Why I'm impressed with my Seltos T-GDI IMT: And its not just the power

It pulls strong in every gear. No lag. No drama. Yet somehow, it sips fuel like a compact car under 2000 RPM. It’s fun to drive and fuel efficient too.

BHPian @ppy.tbhp recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

My Kia Seltos 1.5L Turbo IMT: 20 KMPL & Loving It!

This car is wild. It’s got a turbo 1.5L GDI. It’s got the numbers. And yes — it just gives me 20 KMPL on highway drives. No kidding. A turbo-petrol compact SUV is doing that on Indian roads.

Engine + IMT = Magic - My Seltos has the 1.5L T-GDI engine with IMT — Intelligent Manual Transmission. No clutch pedal. Just gear smooth gear shifts. You get power when you want it, and surprise: fuel economy when you don’t.

Tuned for balance - Kia nailed the tuning. The throttle is responsive. Turbo kicks in quick. It’s not aggressive — it’s smart. Feels like someone really thought about how to balance fun and fuel on Indian roads. And that IMT? Total game changer. I control the gears. The car handles the clutch. Perfect mix of manual feel and daily ease in Indian roads and driving conditions.

Real Driving. Real Results! (Bhopal --> Nagpur, NH69)

Here’s how I got 20 KMPL:

• Light-footed acceleration with gear upshifts at around 1700–1800 RPM, maintaining a constant RPM under 2000 at all times in top gear.

• Steady 85-90 KMPH. Cruise control at 85 KMPH on the highway.

• Cold Tires pressure at 35 PSI.

• All windows closed, A/C ON in recirculation mode at all times with temperature set to 22°C with fan speed at second position. The ambient temperature was hovering between 30°C to 34°C.

• Four of us strapped in, the boot overflowing with trolley bags and gear — fully loaded to the limit. Music blasting through the speakers, phones charging in every port, headlamps on high beam, fog lamps ON — every electrical system buzzing. It was a full-on night drive, and the Seltos took it all in stride without breaking a sweat. Simple stuff. No hypermiling.

• I was driving my Seltos on E10 petrol from BPCL the whole way — couldn’t find E20 anywhere, even though the Seltos is BS6 Phase 2 ready and actually needs E20 petrol.

• Third free service was done at 20,000 km — changed the engine oil, oil filter, engine air filter, cabin A/C filter, and the IMT actuator fluid. I’ve been sticking to Kia’s 10,000 km or 12-month engine oil change interval at the service center. The car had clocked 21,889 KM when I hit that 20 KMPL mark.

Why I’m Impressed:

It pulls strong in every gear. No lag. No drama. Yet somehow, it sips fuel like a compact car under 2000 RPM. It’s fun to drive and fuel efficient too.

Final Thoughts:

This isn’t just another turbo compact SUV, it’s tuned right, drives great, and it’s seriously fuel efficient. I bought it for the power, I stayed for the mileage. Seltos 1.5L turbo petrol IMT — worth every liter. On cooler days when the A/C isn’t working overtime and the engine’s gulping in that cold crisp air, I’m sure this engine and transmission setup will easily cross 20 KMPL — no drama, just smooth sailing. In the long run, this stuff matters. It’s the kind of thing that makes you love your car even more. The 1.5L T-GDI IMT Seltos is seriously winning the game here.

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