The 2027 Kia Seltos Drops the Turbo and Goes Hybrid-Only

Kia Australia has officially launched the next-generation Seltos, overhauling its popular small SUV with an electrified powertrain line-up, a larger physical footprint and a sophisticated electric all-wheel-drive system. The new model is on sale around Australia now.

Every Seltos variant is now powered by a 1.6-litre hybrid-electric powertrain mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission \u2014 the 1.6L turbo is gone. Serving as the flagship is the GT-Line AWD, which introduces an EV-inspired e-AWD system. The range is built on Kia\u2019s K3 platform, which brings a significant dimensional stretch over the previous model.

Pricing starts at A$37,990 for the Seltos S front-wheel drive (A$39,990 drive-away) and tops out at A$52,870 for the GT-Line AWD (A$55,490 drive-away). The hybrid-only move mirrors what Toyota has done with the Camry and RAV4, and it lands in a market where Kia is the fastest-growing hybrid brand in the US, with 36,000 more hybrid sales in Q3 than a year ago.

The Seltos is a bellwether for the small-SUV segment: when a volume seller like this drops its petrol turbo entirely, it signals that hybrid is no longer the eco option \u2014 it is the default powertrain. Whether the same hybrid-only formula reaches the US Seltos, where the model is also a strong seller, is the next question.