Kia India, one of the country’s leading mass-premium automakers, has been honoured with the ‘SUV of the Year’ award for the All-New Kia Seltos at the Times Drive Auto Summit & Awards 2026. The recognition acknowledges the Seltos as a product conceptualised from the outset to meet the evolving expectations of Indian customers, and that continues to redefine the country’s mid-SUV segment.
From the start, the Seltos was built around a clear idea—understand Indian customers and challenge the way the mid-SUV segment was evolving, going on to disrupt it by raising expectations. . This approach established it as a strong player in the category, contributed to the segment’s growth in India, and made it a preferred choice for families. Over time, the Seltos has built a strong presence in the market, consistently raising expectations through its design, features, and overall product experience.
With the new Seltos, Kia takes that philosophy forward with a clear focus on delivering a more evolved and well-rounded SUV. The introduction of the K3 platform strengthens overall safety while improving ride quality, suspension performance, and overall NVH levels, delivering a smoother and more refined driving experience. Combined with a more commanding stance and segment-benchmarking length of 4,460 mm, it enhances both road presence and interior space, making it well suited to the needs of Indian families.
The All-New Seltos has also raised the bar on safety, securing a 5-star rating under Bharat NCAP—one of the highest scores recorded by an ICE SUV in India. It achieved 31.70 out of 32.00 for Adult Occupant Protection and 45.00 out of 49.00 for Child Occupant Protection. The model continues to see strong market acceptance, with monthly sales averaging over 10,000 units and cumulative sales of 42,554 units since its launch in January 2026, reflecting sustained customer preference.
Sharing his thoughts on this recognition, Mr. Gwanggu Lee, Managing Director & CEO, Kia India, said, “The Seltos was developed with a clear intent from the very beginning – to understand Indian customers and build around their needs. With this new generation, we have taken that forward by making it more spacious, more confident in its design, stronger in safety and technology, and more aligned with how families use their vehicles. This recognition reflects the strength of that approach and the strong connect the Seltos continues to build with our customers.”
The Times Drive Auto Summit & Awards 2026, hosted by The Times of India Group’s automotive platform Times Drive, brings together industry experts, jurors, and automotive enthusiasts to recognise excellence across categories. The awards evaluate vehicles on parameters such as design, performance, innovation, safety, and overall value, making them a credible benchmark within the Indian automotive industry.
