of the product is great, feels very premium:


The build quality of the camera is solid:


The buttons have a nice click feel to them:


All the components in the box:


The first screen in the out of box setup is the language selection:


It then takes you through a product tour.

Indicator light:


Voice commands:


Date and time can be set:


Parking Surveillance can be enabled (It can be changed later in Settings):


QR code which just lands you in the 70mai website which in turn redirects you to Playstore/App Store. As of today, the app was available in App Store. It was not banned yet:


It asks us to insert the SD card. I used a class 10 64 GB sdcard from Sandisk:


Formatting takes just couple of seconds:


Once the setup is done, all the stored media can be accessed:


Automatically starts the parking surveillance after powering off:


Few screenshots of the 70mai app. UI is clean and simple. I haven't found any issues with the app till now.














I have to adjust the wiring a bit under the glove box. For now, I have taken it under the carpet.


The final installation looks like this:


Have captured couple of videos during day and night:

http://youtu.be/gmnd4fQm78o

http://youtu.be/KmkoEoVFQ5w

Initial impressions on this camera are good. It's very easy to install. Since it uses a sticker instead of suction mounts, it does not shake at all and the videos are very stable. The video quality is decent. The dashboard and Ganesha idol reflects a lot. I could have placed the camera a bit higher behind the IRVM but the dealer has affixed Fastag at that place.

[dksv]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

The dashboard and Ganesha idol reflects a lot.

The Australian KIA site has this dash mat as an official accessory. It may reduce the center speaker reflection and is also airbag friendly. I suppose it may become available here at some point.



Also, you could get these handy tools to pry and tuck in the cable inside the A-pillar trim without having to remove it, for a cleaner look. I got them after I posted my DIY.

[guyfrmblr]

1000 km update:

The car completed 1000 km after 2 months and hence thought of penning down some experiences. The car was just 1 week old when I wrote the initial ownership review and hence could not comment much about driving characteristics and few of the features.

Engine + gearbox performance on the highway:

The running has been low due to Covid situation. Most of the driving in the last 2 months has been on highways. It’s a bliss to drive this car on highways. The superb engine + gearbox match is made in heaven. It can maintain 3-digit speeds all day along effortlessly. The cruise control is the icing on the cake. The gear shifts are smooth. I have not felt the need for manual mode for those quick overtakes on the undivided highways so far. A slight tap on the accelerator is all that is required.

Engine + gearbox performance in the city:

I’m yet to experience the typical madness of Bengaluru traffic due to Covid situation but have driven in the city few times with high traffic density. The AT gearbox does not have any lag and is extremely smooth. I hardly feel the shifts. My left leg thanks me for going with the AT gearbox. It’s effortless to drive inside the city. I once got stuck in a 3 km backup near the Ramamurthynagar underpass on ORR due to the white topping project and it was effortless to navigate the car in the madness. Just take the foot off the brake pedal and the car creeps forward. I no longer get irritated driving in the traffic. I just play my favorite songs in the audio system and the AT gearbox takes care of the rest. AT gearbox is an essential if one drives in the city. The absence of the turbo lag makes city driving effortless.

NVH Levels:

The NVH levels are fantastic. I can hardly hear the engine inside the cabin. The engine sounds a bit coarse in the lower speeds but it turns extremely silent above 30 kmph. I feel the 1.4L CRDI engine in my i20 was more refined than this. One can hardly make out that my i20 had a diesel engine while standing next to it but it’s not the case with Seltos.

Fuel Efficiency:

On the highways, the average FE I get is around 13-14 kmpl. In the cities, I usually see the MID showing around 9-10 kmpl. I use the Drivvo app to log fuel expenses and the average FE it has calculated till now is 12 kmpl. This is too early to comment on FE but I think it’ll improve a bit after the initial run-in period.

Suspension and ride quality:

I have seen in other ownerships reports that the suspension softens a bit after sometime but it’s still pretty stiff in my car. This is more evident while driving on bad roads and is the only gripe with this car. The highway manners are excellent. The undulations on our highways never unsettles the car. The steering weighs nicely as the speed increases and the car stays planted. It feels more like a sedan rather than a crossover.

Issues:

The speakers throw out a loud booming noise with few selected songs. I’m not sure what the exact term used for such noise. I have tried adjusting the audio settings but to no avail. I’m planning to show this issue during my second service.

