SA Road Tests

Welcome

This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.

Editor's note: SA Roadtests accepts multi-day vehicle loans from manufacturers in order to provide editorial reviews. All vehicle reviews are conducted on our turf and on our terms.

For out-of-province vehicle launch features however, travel costs are covered by the manufacturer concerned. This is common in the motor industry, as it's more economical to ship journalists to cars than to ship cars to journalists.

Judgments and opinions expressed on this site are our own. We do not accept paid editorial content or ads of any kind.


Supersized compact: Kia Seltos 1.4 T-GDI GT Line

Tidy and solid

Pics by Motorpress
Posted July 18, 2020

The numbers
Price: R471 995
Engine: 1353 cc, DOHC, 16-valves with CVVD, inline four, turbopetrol
Power: 103 kW at 6000 rpm
Torque: 242 Nm between 1500 and 3200 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 9.7 seconds
Real life fuel consumption: About 7.7 l/100 km
Tank: 50 litres
Cargo: 433 litres (VDA, seatbacks up)                                                                  Maximum towing mass, Braked/unbraked: 1100/550 kg
Ground clearance: 190 mm
Turning circle: 10.6 metres
Standard tyres: 205/65R16 on EX, 215/60R17 on others
Spare tyres: See text
Warranty and roadside assistance: 5 years unlimited km
Service plan: 5 years, 90 000 km

The range:
•    Seven models,

•    Three engines: 1.6-litre Gamma petrol, 1.5-litre UII turbodiesel and 1.4-litre Smartstream turbopetrol,

•    Three gearboxes: six-speed manual, six-speed automatic, seven-speed dual clutch,

•    Three trim levels: EX, EX+ and GT Line,

•    Common to all: manual air conditioning with repeater vents at the rear, automatic headlights with welcome and escort, electric windows, powered mirrors with integrated indicators, steering wheel remotes, cruise control, 8-inch colour touchscreen with CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, voice control, roof rails, alloy wheels and full-size steel spare. Brakes: Discs front and rear. Suspension: McPherson struts and torque beam,

•    Colourways: Ten, including bi-tones and special options,

•    Lighting: Quartz halogen with front fog lamps and LED DRLs,

•    Safety: Six airbags, ISOFix with tethers, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and reversing camera,

•    Prices range from R380 995 to R471 995

This review covers  the top-of-range 1.4 T-GDI GT Line with seven-speed DCT. At this level, standard kit has been upgraded to leather upholstery with manual adjusters, smart entry with push button starting, ESC, hill holder, LED lights all around, 17” wheels, auto-folding wing mirrors, central armrest with sliding top, alloy pedals and multiple drive modes.

Selection is via a dial on the console offering Comfort, Sport and EcoPro. This includes a sub-menu with Terrain Control - snow, sand and mud. Chill; it’s still only front-wheel drive. And, thankfully, modes don’t default back to Comfort every time the vehicle restarts. That makes at least one reviewer happy.

There is no single, worldwide, Seltos range. Various markets have their own interpretations based on Hyundai’s newest Creta that hasn’t yet arrived here.

We have the made-in-India SP2i version that’s exported to several regions: South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, other South Asian countries, the Middle East and Latin America. It’s shorter than most others by 60 mm in length and 20 mm in wheelbase. Visually, the bonnet is shorter and the rear bumper protrudes less. Like the SP2c Chinese version, badged as Kia KX3, it has a different dashboard layout with a high-mounted head unit. Kia Motors SA pitches it as one of the largest and most practical compact SUVs available today.

The Kappa-derived Smartstream engine features continuously variable valve duration (CVVD), an extension of continuously variable valve timing. It can change the rotation speed of each lobe on the camshaft, allowing intake valves to remain open for shorter or longer periods. It constantly regulates how much air enters the combustion chamber based on throttle inputs and driving conditions.

If only we’d had this back in the day; would have saved fortunes trying to find the right camshaft grinds for race, three-quarter race, rally, fast road and whatever else. And that doesn’t include fettling of carbs and head for each new profile…

The manufacturer claims that CVVD boosts performance by four percent and fuel economy by five, with 12 percent fewer emissions. A continuously variable oil pump keeps components lubricated with low-viscosity 0W-20 oil, reducing friction within rotating components by as much as 34 percent.

Improved thermal management (accounting for a fuel economy gain of over one percent) provides uniform cooling for each cylinder, thus lowering operating temperatures in critical areas, while the exhaust manifold integrated within the head reduces heat loss. Rather fancy. It performs nicely too.

There was a time when “Made in India” indicated suspect build quality. No more. Just as early Korean cars, then Chinese after them, improved body integrity, fit and finish by leaps and bounds as time progressed, so too have those from India. This Kia was as tidy and solid as anything from its Korean factories.

Said solidity showed up on quick and slow tours of our favourite dirt roads; no sharp shocks, tooth-rattling vibrations or dancing sideways. Suspension compliance is one thing that Indian engineers know how to finesse. And they’ve done it again.

Practicality and space: The cargo bay loads at a comfortable 75 cm and without a lip. It is lit and offers a pair of bag hooks. The seatback splits 60:40 with catches accessible from behind. The pull-down slot is right-handed.

Larger backseat passengers are well looked after with adequate headspace and decent knee- and foot room. The backrest can recline slightly for extra comfort. There’s a full set of head restraints and belts while a low central tunnel allows for an adult middle passenger. Amenities include an HVAC repeater vent, USB port, armrest with cup holders, grab handles, seatback pockets, bottle bins and a central courtesy lamp.

Front chairs are comfortable and supportive and the deep armrest box has an adjustable top cushion. Further storage consists of two more cup holders, open tray, spectacle box, medium sized cubby and door bins. Sockets comprise one 12-volt and two USBs, one of which is powered.

HVAC functions are controlled by simple dials while the touchscreen and supplementary information panel are easy enough for most adults to navigate. Steering is light with a reasonably tight turning circle and almost-square rear side windows provide a clear view outward. The supplementary opera windows in the wide C pillars don’t contribute much.

Forecourt access: The fuel cap is on the left while other fluids are easily reached from the right of an otherwise crowded engine bay. That means no scrambling over the bowser island; thoughtful.

Seltos is a neat, well-built and user-friendly city SUV with plenty of room for an average family along with adequate and extendable luggage space. It earned an unqualified spousal audit.

Test unit from Kia Motors SA press fleet

We drove a 1.5 diesel in September 2020



What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.