Buy Or Hold: Wait For Kia Seltos Or Go For Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, Nissan Kicks, Renault Captur & Duster

Should you hold yourself back from signing on that dotted line for the Kia Seltos when its established rivals are alive and kicking?

Kia is all set to take its first step in the Indian market with the launch of the Seltos on 22 August. It will be packing a big bunch of tempting segment-first goodies and most of us can agree that it looks like a million bucks too. But with biggies like the Hyundai Creta, Renault Duster, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross already in existence, does the new Kia give you enough reasons to hold back your purchase or even pre-book it?

Don't miss: 2019 Kia Seltos First Drive Review: Diesel & Petrol

Hyundai Creta: BUY it for the desirability, great equipment levels and solid resale value

The Creta has been miles ahead of its current competition in the popularity levels and that fact also makes it a more sought after vehicle in the second hand market. Not only does it look good but it’s also fitted with a great deal of equipment such as six airbags, sunroof, projector headlamps with LED DRLs, cornering function, wireless charging, 7-inch touchscreen and smart key band. All that is backed by a decently powerful set of diesel and petrol engines which give it enough grunt to serve city and highways duties well enough. All said and done, the Creta will get an update next year along with engines from the Seltos. 

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross: Buy it for fuel efficiency, wide Maruti service network and competitive starting price

Given that the S-Cross is a diesel-only crossover, it’s priced competitively when compared to its rivals. The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross gets all the necessities and premium goodies like LED projector headlamps with LED DRLs, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming IRVM, 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, cruise control and climate control among others. However, the real ace up its sleeve is the mild-hybrid system on the 1.3-litre diesel unit which improves efficiency not only on the highway but also in the city. Even when you venture out on the highway or beyond, you will have the backing of Maruti’s expansive service centers. 

Renault Duster: BUY it for the competitive pricing, great ride quality and AWD tech The Renault Duster might have been one of the oldest offerings in the segment but it boasts of the lowest starting price here. The Duster is available in both a diesel AMT and petrol CVT and if you want the go-anywhere capability of an AWD diesel, it has that too. In fact, it is only SUV in the segment to offer an AWD setup. If ride comfort is the top priority for you then the Duster delivers on that front as well. That said, the features count on the Duster facelift is quite basic when the rivals are also brought on the same table. 

Renault Captur: BUY it for the European chic styling 

The Renault Captur looks striking out on the road thanks to its unique European styling. It gets full front LED lighting, oodles of chrome garnishing, 17-inch crystal cut alloy wheels that turn heads and dynamic indicators that we see only on premium cars. And did we mention, it gets six dual-tone shades along with multiple accessorizing options. The Captur gets a decent set of features which includes auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, a 7-inch MediaNav touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, side airbags, central locking card with walk away lock and more. Unlike the Duster, there’s no automatic option on the Captur though. 

Nissan Kicks: BUY for the funky styling and segment-first features

The Nissan Kicks is quite well loaded and will turn a few heads your way as well if you’ve bought a funky shade of the SUV. It’s priced almost similar to the Renault Captur and shares it features count with the latter too. But the party trick on the Kicks is the 360-degree camera that is available on cars a segment or two above. Until the Kia Seltos’ launch, the Nissan Kicks will also have the distinction of featuring the biggest touchscreen (8-inch) in the segment. Just like the Captur, the Nissan Kicks is also available with a choice of dual tone options. Under its hood are the same set of 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines which you find on the Captur and the Duster with no automatic option. 

Kia Seltos: HOLD if you want a striking looking SUV with loads of segment-first and feel-good features and multiple powertrain options to pick from

Kia seems ready to disrupt the compact SUV segment with the Seltos as it promises to offer some segment topping equipment in the same price bracket as the Hyundai Creta. It will feature a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a 7-inch screen for the instrument cluster, 8-speaker Bose audio system, built-in air purifier with air monitor, ventilated front seats, powered driver seat, head-up display and an eSIM powered UVO connected technology similar to the Hyundai Venue and Hector. 

It will get two petrol and one diesel engine that will comply with BS6 norms from day one. Not convincing enough? Well, Kia will be offering three different automatic options- CVT, 6-speed torque converter and a 7-speed DCT with the Seltos making it the only car in the mass market to offer these many options.

• Planning To Buy The Hector? Bad News!

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