Kia Seltos Diesel Review: Real Mileage, DPF Issues, and Highway Feel
Kia’s Seltos has been a solid seller in India for a while now. But with stricter emission rules and petrol prices still high, a lot of people are asking if the diesel version is still worth it. Prices start from around ₹12 lakh and go up to ₹20.5 lakh ex-showroom. Top ones can easily cross ₹24 lakh on-road, so it’s not a small decision.
I spent some time with the 1.5 CRDi automatic. Not just looking at brochure numbers, but actual city runs, long highway stretches, real fuel economy, and how the AdBlue + DPF situation feels in daily use.
If you are tracking where the broader market is heading between petrol and cleaner powertrains, keeping an eye on upcoming electric and hybrid cars in India helps put these diesel options in context.
Exterior, Ground Clearance & Boot
The refreshed Seltos looks sharp and wide in person. Up front you’ve got the tiger-nose grille, connected LED DRLs, those four-tier LED headlamps, and fog lamps with cornering function. The bumper also has the radar and camera for the Level-2 ADAS.
- GT Line gets 18-inch alloys with 215/55 tyres that fill the arches properly.
- Ground clearance is 200 mm, so high-speed breakers and broken roads don’t feel scary.
- Flush door handles pop out when you unlock. The rear has connected LED tail lamps, a shark-fin antenna and a small roof spoiler.
- The boot is 447 litres. Easily takes three medium suitcases plus a couple of soft bags. The spare is under the floor with some small storage pockets around it.
Performance, Gearbox & DPF Reality
Under the hood is the same 1.5-litre CRDi diesel with a 6-speed torque converter. It puts out 116 PS and 250 Nm of torque. That pulling power comes in nice and low in the rev range.
Overtaking loaded trucks on single-lane roads feels easy. The gearbox shifts smoothly and doesn’t have that low-speed hesitation you sometimes get with dual-clutch boxes. You also get paddle shifters behind the wheel along with selectable drive modes and traction modes. In normal driving and at a steady 80 km/h, the cabin is quiet. You only really hear the diesel sound when you put it in Sport or floor it.
AdBlue top-ups are needed along with diesel. If you’re only doing short 3-4 km city trips every day, the DPF can start clogging over time. You need some proper highway runs above 60 km/h to regenerate it.
For people comparing diesel running costs with battery crossovers on long journeys, reviewing our Tata Harrier EV review and real-world range analysis provides a useful benchmark.
Real-World Mileage
This is still the best part of the engine:
- Heavy city traffic with AC on: around 12–14 km/l
- Normal highway at 90–100 km/h: 18–20 km/l on open roads
- Steady 75–80 km/h in cruise control: can touch 22 km/l on flat stretches
Cabin, Features & Comfort
Inside is clean and practical. A continuous curved panel carries a 10.25-inch digital cluster, a same-size touchscreen with sharp maps, and a small 5-inch climate display for the dual-zone AC. You also get a wireless phone charger and fast Type-C ports.
The Bose 8-speaker system sounds clear with decent bass. Front seats have multi-stage cooling ventilation, electric adjustment, and memory for the driver.
Rear seats get two-step recline, good knee room, sunblinds, dual AC vents, fold-down armrest with cup holders, and a fast Type-C port. The big panoramic glass roof makes the cabin feel open even with the darker theme.
If you’re looking at family cars that hold their build quality across different segments, checking our rundown of underrated cars in India offers helpful perspective on dependable alternatives.
Ride & Safety
On 18-inch wheels, the ride is a bit firm over sharp potholes. Dropping tyre pressure by 1–2 PSI helps without messing up the handling much.
Safety is solid with 6 airbags, all-disc brakes, ESP, Hill Descent Control and a clear 360-degree camera. Level-2 ADAS on higher trims has front collision warning, auto emergency braking, lane-keep assist and blind-spot detection that works fine on marked expressways.
Should You Buy It?
The Seltos Diesel Automatic is still one of the more balanced and feature-loaded family SUVs you can buy. But it only makes sense for certain usage.
- Buy it if: You do 1,500–2,000 km or more every month and regularly go on weekend highway runs. That keeps the engine and DPF happy.
- Skip it if: Most of your driving is short 5 km grocery runs in city traffic. In pure urban use, petrol or electric will save you the AdBlue and regeneration hassle.
Quick FAQs
Real-world mileage? City: 12–14 km/l. Highway at 80–90 km/h: 18–22 km/l.
DPF clogging problems? Yes, if you only drive slow city traffic. Regular runs above 60 km/h clear it.
Boot space? 447 litres with 60:40 split seats and a wide opening.
Level-2 ADAS? Yes, on higher variants, including auto emergency braking, lane keep, adaptive cruise, and blind-spot monitoring.
