Kia Seltos, Carens Prices to be Hiked by up to 2% From October 1 in India

Kia India has announced a rise in the prices of the Seltos SUV and the Carens MPV by 2 per cent, effective October 1, 2023. Kia said that despite the raw material prices having gone up, it kept the prices of its models unchanged post-April. However, with the introduction of the new Kia Seltos in the domestic market, the company believed it was time it took the 'price increase'. The price hike will affect only the Seltos and the Carens. Meanwhile, the prices of the Sonet, the Carnival, and the EV6 will stay the same. This is the second price hike this year for the two models – the Seltos and the Carens got their first price hike in April 2023 as the company upgraded its portfolio to adhere to stricter RDE (Real Driving Emission) norms. Kia India launched the Seltos facelift in July 2023, with prices starting at Rs 10.89 lakh and going up to Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom). In a recent development, Kia added two new variants to the Seltos facelift – GTX+ (S) and the X-Line (S), priced at Rs 19.40 lakh and Rs 19.60 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively – taking the tally to 9: HTE, HTK, HTK Plus, HTX, HTX Plus, GTX+ (S), GTX+, X-Line (S), and X Line. 

Also Read: Kia Seltos GTX+ (S), X-Line (S) Variants with ADAS Launched in India, Check Prices

In the Seltos lineup, the new Seltos GTX+ (S) and the X-Line (S) are positioned between the HTX+ and the X-Line variants. They have been introduced to reduce the waiting period as the Seltos facelift has been drawing a lot of interest, with bookings surpassing the 50,000 mark in 2 months. So, the addition of two new variants will keep the waiting period in check, according to the carmaker. 

Underneath the bonnet, the updated Seltos SUV retains the 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre turbo-diesel motors. In the petrol mode, the SUV churns out 113bhp/144Nm and is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. The turbo-diesel mill, on the other hand, generates 114.4bhp and 250Nm of peak torque. This mill is paired with a 6-speed iMT and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Besides, a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with 7-speed DCT/6-speed iMT is also available, cranking out 158bhp and 253Nm of torque. 

In terms of market rivalry, the Seltos locks horns with the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Hyundai Creta, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, MG Astor, and the forthcoming Honda Elevate and the Citroen C3 Aircross. 

Kia Carens MPV: Price, Powertrain

Meanwhile, the Kia Carens was launched as an MPV in February 2022. The Kia Carens is available in 6 variants – Premium 7, Prestige 7, Prestige Plus 7, Luxury 7, Luxury 7 (O), and Luxury Plus 7, with both petrol and diesel engine options. Coming to the heart of the matter, the Carens uses a Smartstream G1.5 Turbo GDi engine that churns out 159bhp and 253Nm of torque. Besides, the MPV also comes with a 1.5-litre CRDi VGT diesel engine and a 1.5-litre NA petrol engine. For transmission, the G1.5 T-GDi and D1.5 CRDi VGT engines offer an iMT as standard. In terms of rivalry, it takes on the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the XL6 in India. 

Also Read: Kia Carens 1.5 T-GDi 1000+ Km Road Trip Review: Full Family Fulfillment

The introductory prices for the Carens start at Rs 10.45 lakh and go all the way to Rs 17.55 lakh for the Luxury Plus 7 variant. Prices are ex-showroom.