Kia Motors India, we have a question. Why did you run a programme which lasted for weeks and sought votes from us for choosing a name for the SP Concept? We believe the Tusker name came out on top with maximum votes and that should have been finalised as the production name. But no. Instead, you’ve named it Seltos, which is the same nameplate that will go on the SUV in international markets. Not that we have anything against Seltos. It’s just that the activity for attracting voters left just the usual impact – gaining attention and nothing else.

Okay. We’re done with the rant. Back to normal service. The name Seltos has been derived from the Greek mythology character Celtos – the son of Hercules. Kia says that the ‘S’ in Seltos implies speed and sportiness. The company went on to mention that its newest SUV has been created to click well with millennials.

Not much is currently known about the Kia Seltos. But we do know some. Like with most global cars, its package will vary with the market. For India, it will sport a segment-leading 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system which, apart from supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, will also become the control centre for a bunch of “connected car” features. This, as we revealed earlier, will also form the base for the next-gen Creta and Verna models. Other features on the Seltos will include Kia’s sound mood lighting, push-button start-stop, automatic climate control, an electric sunroof and an automatic transmission with paddle-shifters.

Since we’ve touched upon the powertrain department, the Seltos will be offered with a 1.5-litre diesel and petrol engines, both of which will comply with Bharat Stage VI (BSVI) levels of emission norms. Both power-plants will be available with manual and automatic transmissions. These powertrains and the new platform on which the Kia Seltos is built will also do duty in the new Creta and Verna.

The Kia Seltos will make its world premiere on June 20, 2019. Its India launch will happen by September this year. Expected to cost between Rs 10-15 lakh, it will lock horns with the Renault Captur, Nissan Kicks and the Hyundai Creta.