REVEALED: the 2026 Kia Seltos with a hybrid option launching in 2026 #kia #seltos #suv #cars
Kia just revealed the allnew second generation STOs and this is a way bigger jump than the facelift a couple of years ago. While the styling picks up cues from the EV5, the new STOs moves on to Kia’s K3 platform which will improve the ride and handling. The other controversial call is what isn’t coming. Kia has confirmed there will be no electric STOs because the EV3 and EV5 cover that space already. Instead, the big powertrain news is a hybrid STOs is finally arriving in 2026, likely using the 1.6 L from the latest Hyundai Kona with nextgen regen tech and an interior power outlet. The regular 2 L and 1.6 turbo petrol engines essentially carry over. Sizing is up noticeably because customers told Kia they wanted more room. Length grows to 4.43 m, width to 1.83 m, and the wheelbase stretches 60 mm. The styling follows Kia’s opposites united theme, but tones down the polarizing bits that we’ve seen on the EV4 and K4. You get new star map lighting, flush door handles on some trims, and three visual treatments, a standard look, a sportier GT line, and a tougher Xline with gunmetal accents. Wheels go all the way up to 19 in. Inside, Kia has pushed the STOs up market. Dual 12.3 in screens run wireless CarPlay, Netflix, Disney, and Kia’s new AI assistant. There are physical climate toggles, reclining rear seats, new mesh style headrests, and a shift by wire column selector that frees up space in the center console. Ambient lighting, better materials, and more sustainable finishes all help lift the vibe. New tech includes highway driving assist, too, lane following, a surround view monitor, and the option of a head-up display. Digital key 2 lets you unlock and start the STOs with an Apple wallet pass. Kia now sees the STOs as a true global model. Europe joins the roll out for the first time and with the added space, refinement, and tech, it will be positioned to anchor Kia’s global SUV lineup for years to come. So, what are your thoughts? Would you take a new STOs over a Kona or a CX30 when it lands in late 2026? Let us know.
The new second-generation Kia Seltos grows larger, rides on the improved K3 platform and brings big tech upgrades including dual 12.3-inch screens, Digital Key 2 and advanced driver aids. Petrol engines carry over and a hybrid joins in 2026, while Kia confirms no BEV Seltos. Interior space, refinement and boot capacity all increase as the model takes on a broader global role for the brand.
