I’m not young and tech savvy, and i made a decision before watching your vlog, but i still bought a 2020 Kia Seltos EX (the middle of three variants) here in the Philippines. I also considered a Hyundai Kona and Ssangyong Tivoli. All three were similar in size and looked nice, but choosing the Kia Seltos - my first SUV - was an easy decision for me based on what i wanted from my new vehicle. I am happy with it.

Thank you! I've been looking for an honest, down-to-earth Australian review on the Seltos...and this is the first and only one I've found!

F**k me john I hope you never retire cos your reviews are epic and I find myself smiling while learning so much. Many thanks from a cousin across the pound

Good, honest, realistic, knowledgeable reviews with great sense of humour. Always enjoyable and informative.

Thank you John. Loved the review. Great humour and fun.

Loved this review. Well organized, good information, and very helpful. Subscribed! If you haven't already, please do more of these. Cheers from the east coast, U.S.

another great review and a good laugh had as well ,,thanks for all your great work for us the buying punters,, love your channel

Thanks John for your honest reviews. I almost purchased a Jeep compass but will now definitely be buying the Seltos- GT line 😁

Excellent! A thoroughly enjoyable mix of oratory flair and old fashioned Aussie colloquialism. I could watch you all day regardless of the content.

Almost gave this a thumbs down for not being porn. It actually is refreshing to hear an honest review with technical info and solid advice given.

Another great review, John. Kudos. As far as automotive names are concerned, the most important thing to a car manufacturer when naming a new model is that the name can be copyrighted. That's why they tend to go for made up nonsense words. In 1965 Ford renamed the Mustang the T5 for the German market because Mustang was a registered trademark of Krupp over there and the blue oval was too cheapskate to stump up the $10,000 asking price to buy it from them. My personal all-time favourite car name has to be the Bongo Friendy, a surf wagon by Mazda which was never officially available in Brexitland but came in as a "grey import" along with the Nissan Figaro and Nissan Cube. I also have great admiration for whoever at Hyundai decided to rename the Atos to the Atoz (get it?) for English-speaking markets. Also, may I ask if it's particularly cold in your neck of the woods right now (or if you have the air con in the Fat Cave turned to a temperature beginning with a minus)? I'm just being an inquisitive so-and-so because I'm wondering why your nose has turned blue. If it's neither of those things it might be wise to go to the quack to get your heart checked out.

Would i regret to switch from Sorento 2015 ...i am beginning my seventies. First time i listen to you and i am very happy of your tone and analysis ...refreshing from all those testers hiding a sale agenda.Thanks for sharing , Salute from Canada ...minus 22 C now.

Great review, thanks John, it has helped make up my mind, be in touch soon.

Great review John, thank you. We are considering small SUV’s (for personal physical reasons) and had Honda HR-V, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30 on our final list (up until recent Honda announcements and commentary). Would you be up for doing a comparo? Thanks in advance.

Great video as always. Thanks John. :)

I like you John! Can’t hate on that subtle but dry Aussie humour.liking the video

Hey John, really appreciate your channel and I was in the “considering a Seltos” camp. I very much took your advice to heart and added the Cerato to my shortlist. The only thing that missed for me was the headroom. I was touching the roof liner and knocked me noggin’ on the side of the roof over the door while sitting in driving position. On paper the Cerato is great (IMHO), and the discount is not insubstantial over the Seltos. I’d definitely check both if you’re looking at a car purchase. My experience was just that, my experience. The actual feeling of sitting behind the wheel, the Seltos worked for me. I am very much not on the SUV kick, I’ve been driving an Astra TS for 17 years, and sadly it’s about to go to God (rather whichever deity deals with the automobile afterlife). We need a bit more space for ever growing teenagers and I don’t want to inflict a cramped ride on them. Again, that’s my personal experience and again, I say check both. It won’t cost you anything to sit in both and hey if you’ve got the time and a willing dealer test drive them both.

Love your reviews and humor. Seltos is a contender as is Kona.

