Mamma Mia

Introduction: I am often intrigued by the origin of the various car names thought out carefully and brilliantly by the Marketing Legends of various vehicle manufacturers, so when it came to the Kia Seltos, I clearly had to do some research. The Seltos is named after the Greek legend Celtos, (Yes with a C, but wait, there is good reason!) who was the son of Hercules and a Celtic princess named Celtine. Celtos was a bold and brave leader, whose qualities embodied what Kia wanted the Seltos to stand for. Kia’s creative team, then used a touch of poetic license and changed the C to a “S” to convey the compact SUV's sportiness appeal and good looks. So, whether you are of Greek decent like my Great friend, Mikey aka Eros, the God of Love, or a fan of the group Abba or if you also loved the film, Mamma Mia, filmed in Greece, you now know how the Seltos got its name! The Seltos is the first production car to be assembled from Kia’s awe-inspiring Anantapur plant in India, and oh my, have they done an excellent job on this fantastic car. Originating 5 years ago, the Seltos has gained a healthy percentage of the global subcompact crossover SUV market, and according to Kia, the ladies seem to love it more than the boys, with 60% of sales going to the fairer sex, affectionately known for this article, as the Mamma’s! Maybe it has a little something to do with the origin of its name!!

Engine/ Economy/ Drive/ Comfort: In my very humble opinion, I do not think that I have ever driven such a punchy vehicle, with an engine delivering 85 Kw and 250 Nm of torque. The diesel engine is quiet when driving normally, like the driving school instructor says you should, but when you put some pedal to the metal, the Seltos growls like a sub-adult male lion when his sister arrives on the kill. I enjoyed the seamless shifting between gears of the 6-speed automatic transmission and got great pleasure from driving the comfy Seltos around town, to various meetings and school runs. Kia claims a superb 5.7 Liters per 100 kilometers, but I got 6, whilst really pushing the car to its limits, thanks to being late for the Watershed concert at Hillcrest’s awesome open area venue, Fig Tree Farm! I personally feel that this average could come down to 5, but that is for you to find out, on your next open road adventure around beautiful South Africa.

Features: The Seltos has a decent number of features, even in the LX model which I drove, with the EX and EX Plus, bringing a bucket load more. The LX has a 20.3 cm Touchscreen infotainment with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 6 speaker audio, USB ports front C and A, 12 V socket and rear C USB ports, with aircon vents, Manual air conditioning, Stability control, Cruise control, six airbags, Central locking, Rear park camera, Rear park distance control sensors, 16-inch alloy wheels, Automatic headlight control with LED daytime running lights, Black cloth upholstery, a very comfortable Leather-clad steering wheel and more!

 

Interior/ Exterior/ Boot: The Seltos is roomy, comfortable and the interior celebrates the Engineers who did the concept of ergonomics proud. The exterior sports a muscular appearance to match its agility thanks to the excellent stability control, which served me well around a few corners. The boot size is more than enough, with 433 Liters, and has an impressive nonslip matt, so pack up and get to the coast this weekend, with your potjie pot of course. Find a track with a middle mannetjie, for the excellent 190 mm ground clearance and explore to your hearts content!

Price/ Warranty/ Service Plan: R521995/ Unlimited kilometer/ 5-year warranty, inclusive of roadside assistance. In addition, a pre-paid 5-year/90 000 km service plan is included/ A variety of upgrade options from service plan to maintenance plans are also available.

 In Summary: I am very happy with this stunning vehicle. Its comfortable, looks great, drives well, is super economical, and is splendid, both in the suburbs and in the country. The lyrics in the chorus of Mamma Mia sum it up for me, from when I received the car to now, that it is sadly back with Jacques, who I get my cars from to review. “Mamma mia, here I go again, My, my, how can I resist you? Mamma mia, does it show again, My, my, just how much I've missed you?

*This article is written in my opinion only. For detailed information on the specs, please contact Kia SA*