New Kia Seltos Testing Continues Ahead Of Hybrid Launch
by Akshay Kulkarni · RushLaneKia and Hyundai have been working on a strong Hybrid powertrain for their C Segment SUVs. The same is expected to launch in India too with both Hyundai and Kia SUVs. Kia Motor debuted Seltos Hybrid for the US market at New York Auto Show, featuring a strong hybrid setup, which is expected to launch in USA by the end of 2026 and then in India in 2027.
Now, a Kia Seltos test mule has been spied testing in India donning full camouflage even after its January 2026 launch in the country. Connecting the dots, one could speculate that this new test mule might be Kia Seltos Hybrid, set to launch in 2027. Let’s take a closer look.
Kia Seltos Hybrid Testing?
There is a new Kia Seltos test mule spied testing in India with full camouflage. It is donning red registration plates from Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO in Pune, Maharashtra. These test mule spy shots were posted by Reddit user r/CarsIndia and they show this upcoming vehicle from its rear and side.
There is a good probability of it being Seltos Hybrid, which is slated to launch some time in the year 2027 in India. Further strengthening this speculation is a structure protruding out of the floor, which can be seen from the rear. This is where the high-voltage battery would logically be placed in a strong hybrid vehicle.
It has to be noted that Hyundai and Kia’s strong hybrid powertrain is of self-charging type and not plug-in hybrid type. So, one cannot charge the battery by plugging it in. Onboard regenerative braking will recharge the battery by energy recuperation. This battery will drive the vehicle in pure electric mode for a short distance at a limited speed.
What to expect?
This self-charging strong hybrid setup is expected to be based on Hyundai and Kia’s 1.6L 4-cylinder NA Petrol engine, which is a common trend among strong hybrid C Segment 4.2m to 4.5m SUV space. Performance metrics could be around 140 bhp and 265 Nm (combined), mated to an automatic gearbox. Seltos Hybrid will get a slightly smaller boot and miss out on a spare wheel.
At the beginning of this year, Kia Motor launched their 2nd generation Seltos in the country. It is the longest in its segment, lending big car vibes, while still being light on buyer’s pockets. Prices range between Rs 10.99 lakh and Rs 19.99 lakh (Ex-sh) and there are quite a few of them already trundling around the country.