Thanks for a really honest review of the Seltos car..we have watched other ,"reviews", none as honest as yours.

Thank you for well researched content, John. It affected our decision to buy a new Seltos Sport + FIrst new car, for this midldle-aged couple, so the self-imposed pressure to 'Get it right' was significant. Replacing our trusty T30 Nissan X-Trail, after 13 years and 230.000km. Quietly confident, this car will be long-lasting, as well. Kia seems to make all the right noises, regarding service and support, unlike some other brands here in Shitsville.

Those cinematic takes. Good job.

Great video. Thanks mate

Hey John, Excellent review and I think this will help me in my decision as I am looking to upgrade from my Mazda 3. Also love your sense of humour. Keep it up! Very informative and knowledgeable review. Thumbs up for you!

@AutoExpertJC

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much, Megan - glad you found the review helpful. Even more glad you found it funny (because humour is the hardest part of the job).

Could you do a review on the Kia Cerato.

Nice review, Johnny! The bloody thing, on the outside, looks about as dull as a wet Sunday.

@davwatto77

4 жыл бұрын

Review?

Hey John what do you reckon the price of top spec Kia Seltos GT is worth?

I thought they changed it from C to S because Celltoss sounds like a way of finding contraband in a prison...

Hey John, love your work. But what are these computer managed cars going to be worth down the track? On average I've changed cars about every ten years, with ten year old cars ,because that's all I can afford . We've replaced TV"s computers, and lap tops at our place in less than that time frame. What would you buy today that would cart ,carry and tow like an 04 BA falcon wagon?

great job john right on m8

Interesting that you asked "Do you need an SUV ? ". I would suggest that for most people the answer is no. You don't see many on the roads when we get significant snowfall here in the UK. They are mostly used for the daily school run, when their owners get as close to the school gates as possible. Then for the supermarket run.

Can't speak highly enough of our new Cerato GT. Just a great car.

You are a crack up, but seriously this was a really helpful video. Thank you! Currently have an awesome Mazda CX3, but need a bigger boot. Kamiq, Juke & Seltos are in the running.

@d.j.z.j

3 жыл бұрын

Maybe go Subaru,l or skoda kodiak, we are looking to

John think your reviews are Great looking forward to your review of the Kia Sonet HTX models looks like a mini Seltos if they release it in Straya

Nice review John. Have you reviewed the Cerato GT? Why do you think they detuned the engine by 20kW and any chance it may be reinstated in a future update? Keep up the great work.

@mrhypo78

4 жыл бұрын

Peter Panousis Hyundai/Kia state the kW output of the 1.6T lower in SUVs as it is a ‘SUV tune’. I drove an i30SR and a kona back to back with the same 1.6T and the engines feel the same. The output feels completely the same until the last 500 rpm there the suv will short shift. In 99% of driving you would not even notice this as turbo engines are all about low and mid range torque.

When is the Kia Seltos going to get a safety rating and would you hold off buying it until it does?

Haha.. Great advice as always, only trumped by your delivery.

Really enjoyed your presenting style. Makes researching a new car fun. I'm having the problem you described, don't "need" an SUV but after driving a Yaris for 10 years and the number of bigger and bigger cars on the road I'm feeling too small, unsafe, and unable to see around everyone else. I'd consider a Cerato but I really want to sit higher on the road. Is it crazy to buy a small SUV just to get the higher driving position?

@Andrew-vs2wd

3 жыл бұрын

Not crazy myfavouritescar. It is one of the big advantages of an SUV. I’ve been driving them for about 18 years and always loved that, but as every second car is a bigger SUV than my mid-size, it really doesn’t confer any advantage these days. Was looking the other day and saw the Cerato hatch and seriously considering it. $7K extra just to sit higher and have poorer handling seems crazy to me now. I need the space for golf clubs, surfboards and bags when I go away, but the Cerato hatch has as much space as the Sportage, so I’m asking myself why do I want an SUV, and the main answer was there was no mid size station wagons. Cerato hatch might just fit the bill, and can get top of the line GT for close to entry level for the Seltos.

