Kia Australia says it won’t introduce petrol-only or mild-hybrid versions of the 2027 Seltos to lower the entry price for the all-new small SUV lineup. Speaking at the Australian media launch, senior product planning manager Raymond Pok confirmed no firm plans exist for alternative powertrains. Pok stated that the decision to focus on an all-hybrid lineup is the right fit for the Australian market. Pok further explained that Kia’s product planners have observed a strong uptick in hybrid demand across other SUV lines within the brand, specifically highlighting the Sportage as a model benefiting from this consumer preference.
Hybrid focus for the 2027 model
According to Pok, the Korean brand is confident in the Seltos Hybrid and sees hybrid demand growing across its other SUV lines, such as the Sportage. The new Seltos in Australia uses a 1.6-litre hybrid system previously found in the defunct Niro HEV and the Hyundai Kona and i30 Sedan HEVs. This latest system produces 112kW and 265Nm in front-wheel drive, with the e-AWD variant adding a second 50kW motor to the rear axle for a total of 126kW. This configuration replaces the turbocharged petrol engines found in previous international iterations, shifting the focus entirely to electric torque for propulsion.
The new model achieves a fuel consumption rating between 5.1 and 5.8L/100km, with CO2 emissions at 115-131g/km. This represents an improvement over the previous-generation Seltos, which quoted 6.9 to 7.4L/100km. However, Kia’s local representatives noted that the Seltos is the first Kia model to use an updated ADR compliance test method. This change aligns fuel claims with the more accurate WLTP standard, meaning real-world consumption should be much closer to official figures than vehicles still rated under the older NEDC system. Kia’s local representatives made a point to acknowledge this, given the Seltos’ higher official fuel consumption versus the related Kona Hybrid (3.9L/100km), which bases its fuel economy claim on the previous test method.
Pricing and global variants
Pricing for the 2027 Kia Seltos Hybrid starts from $37,990 plus on-road costs, or $39,990 drive-away. This represents a significant increase from the $31,250 plus ORCs starting point of its petrol-only predecessor. While the Australian market receives only the hybrid variant, overseas markets offer different options. Europe uses an updated 1.6-litre T-GDI four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 132kW and 265Nm, paired with a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Korean domestic market receives a 142kW version of the same engine with an eight-speed automatic and both front-wheel drive and AWD options.
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