In the near future, the Kia Seltos lineup will include a blacked-out model. The upcoming model has been teased under the ‘Project X’ banner. The Seltos is expected to be based on the X-Line concept shown at the 2020 Auto Show. To be a blacked-out version of the Seltos, Project X. Kia’s second attempt at sprucing up the Seltos has no changes under the hood.
Kia Seltos X-Line (Project X): what’s new?
For its debut last year, the Seltos X-Line concept was styled in a way that set it apart from the standard model. Except for a chrome applique along the sideboards, this pumped-up SUV was painted a matte grey colour with blacked-out body accents. It had a dark chrome grille surround, gloss black bumper trim, and bronze fog lamp housings.
Dark chrome bars ran between the taillights at the rear of the vehicle, along with gloss black and bronze bumper trim and a prominent faux skid plate. A darker shade of the Seltos’ GT Line alloy wheels was also added. However, the SUV’s basic shape remained the same. It’s safe to assume that most of these design cues will be carried over to the production model.
Options for the Kia Seltos X-Line engine and transmission
‘X-Line’ is not a new Kia moniker for the Seltos. The X-Line Trail Attack and X-Line Urban concepts, based on the US-spec Seltos, were unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late 2019. They were powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine with all-wheel-drive, which produced 176 horsepower (AWD).
For Indian customers, it is expected that the Seltos X-Line won’t have any powertrain changes because it would be prohibitively expensive to modify the engine, given that no Kia model in India has the more powerful turbo-petrol or AWD capabilities.
Seltos in our market come with a variety of engines, including 115hp 1.5-litre petrol with 6-speed manual, 6-speed clutchless manual, or automatic gearbox, as well as 1.5-litre diesel with 6-speed manual or 6-speed torque converter transmission, and 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol powered by either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT automatic transmission for 140 Hp and 140 Nm of torque respectively. Front-wheel drive is standard on all models. In the X-Line, Kia is likely to offer the 1.4 petrol and 1.5 diesel engines.
Prices for Kia Seltos X-Line (Project X)
The standard Kia Seltos is priced between Rs. 9.95 and Rs. 17.65 lakh, depending on the model (ex-showroom, Delhi). The X-Line is expected to be more expensive than the regular model. A limited number of the Seltos Anniversary Edition was released last year.
Aside from the Tata Harrier Dark Edition, Hyundai Creta, Nissan Kicks, Renault Duster and the upcoming Volkswagen Taigun in our market when it is available.
