It was in 2020 when Kia launched the Seltos in the Philippines. I remember thinking at the time that Kia had arrived and had its tech eye on the future. There was no doubt they had big aspirations for their vehicles — after all, it was going to compete in the fast-growing and lucrative compact crossover segment.

Recently, I had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Kia Seltos 1.4 Turbo. Again, I was glad I was able to take the Seltos for a spin.

As soon as the Seltos arrived and before I took it for a drive to nearby Tagaytay to get my fix of a good merienda, I gave it a once over.

I liked the creature comfort features I spied inside. A dual LCD screen for the gauge cluster and infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, powered driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, dual climate control with rear vents, ambient lighting, and of course, a panoramic sunroof. In short, Kia’s now using the Chinese SUV playbook, but keeping their premium pricing.

Have a seat

As I sat in the driver’s seat, I noticed that there’s an interior build quality that is comfy and cool to the eyes — the Seltos nailed the interiors. I was sure that my drive was going to be fun.

The bolstered seats and well-positioned controls all scream ease-of-use. The new climate control switch and the other switches are within reach of a small driver like me. More plus points to the real, tactile buttons. There are also physical switches for the volume and tuner. Cool. Real cool.

The large 10.25-inch infotainment system itself is also easy to navigate and use with a relatively flat menu structure. Unlike other Kia models, though, all functions, even driving-related ones, are centralized here as opposed to being split with the multi-function display in the gauge cluster. It can create moments of confusion, such as when trying to activate or deactivate the lane keep assist (accessible via the steering wheel controls). Pressing down the “OK” button doesn’t do anything in the gauge cluster, but brings up the Driving Assistance menu on the center screen. It’s a small issue, all things considered.

Inside, too

Despite the modest exterior footprint, the Seltos is also quite large inside with generous levels of head, shoulder, and legroom. And with this update, the rear occupants now get a center armrest and three-point seatbelts to go with the reclinable seatbacks.

Before I started the engine, I got out of the car from the front seat and gave the outside another once over.

This Kia Seletos opted for a dual engine offering. The base trims get a normally-aspirated 1.5-liter mated to an IVT (a CVT with a built-in step logic to mimic a traditional automatic). The turbocharged 1.4-liter is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch. Now, before you get a mental image of this powertrain behaving like a hot or warm hatch-cum-SUV, it’s not.

Kia says the Seltos SX with its three driving modes (and three traction modes) does the century sprint in 9.7 seconds. That figure is, subjectively, doable for as long as you drive with your right foot firmly planted down. The transmission takes a split-second or two to adjust to what the driver needs or wants at that particular moment, a safety feature? Perhaps.

Sometimes, merging onto the highway sometimes is like rolling the dice: you’ll find yourself either enjoying the wide, fat torque band or getting no pull whatsoever. Perhaps the main thing going in the turbocharged engine’s favor is fuel economy. The average city/highway fuel economy reading is 9.9 km/L (average speed of 18 km/h). Oh, and at least it can run on 91 octane fuel.

OK, time for the drive.

It was a smooth drive to the C5 and an even smoother drive with no need for swerving down a 4:30 a.m. drive. I got to test how smooth the Seltos handles the bumps on the road, and also how it easily allowed me to handle the wheel, and speeding buses flew by.

I got to Tagaytay by 5:45 a.m. Found a cool parking space, got off and bought some bread and my fave soda to match.

As the dust settled on that early morning drive, and with a yummy snack on hand, I made a review.

There are more positive takeaways with the new Seltos. Chief among them is that it’s better equipped than ever before. I must say the Kia Seltos earns the attention of many as noted by the side eye the passersby gave it.

I noticed a cooler engine, perhaps due to the revamped front grille seems to accept more air to the engine bay, cooling down the smaller engine.

On the C5, short overtakes gave me an opportunity to appreciate the new Kia Seltos’ side and rear profile. The flowing body lines (also seen on the previous Kia Seltos) gave the vehicle an elegant look. Its 17-inch alloy wheels and the blackened fenders, on the other hand, provided it a go-anywhere appeal.

I liked its modern-looking tail lamps that are connected to each other as well as the spoiler with third brake lamp and rear diffuser dished out an athletic-yet-posh charm. Add to that the Pluton Blue color option, and you have a vehicle that has a very youthful vibe.

I got to thinking that while the Seltos faces strong competition against other subcompact crossovers, the new Kia Seltos 1.4T SX strong point would be its value-for-money proposition.

The combination of its small powertrain and overall sizing makes it an efficient daily driver that can easily course its way within and even outside the metro. Additionally, its exterior aesthetics and interior layout can be matched against the more well-known nameplates in the market.

‘Nuff said.

Time for a drive home as a happy camper in a cool drive.

Drive on.