The only additional item I added in the last 2 months was the dash cam which I have reviewed in one of the previous post. The dash cam serves it’s job as advertised. I’m pretty happy with the purchase. I’m planning to get the ceramic coating done in the near future. The Sunday lockdown in Karnataka is preventing me from getting it done as it requires the car to be left with the detailer at least for a day for proper application. The other thing which is preventing me is that most of the professional detailers are not near my home and with the current situation, I’m not comfortable taking public transport after dropping off my car there. While I used to detail my i20 on my own, I can't do the same with this behemoth. It requires a lot of elbow grease and I’ll let a professional detailer take care of it.

[Sebring]

That's awesome! Your lights in pitch dark are fantastic. How does it perform in the rain? Can you plz post a video plz? Another question related to you dashcam. The suction cup gives way in a few weeks, and spare isn't available. So is there a glue backed mount as well?

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

70Mai Smart Dash Cam Pro from Amazon. I got the one without the GPS module. Thanks to BHPian @dksv, I just followed the steps that are listed in this post (The Kia Seltos SUV (SP Concept). EDIT : Launched at Rs. 9.69 lakhs).

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by Sebring

That's awesome! Your lights in pitch dark are fantastic. How does it perform in the rain? Can you plz post a video plz?

I'm yet to drive the car in rain at night. Will update when I get a chance.

Another question related to you dashcam. The suction cup gives way in a few weeks, and spare isn't available. So is there a glue backed mount as well?

There is no suction cup for this. We need to first stick the transparent electrostatic sticker on the windshield and then remove the protective sticker on the camera and attach it to the electrostatic sticker. The quality of both the stickers feels premium. The one on the camera is from 3M. I have also read in few long term reviews that the sticker doesn't give up easily.

The transparent electrostatic sticker and the camera attached to it can be seen in this pic:

[KarthikK]

Welcome back to India! Fantastic review and very detailed writeup on all aspects of the Seltos HTK+ variant. I thoroughly enjoyed going through the thread and I'm sure with the level of maintenance you keep your cars at, going by the i20's looks this one will be timeless for another decade or more easily Happy mile munching!

Nice writeup on the dashcam installation and product. This product sounds really good and I am considering in investing in one for the highway journeys after your thorough review. I have a query on the angle adjustability of the product on the windshield - can we tilt the camera's angle once it is attached to the sticker? Reason I ask is, the Thar has an almost vertical windshield while this camera sticker seems to be suited for slanted windshields (as in most cars) from what I see in your pictures.

As of now I just use the trusty GoPro hero 7 with adjustable OE suction mount but more to record action shots of offroading and not from a dashcam point of view. A permanent dash cam would do the job well for highway captures + action events, provided the sticker doesn't collapse during the offroading jolts . Or maybe I can always disconnect it during those events and add it back later

[guyfrmblr]

Thanks Karthik!

Originally Posted by KarthikK

I have a query on the angle adjustability of the product on the windshield - can we tilt the camera's angle once it is attached to the sticker? Reason I ask is, the Thar has an almost vertical windshield while this camera sticker seems to be suited for slanted windshields (as in most cars) from what I see in your pictures.

Yes, the camera's angle can be titled. The portion which I have marked in the pic can be tilted to any angle even after the camera is attached. The sticker feels pretty strong. I'm not sure how it'll work with vertical windshields. I have never seen it mounted on a vertical windshield in any of the reviews I have come across

As of now I just use the trusty GoPro hero 7 with adjustable OE suction mount but more to record action shots of offroading and not from a dashcam point of view. A permanent dash cam would do the job well for highway captures + action events, provided the sticker doesn't collapse during the offroading jolts . Or maybe I can always disconnect it during those events and add it back later

You are right. I think the GoPro will be the best for recording action videos of your offroading events. This dashcam is only suitable for capturing any untoward incidents on our roads.

[guyfrmblr]

Second Service Update (5100 km):

Its been 4 months since I bought the car and it has run around 5100 km. The car has been running great so far. 80% of my drives were on highways and its an absolute joy to drive this car on highways. The hard suspension has mellowed down a bit. The drives on the rough patches are not as bone-jarring as before. I thank myself for going with this car instead of the new Honda City (which was my first choice). The roads in Bengaluru now are so pathetic that a low slung sedan will never make any sense. This car has no issues with any of the monster speed breakers or pot holes which are found in abundance in Bengaluru these days.

I get an average of FE of around 14 kmpl:


Scheduled an appointment for the second free service today with Advaith Aerospace, Lalbagh, Bengaluru. Reached the service center at 8:30 AM. My service advisor Mr. Vinay took the pictures of the car and opened a job card. I had driven the car over several bad stretches of road in the last couple of long drives and hence requested him to carryout out wheel balancing and alignment.

