The Kia Seltos small SUV will gain hybrid power in its next generation, due to launch in 2025 according to overseas reports.
According to The Korea Economic Daily, the Kia Seltos – currently in its first generation – will undergo a major overhaul next year, with hybrid power among the headline changes.
The current generation Kia Seltos (codenamed SP2) is based on the same platform as the previous Hyundai Kona, which was available as a hybrid overseas – with a 1.6-litre petrol engine – but not in Australia.
Hyundai’s newest Kona launched in Australia in 2023 on a new platform, offering a 1.6-litre hybrid powertrain alongside 2.0-litre naturally aspirated and 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engines. It’s also available with an electric powertrain.
While not stated by the South Korean publication, the new Kia Seltos could be updated to run on the same platform as the new Kona.
Kia Australia previously ruled out the local launch of a hybrid Seltos, though this was only due to there not being an electrified version of the small SUV overseas.
“At least from Australia’s perspective, this current-generation SP2 Seltos, will not have a hybrid available to it,” Kia Australia’s product planning boss, Roland Rivero, told CarExpert in November 2022.
Throughout 2023, the Seltos was Kia’s third best-selling model in Australia, with the 10,473 examples sold behind only the Sportage mid-size SUV (15,747 sales) and Carnival people mover (11,312 sales).
It was also the fifth most-popular sub-$45,000 small SUV last year, behind the category’s best-selling MG ZS, the Mazda CX-30, the GWM Haval Jolion and Hyundai Kona.
Kia already has a small hybrid SUV with the Niro, which was redesigned in 2021. It’s available with electric power and, in other markets at least, a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
MORE: Everything Kia Seltos