Been looking at this vs a Mazda cx30 ? Mazda dealers in my area are saying they have a heap of cx30s with hail damage so they’re doing a sale but the price is still the same as the recommended price? What’s the go??

Great John! You’re awesome.

Kia should test suspension setup here in Sheepshagistan (Scotland) but i guess they dont want to break the car. In Fife where i live the roads are the worst in the country including the rest of the UK. The saying around these parts is "In England you drive on the left of the road, in Scotland you drive on whats left of the road" Just an anecdotal line for people to smile at.

@formulafish1536

4 жыл бұрын

Sorry. Sheepshagistan is already taken by New Zealand. Please choose another name.

@tk9839

4 жыл бұрын

There can only be one Sheepshagislander...you see what I did there.

@Beer_Dad1975

4 жыл бұрын

Exactly, NZ is proud home of the original Sheepshagger according to the Aussies anyway, though in recent decades cows have probably become more popular, and a better fit. Also our roads in many places are worse than anything you'll likely find in Scotland - I've also found plenty of horrific roads in Australia that match or are even worse than anything in NZ, you just have to get a bit more off the beaten track than you do over here. If you are just driving from major city to major city nothing I've seen in the first world is as bad as NZ - as the only slightly hyperbolic saying goes, we have some of the most challenging roads in the world, and that's just driving direct between Auckland and Wellington.

@tk9839

4 жыл бұрын

@@Beer_Dad1975 Why is it NZ has such poor roads considering it has one of the highest living standards in the world?

@grantadamson3478

4 жыл бұрын

@@tk9839 The roads here are not that bad. For those drivers who complain I say go to Asia and then judge.

A similar review of the Mazda CX30 would be great.

Cries as a 28 year old male who is in love with the seltos.

Hello, We have been considering a Suzuki Vitara 1.6 turbo until the Seltos became available. Which of those two cars would you prefer as a personal car for you or your age group. Cheers from NZ

I my gosh....laughed so much when John said....make no mistake, this car is aimed at the 50+ woman. I’m 46 and definitely looking at this as my next purchase 😂

@melissaholborow9972

3 жыл бұрын

I'm 21 and probably going to buy one! Great range that's for sure :D

@mareetownes347

3 жыл бұрын

haha!! Not sure how insulted I feel as I'm nearly 60 and I might buy one!!

@SandraGarcia-we2fn

2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha that's me too... and I've just bought one

Great video! One rec...put the time stamps in the description so that folks can skip right to that spot.

Excellent delivery.

The Icvt should be released with the turbo option I believe. I’ve seen inside both gearboxes and I believe the icvt is the way to go

@jamesgand828

4 жыл бұрын

Hell no, the 7 speed dct is the best way to go

Hi John...in your opinion...with a current 'drive away offer' of $43,225 for the GTLine...what kind of discount do you think I could barter with the Kia car dealer? Looking to 'shop' from mid-May for 'EOFY sale'.

Hi J. I was wondering if you could use your science acumen to answer this question: Why is it that when a person looks into a mirror, is left and right reversed, but not up and down?

G'day looking at the Toyota c-hr here in NZ what are your thoughts on this vehicle???

Yesterday I got to test drive 2 Kia Seltos. One was the Sport+ 2.0L and the other was the GT 1.6L turbo. The 1.6L is definitely the way to go for me, and even my wife agreed she preferred that over the more sluggish and harsh 2.0. I also sat in the Cerato, but didn't even bother test driving. I totally disagree that the Cerato is just as good as the Seltos for a new family. I'm 5'11 and had to bend over quite uncomfortably to reach into the back of the Cerato where a kids seat would be located. With the Seltos, it was so much easier to just reach in while remaining upright. I preferred the Seltos GT due to the HUD, better sound system, LED headlights, seat heating and cooling, and rear vents for kids in the back (seriously, why isn't this standard in all SUVs???).

