Kia’s best-selling SUV in NZ makes the hybrid leap

One of the country’s most popular compact crossovers, the Kia Seltos, will soon shed its pure internal combustion roots in favour of a line-up constructed exclusively of hybrids.

Whilst Kia New Zealand has yet to confirm full pricing and specifications of its all-new Seltos, it has confirmed the nameplate’s powertrain line-up will echo that of Australia in offering just the one option; a hybrid. The new Seltos is slated for local arrival in Q4 of this year.

Previously, the Seltos was offered in New Zealand with either a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder making 110kW/180Nm or a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine producing 130kW/165Nm. The latter (and its all-wheel drive format) were eventually dropped, with only the 2.0 remaining. 

The 2.0-litre and 1.6-litre still live on in overseas markets, but both have been swerved locally in favour of the Seltos’ first hybrid option; a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre 4-cylinder paired to an electric motor, a battery pack, and a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Overseas, the Seltos hybrid comes in two flavours; a 113kW front-wheel drive version or a 131kW all-wheel drive version that adds an extra electric motor.  It's yet to be announced which of these variants will make it to local showrooms.

The move could have implications for the model’s local pricing. 

Currently, the Seltos is priced between $33,990 and $44,850. Since first launching in 2019, the Seltos has traded blows with the Sportage as Kia’s best-selling nameplate in New Zealand. Most recently, the model has fought for outright class supremacy.

In 2024, the Seltos was the country’s fourth most popular passenger car, beaten only by the Toyota RAV4, and Mitsubishi’s ASX and Outlander. It followed this up with a fifth-place performance in 2025, pipped by the same trio, as well as the Ford Everest.

Shifting to exclusively hybrid tech will likely see the Seltos’ local price increase, although it’s yet to be seen whether the nameplate will follow in the footsteps of the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Honda HR-V and Toyota CH-R, and price itself beyond the $40,000 barrier. 

The Seltos isn’t the first Kia to go exclusively hybrid locally. Its Sportage sibling has undertaken the same evolution in recent years, as has the Niro (a facelift is coming later this year), and the 7-seater Sorento. 

The only holdout in the Kia SUV line-up to still be available with a pure internal combustion engine powertrain is the Stonic. Updated earlier this year, it is the sole Kia crossover offered locally for less than $30,000.