New Kia Seltos to retain diesel engine option in SA
Unveiled in December 2025, the new Kia Seltos is heading to South Africa…and it will retain the South Korean automaker’s frugal 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine option. Image: Kia The second-generation Seltos was revealed with a selection of powertrain options: 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol producing 110 kW/179 N.m, 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol (T-GDI) available in 132 kW and 142 kW states of tune, and hybrid – the latter setup pairing a 1.6-litre atmospheric four-pot with either a single or dual electric motors for combined power outputs of 113 and 131 kW, respectively. At the time, there was no word on whether the frugal 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel unit that’s available with the outgoing model, which claimed top honours in the ‘Compact crossover’ category at CAR magazine’s Top 12 Best Buys awards, will be offered with the box-fresh Seltos. However, at the May 2026 launch of the Carens seven-seater in Johannesburg, Kia’s local arm tol...