We've known for some time now that Kia has a new compact SUV in the works. Following a couple of teasers showing interior and exterior sketches, we now know what the small people mover will be called. Say hello to the Kia Seltos, or at least, the SUV's chrome badge positioned on the rear gate. The rest will be revealed later this month.
If you're thinking that's a rather odd name, there is some method to the madness. In its press announcement, Kia explains that Seltos draws inspiration from Greek mythology, specifically from Celtos who was the son of Hercules. Why not just call it Celtos then? Because in this case, the 'S' stands for sportiness and speed. That's Kia's official take anyway, though we suppose it could also stand for style, sophistication, space – those are all buzzwords Kia used in its announcement, though until we see and drive it, we'll just say it stands for SUV.
No other information is available from Kia, though previous teasers do shed a bit of light on this new offering. Detailed interior sketches reveal a rather handsome greenhouse with a large 10.25-inch touchscreen display. Adaptive cruise control is visible between the dials, so it should be available with a comfortable host of safety and driver-assist systems. Exterior sketches reveal Kia's tiger grille and narrow headlamps not unlike the Soul, with a wide, curvy backside that suggests this SUV might embody more of a crossover lifestyle.
Kia says the Seltos is aimed directly at Millennials and "youthful, tech-savvy buyers" seeking something that stands apart from the crowd. That will be a very difficult task as the compact SUV segment is perhaps the most jam-packed and competitive of all automotive markets. We suspect we'll see more teasers in the days and weeks to come, with the full reveal coming by the end of June.