Great video! 50+ Husband an Wife... Getting ready to order Our first New Seltos Tomorrow..

What I guess is Seltos was pushed in the Kia lineup to compete with 3rd korean brand ssangyong, korando or xlv, to which Seltos seems quite similar for me. By the way, solid review of xlv is what I've been waiting for...

BULLSHAT has now become part of my 25 year radio announcer, so quite large, vocabulary! Agree with others - new model should be shown with 'new models'!! Yesssss!

We need a Sales Ultimate Vehicle. No problem, we'll just pop this model on stilts and make the windows a bit taller raising the roof line. Job done, ultimate sales success, off to the Pub.

thanks for the great view on the cletus!

Hi John The 7 year warranty is attractive but have u had a chance to digest the fine print to see what the aTs and Cs are?

@riloh58

3 жыл бұрын

Gerry - my understanding from a Kia dealer in Australia (make of that what you will re reliable source or not) is that as long as it’s serviced by a reputable mechanic who is qualified/authorised to stamp your log book you are good for 7 years (they did use the term “Kia approved” mechanic, but I don’t think Aussie Consumer Law recognises that). If you also want the 7 year roadside assist you need to get it serviced by Kia.

does it have a diff lock like the Kona?, could you do a comparison.

Took an ASX for a drive last Friday morning and the Seltos in the afternoon. The Seltos felt terrible at take off and going up hill...couldn't work out why. The sales chap in the back lifts his eyes from his phone as we are nearly back at the dealer and says.." why don't you try sports mode, I think it's in eco " So we did for about 100 metres in a 50 zone lol. Anyway that afternoon we bought an ASX.

So if a couple of times a year I drive out to Orange and Tamworth, which is over the mountains and up the Bulli Pas.. Is the 2litre going to Karl it half way?

we have the 1.6 turbo DCT - its (theoretically) the same power train that was in our Cerato GT - but they have really improved the low down torque in the Seltos - makes for effortless passing without having to change down a couple of gears like one had to in the Cerato. It also handles well and corners well - and we are already getting 40mpg on the open road . Quite impressed !....oh and for those that get mislead by some yank testers calling the DCT clunky and jerky ( have they got gearboxes made in mexico ? ) the DCT in ours is smooth, fast changing and works perfectly well. - update 'er indoors got 6.3 on a trip yesterday = 44mpg

Gotta agree with the “crap roads” statement, which could easily be another reason people buy SUVs. Having just spent a grand on suspension repairs to a Honda Jazz, I’ve recognised the bashing that poor road surfaces dish out to light vehicles with small wheels.

Hi John, We are looking to purchase a Mitsubishi Triton new from a dealer in Brisbane, for the deal we need a Canopy, Roof Racks, Tow Bar. We were told that if we did not purchase Mitsubishi accessories and chose to install ofter market (ARB say), then our AMCAP rating would drop, is this true?

Hey John what do you reckon to the new Mazda MX-30 ? Are you doing a review ? Cheers mate.

Great episode, as always mate. One of my kids, who is really tall, and her even taller boyfriend, chose a Seltos over a Cerato. Purely because they’re tall and the Seltos has a more upright seating position. It’s worth the extra dough to save your lower back in the long term. As you said, the ergonomics should be considered 👌

I bought an Optima GT six months ago and am so impressed by not only the car but the overall sales and service we went back yesterday and bought a Cerato as well. The Seltos is a nice looking car but these SUV type things don’t impress me at all.

Are these tiny engines any good when fully loaded? Or longevity?

Haha, friggin hilarious, educational and entertaining!. Yeah, my wife and I are young and tech savvy at 50+ yrs old. Looking at test driving a GT tomorrow!😂👍🍻

As always a great review.God knows l miss that British/Australian sense of humor,now im here in America.

great work , love your presentation, no B S

I have tested Kia Seltos, but at the end I bought Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI automatic for 28.000AUD drive away and I am very happy with my decision.

