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Likes; - Looks (Exteriors + Interiors) - Engine Performance & Gearbox - Handling & Steering (Sport Mode really weighs up the steering well & is excellent for this segment) - Feature Packed (Its loaded, especially in this all options ticked GTX+ trim) Dislikes; - No Paddle Shifters (A Big miss for this Engine / Gearbox combo and should have been offered at-least in this GTX+ trim) - Ride Quality at low speeds is not that great. - Good Year Assurance Tyres (The size 215/60 R17 is Ok but the compound already feels hard & this selection makes the car understeer in some situations & also puts down the ride & handling capabilities / potential of the Seltos) - The GTX+ variant misses out on the Dual Tone Exterior Colour Option Video; ^ This is a driver focussed review of the 2019 Kia Seltos with the 1.4 Turbo Petrol in the GTX+ trim with the DCT gearbox. There is a talk on the much discussed Dual Clutch Transmission; There is a discussion on Engine Performance, Torque & responsiveness of this engine at various RPM range; Finally talk about the interior & seen here pointing out the irregularities of the screen + cluster integration which should have been seamless; Booking Experience; - I booked the car on day 1 when the official bookings started i.e. 16th July 2019. I had booked the top model in Automatic. - Around early August (about 3 weeks before the launch when the variant break up was released) i confirmed the dealership a GTX DCT variant with the Dual Tone option. (White with Black Roof spec). Was eagerly looking to have the car delivered on the day of the launch.However Kia India wasn't dispatching the GTX DCT variants and also the dual tone option production was uncertain. The waiting went into the month of September and people who had booked the car (like me) on day 1 looked like fools not getting their cars - In the meanwhile Kia announced the GTX+ DCT variant (IMO the late announcement was all a part of the plan which Kia India sweet coated as saying GTX+ DCT was launched due to customer demand which they listened to, however if you closely observe the ads they showcase the model has a sunroof & DCT too, hence it was always a part of the plan well before the announcement) listened to customer demand and i had the option of upgrading my booking around mid September. I was mentally prepared to wait for a few more days anyways coz wanted to get the car now during the festive season of Narvratri or Dussehra (which was an even more preferred date in the family). Upon following up with the dealership & some Kia India officials i was updated that my car will be from the initial 1st lot. Around 21st September i got to know that my car is in production & by late September the car was dispatched from the factory. I was not too keen on the GTX+ variant & would have gladly accepted a GTX Dual tone on day 1 of the launch (or atleast in August) however this was probably a blessing in disguise as i got to upgrade to a GTX+ DCT variant. - Finally took delivery on 8th Oct. 2019 on the auspicious day of Dussehra. Dealership Experience; I booked the car at Kia Rathod Autolink (Vapi, Gujarat) on the 1st day when official bookings started. They were very transparent in communicating every update throughout the deal. Things like Vehicle Handling Charges, Basic Accessories Kit etc. weren't unnecessarily charged. Though i had the option of selecting my own insurance provider (where i got quotes of approx INR 52k, i still went with the official Kia insurance provider which was approx INR 64k as thats what i usually do for the 1st year. Standard Warranty is of 3 years. I opted for the 2 year extended warranty which cost me aprox INR 23k now making the total warranty of 5 years. The dealership was kind enough to give me OE Kia floor mats on FOC basis. Overall Dealership Experience, Positivity & Vibe was a full 10/10. Few Pictures from the Delivery Day; Other Miscellaneous Observations; - The Kia Seltos uses the modified K2 Platform from the Hyundai Kia family & by now everyone is aware this same platform will be used for the upcoming New Generation Hyundai Creta. - My Ecosport is a good handler & this is as good (may be better). However the Ecosport feels heavier & better built (Note my Ecosport is the 2014 1.5 Petrol with the DCT). - The Seltos does understeer & i blame the tyres. - The Paintjob, Glacier White Pearl (in my car) is excellent. The pearls can be observed clearly during day as well as night time. - The bonnet is really well sculpted from the both sides, giving a very muscular stance to the Seltos. - The indicator stalks are really premium to operate. - Rain Sensing wipers modes are visible & selectable through the cluster screen. - The TCU seems to be learning the driving style to adapt the clutch control in different driving environments/situations. - Acceleration in the DCT during the initial launch is slightly slower, but it does make up with faster in gear shift times. - BOSE System is an 8 speaker unit. Most of the people reported mixed reviews. Well i was one of them who initially did not really fancy this system. But with a few quick adjustments in the equaliser settings you can get it sounding better. Also the real test of the system is observed after 50% of the volume range and then you can finally touch the BOSE magic and you'l genuinely appreciate this system in a car of this segment. Im enjoying the music system and no complaints at all - The camera quality of the parking assistance as well as the blind spot monitors is Excellent. - Kia claims it has used a thicker Windshield for front wind noise reduction. In addition to that the overall refinement is also excellent thanks to damping material used in the Dash (Pu + Resin), Optimisation of design to reduce panel vibrations & also the driveshaft uses increased damping to achieve linearity in acceleration noise. - My favourite part of the interior design is this FLAT BOTTOMED steering wheel which is of exceptional quality, feels great to hold and use. Haptically perfect. - Horn sound tone is Excellent (Note: Its a Dual Tone setup) Kia India interestingly claim its 3 dB louder than competition. - HUD: I keep it tuned down in city limits. I do have to adjust my seat position as per the HUD screen which is not a good thing. Im aware about the HUD adjustments in the infotainment but still do have to go low down & then you lose the entire SUV upright seating. Hence that's just left for the highway while driving hard its a great visual to have without taking your eyes off the road. - Also as many people are already aware the HUD screen pops up with the press of a button, so if in case you forgot to put the screen down & are already outside the car, with the remote press the lock button it will automatically go down, just the way mirrors fold in by themselves. - The Sunroof is of decent size, hope people dont try coming out of it & say its too small. - The Sound Mood Lights can be changed from a variety of selection, however the dashboard ambient lighting remains red. - The interiors are very well lit at night and a nice place to be in, However the Power Window switches (only 1 switch gets illumination) & the mirror controls buttons are not having illumination is a slight disappointment. - Drive Selector Modes (Sand/Mud/Snow) on the Seltos remind you that the car can go OFF ROAD, but then you CANT because the Seltos is Front Wheel Drive. Best to keep your Seltos safe than to get carried away with those modes. - The keyless entry button is only on the driver side, im used to having it on both the sides in my Fortuner. - The Key Fobs (2 Provided) are of extremely good quality & feel very premium. Conclusion; So to conclude things i'd want to say that with the wide price bracket & various variants on offer there's a Seltos out there for everyone shopping in the 10-20 L price bracket. With the amount of bookings the Seltos has garnered, Kia India has proved that Car Sales are no longer dominated by any particular country or brand but by technology, features & futurism. P.S. - Shall keep on updating this ownership thread on a regular basis with pictures, FE Data, Road Trips & Other Experiences. Thanks for your attention