He asked me if I would like to get the live updates of the service in Whatsapp for which I agreed. I then started getting the updates from him as soon as the service started. For each job carried out, he took the pictures and forwarded me with the details. Kia does have a live tracker on their website but that doesn't say anything about the work carried out. I actually liked this approach where in which details of the each job with photos are sent to the owners.

Received the first picture as soon as the car went into service bay:


Air filter cleaned:


AC filter cleaned:


Wheel balance and alignment in progress:




Once all the jobs were carried out and all the checks were completed, I got a notification from Kia that the service has been completed. Mr. Vinay too called and asked me to come and pickup the car.

The car was washed after I reached the service center. Looks like even service centers have joined the ceramic coating bandwagon. SA asked if I'm interested in getting the ceramic coating done for which I denied. They charge around 32K for it. I can get it done for much cheaper by reputed professional detailers in Bangalore.

The only cost for the service was wheel alignment and balancing which turned out to be Rs. 1316.49/-. The overall service experience was great. Mr.Vinay was very professional and never pushed anything down my throat. The service experience was almost on par with the experience I used to have with Advaith Hyundai during my i20 days.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

*SNIP*

Nice writeup on the dashcam installation and product. This product sounds really good and I am considering in investing in one for the highway journeys after your thorough review. I have a query on the angle adjustability of the product on the windshield - can we tilt the camera's angle once it is attached to the sticker? Reason I ask is, the Thar has an almost vertical windshield while this camera sticker seems to be suited for slanted windshields (as in most cars) from what I see in your pictures.

*SNIP*

I investigated this very camera specifically for the Thar.

The vertical angle has some adjustment, but it can never be enough for the Thar - at the max adjustment you will still see a large portion of your bonnewt and the road, but not the sky.

Plus, one disadvantage with this camera (and others where the only adjustment of the lens is vertical) is that the camera absolutely has to be installed bang in the (horizontal) centre of the windshield. Even a slight deviation to one side of the IRVM will result in the view not being absolutely straight ahead. This may be OK for some people, but someone who claims to have even the mildest OCD will not be able to tolerate that very slight angle.

I prefer dashcams where the lens can be adjusted horizontally as well as vertically becuase I prefer the camera installed above my head on my side of the windshield so that I get as close to the view I get from the driver's seat as possible.

Cheers

[guyfrmblr]

I was feeling bored during the long weekend. So took the car for a 600 km solo drive to Coorg today. The route I took: Bangalore - Channarayapatna - Holenarasipura - Arakalagudu - Shanivarasante - Vanagoor - Kundalli - Kiragandur - Kumbur - Madikeri - Kushalnagar - Mysore - Bangalore.

The weather was just perfect for the drive. My wife packed tea, breakfast and lunch so that I could avoid visiting hotels. My main point of interest was the section Vanagoor - Kundalli - Kiragandur - Kumbur through internal roads which passes through beautiful small villages and coffee estates. The roads were excellent in this section. I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Somewhere after Holenarasipura:


Just before Vanagoor:




Vanagoor - Kumbur section:














Next to Tata coffee estate at Somawarapete - Madikeri road:








Started from home at 4:30 AM and reached back at 5 PM. It was a very refreshing drive. There was hardly any traffic anywhere. I expected heavy long weekend traffic between Mysore - Bangalore but it was surprisingly thin. Maybe I just beat the peak hour traffic. The only bad sections for the entire drive were between Hunsur - Ilavala bypass - Srirangapatna. Even though the Mysore - Bangalore highway is under construction, the bypasses are well managed and never slows down the traffic flow.

The odometer stands at 6000 km. As I mentioned in the previous post, the suspension has mellowed down a bit and I don't find it as stiff as before. I got an average FE of around 16 kmpl today. It has slightly improved after crossing 5000 km.

[guyfrmblr]

The first scratch is here. I was in the right lane and an auto was in the left lane. It was a stop and go traffic. A cyclist got in between my car and the auto. Auto driver didn’t see the cyclist and just came to the right to avoid a parked tempo and the cyclist got sandwiched between my car and the auto. The cyclist didn’t get injured. I didn’t make much fuss and left the place. The actual culprit in this entire incident was the illegally parked tempo on the road. I’m damn sure it’ll cost a bomb to get this fixed in the KIA service center. Need to check for some good third party solution.