@Paul-fv4no

4 жыл бұрын

you did not get your Karoq for A$28,000

@Andrew-vs2wd

3 жыл бұрын

Skoda Karoq is a beautiful car, but these days it’s a VW, and has the awful VW DSG transmission. When talking with the salesman about it, even he admitted it was a bit if an engineering mistake. I would have loved to get one, such clever design, a small SUV with a mid size SUV interior, but it’s a VW, so there’s that!

@jeanvonbarberode2377

3 жыл бұрын

@@Andrew-vs2wd I had different Skodas with DSG and never had any issue, also with this last one in my Karoq, it is nicely smooth and punchy, very fast. My wife has a Japanese car Suzuki and they put there CVT, not bad however no competition to DSG, I am European and do not believe what the moto journalists writing about the DSG I am long term user and never had any problem with it. If you care for your car and do the right thing than you will drive 1000s Kms without any issue. This is my experience.

@godnnat

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha .. good luck with that Skoda shit box.. resale will be horrendous

@jeanvonbarberode2377

3 жыл бұрын

@@godnnat Totally wrong mate, my last Octavia Wagon 110 TSI DSG before I bought Karoq was sold within 3 weeks for the price I wanted and I had even interstate buyers who would come from SA and take the car without negotiation as many people told me there are not many used Octavias on the market and this gave them no chance to negotiate as always demand and supply and many people relized that Skodas are even better than VW.

Kia is pretty awesome. I overlooked them for a while.

@MrBenHaynes

4 жыл бұрын

Me too, I have tired of the poor interior packaging of Mazdas (due to their "sexy" swoopy styling) and have jumped ship to a Kia Cerato. Dependable (if low tech) mechanicals, great warranty, quality, value, long service intervals (for non-turbo) and sensible packaging!

@chocolatewheelchair

4 жыл бұрын

Ben Haynes totally agree bro

Does CVT and DCT overheat easily?. Is it costly to fix in comparison to AT?

waiting on the release in Singapore. Local ads are showing the version we get is a 1.4 turbo. Is the HUD an option or standard? Guess we’ll have to wait till it’s released here to check out the trim levels we get.

Might as well go the trifecta... What do you think’s the likelihood that the Kia CVT will turn out to be a dog like Nissan’s?

Will we see a remake of the Holden vid? Looked interesting, but deleted before I could watch it!

If its any consolation to the 'young and tech-savvy' target market of Kia.... We have just ordered a Seltos for my 27-yr old wife, who is actually pretty tech-savvy... It'll be her car, so doesn't need to clip apexes, and the ride quality was what helped to sell me on the car, compared with other similar models. Perhaps we're bean-counters, or perhaps you are somewhat disconnected from the reality of the cost of cars, but the base model S is really what made sense to us. The jump from the S to the Sport is a pretty significant $4k for essentially just some alloys & a bigger screen. That's a pretty big % of the overall cost of the car. Then the jump to your recommended Sport+ with 1.6T engine is effectively a 50% increase in price over the base model S. That's huge for a 'normal' consumer... At least, to someone who is under 30yrs old & tech-savvy, as the marketing literature would have you believe is the target market...

I love your comments about SUVs and agree most buyers don't need them however it always seems to be the blind leading the blind. Joe/Jo Blow bought one so they need one whatever other advice they are given. Personally I'd take a Cerato GT over a Seltos GT-Line anyday.

Sport Plus DCT or GT? Which one would you get?

@Auto Expert @john cadogan plz can you tell me if the 2l CVT in the seltos is exactly the same a a hyundai Kona highlander.

Best review on the seltos ever.

The headlights being so slim in design are going to suck in output if you get the halogens?

@jase22au

4 жыл бұрын

All the Seltos reviews I've seen so far don't mention headlight performance (for both halogen and LED, depending on which model) which is quite disappointing. For me, headlight performance is a deal breaker when purchasing a new car.

Haha John... I'm a 45-year-old female who's about to buy the GT-Line even though I don't need an SUV. I'm definitely young and tech-savvy...guess they saw me coming 😁

@tameikanewell2808

3 жыл бұрын

Lol... Good one Amanda😂

@kellygeracitano4542

3 жыл бұрын

Are you happy with your GT or could you have been satisfied with the Sport Plus DCT?

I hope front and rear design should be redesign with more aggresive form..

John, is the DCT in Kia's ok, from your other reports on Ford's and VWs, I've come to believe that the DCT is a "dud" in general or would you say the Kia's is ok? What is the "real world" fuel consumption figures for the turbo 1.6 litre?

@godnnat

3 жыл бұрын

Wet clutch, Ford was dry clutch. 8litres per hundred

Hello John. I love watching your reviews very informative and entertaining. Thank you. I was wondering if you are going to do a review on the Kia Cerato GT? Love if you did. Thank you.

Hi John any chance of a Toyota CHR vs Kia Seltos pretty please 🙏🏽

What would be your recommendation if I were to buy either a Seltos or a Crosstreck right now? One word!!

well John you got it right again about Holden.

Hey John, did you move to QLD?

Hi John, do you know if anyone has ever complained about how far apart the pedals are in this? We bought one after having a VF commodore for so long and are struggling to get comfortable in it driving for longer than 30 minutes

Is this the Telluride here in North America? Was at the dealership last month with my 9 year old and couldn't get him out of the one in the showroom, and he was begging me to get it because the van is a year old.

When did yo come to Kenilworth for the review??

the Kia Seltos in the Philippines are IVT transmission (CVT)

Once again my brain has strayed and I was wondering why it is we enter a gear and raise the rpm to the optimum level then change gear back down to the sub optimal RPM, and do it again and again. My father was an Air Frame Fitter with the RAAF for 34 1/2 years through to 1976, which means he worked on Piston Engined Aircraft, His favourite having been the P51D Mustang, and he spoke of the constant speed propellers. I was wondering why don't we have something similar in cars? If you have any thoughts on the matter, I am interested.

My wife is a 60yo lady who is “young and tech savvy”. The reason she is choosing an SUV is because She wants to see 2 or 3 cars ahead in the traffic and not just the boot of the car in front. 😃

Hi John, Wow you must be psychic or maybe I am! I was going to wait for the Seltos, but remembering your advice regarding the lack of discounts on a new model. I decided to buy the Cerato GT in Runway Red, the same as the one pictured in your video. I do suffer from some back pain, and the ride is firmer then the Sportage, which I drove but gave to my better half. I also make the obligatory "old man" grunts and groans when getting up form chairs or bending, but it's so fun to drive and I always have a smile of my face when I am driving the Cerato GT. We spat two kids out sometime ago (18 & 20,) and didn't want a four wheel drive. My family said it's my mid life crisis, to which I replied, I passed "mid life" a long time ago. I'm more grey nomad age. Seltos and trailer or Cerato GT? No contest! While it's not as much fun as a hot tub full of cheer leaders, It's the most fun my better half will allow! 😂

@Andrew-vs2wd

3 жыл бұрын

Very similar here Anthony, kids now 20 and 23, but no bad back and only occasional groans. No mid life crisis here, more a redundancy present and a welcome to retirement gift to myself to buy a new car, and we’re intending doing some travelling when Covid restrictions eventually lift. Very much looking at the Cerato GT hatch, can fit plenty in and would like to drive a car again after years of SUVs. The long trips would be much more fun in a driver’s car and the fuel consumption on the GT is very impressive. Weighing it all up. The red looks good, but I like the horizon blue too.

Is not the rear suspension different on the base models ? And how does this affect its capability on gravel roads/ dirt tracks?

@riloh58

3 жыл бұрын

Nick - I believe the lower trim levels or maybe it was all the FWDs have torsion bar rear suspension. AWDs have multilink IRS.

Do you think Kia’s IVT/CVT is reliable?

Was expecting the babes with that music at the start. Disappointed lol So, why not Serato?