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It’s not every time that a manufacturer changes the platform of a vehicle when upgrading it to the next generation, but Kia has done exactly so with the second-generation Seltos. The new Seltos sits on the latest K3 platform, which has made it larger than before, it’s compatible with hybrid powertrains for the future and it also sees notable updates on the equipment front. All of this comes together to make for quite a comprehensive update, even though the second-gen SUV gets the same powertrain options as its predecessor for now. Here, we take a close look at all the ways in which the new Seltos improves upon the outgoing model.New Seltos is the longest in its segmentThe new Seltos is 95mm longer than its predecessor. The biggest, and perhaps most important, update is that the Seltos has grown significantly – it’s now 95mm longer, of which 80mm has gone in increasing the wheelbase, and 30mm wider, too. Not only does that make the Seltos a lot more spacious inside, but it also lends the SUV a much greater road presence. In fact, it is now the longest SUV in its segment, with the wheelbase being second only to the Tata Sierra. The new Seltos also sees a marginal 14-litre improvement in boot space, which now stands at 447 litres. Larger and better screens The Seltos adopts Kia’s latest trinity panoramic display from the Syros. The new Seltos gets Kia’s latest trinity panoramic display, which comprises two 12.3-inch screens for infotainment and instrumentation, along with an additional 5.0-inch screen for the HVAC controls. This is a notable update over the previous Seltos’ twin 10.25-inch screens. The screens run Kia’s latest software interface, which is really smooth and slick in operation. What’s nicer still is that despite a focus on tech and digitisation, Kia has retained plenty of physical hard buttons on the centre console and steering wheel for ease of operation. A more luxurious driver’s seat The hollow headrests for the front seats have a premium knitted mesh finish. The new Seltos gets a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat on the top GTX trim, including powered adjustment for lumbar support; the previous Seltos got an 8-way powered driver’s seat. Not just that, but the driver’s seat now also features a memory and welcome function, the latter of which retracts the seat on opening the door for easier ingress. It also features something called a ‘relaxation mode’ with memory function, which allows the backrest to be reclined completely when the car is parked. The driver’s seat also gets a ventilation function and very cool-looking hollow headrests with a knitted mesh finish.  Improved safety suite The Seltos gets radar-based ADAS with Level 2 autonomy, but that’s something even the previous Seltos got. What’s new here is that the Seltos is now a software-defined vehicle, which means Kia will have the opportunity to upgrade it to Level 2+ ADAS with additional safety assists with an OTA update. As it stands, the ADAS suite on the new Seltos is already more comprehensive than on the previous model. Additionally, the SUV now gets 10 parking sensors as opposed to 8 on its predecessor.   Subtle premium touches There’s tasteful use of ambient lighting on the dashboard and door pads. Kia has also upped the premium quotient on the Seltos with this generation update. The first-gen model was already quite premium to begin with, but this one takes it further with subtle touches like the flush-fitting door handles that pop out automatically or the gas struts that hold up the bonnet when it’s open. The headlamps now also feature an animated welcome function, while on the inside, you get a 64-colour ambient lighting package which you adjust to suit your mood and taste. The new Seltos has arrived at a time when the midsize SUV segment is buzzing with action. It’s hot on the heels of the new Tata Sierra, and the early next year, this segment will also see the addition of the new Renault Duster. Bookings for the new Seltos are already underway, and prices are due to be announced on January 2, 2026. Also See:New Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta: Whose top variant gets more features?2026 Kia Seltos vs Tata Sierra: Whose top trim offers more features?

The second-gen Maruti Suzuki Brezza went on sale three and a half years ago, so there’s an update due, and recent spy shots of a camouflaged Brezza indicate it’s right around the corner. Aside from the usual rounds of cosmetic and feature upgrades, though, Maruti Suzuki can also rectify two of the Brezza’s pain points in one fell swoop with the facelift: by offering it with the 1.0-litre Boosterjet three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.The Boosterjet story so farThe imported Boosterjet developed 102hp and 150Nm, and was paired solely with a 5-speed manual gearbox.Maruti Suzuki debuted the Boosterjet motor in India under the hood of the Baleno RS back in 2017. At that time, Maruti Suzuki was fully importing the Boosterjet engine into India, which drove the Baleno RS’ price up and resulted in the sporty hatchback garnering a lukewarm reception.The Baleno RS and its imported Boosterjet engine were discontinued in early 2020, but Maruti Suzuki gave the turbo-petrol direct-injection mill another shot by localising it, adding mild hybrid tech, and plonking it under the hood of the Fronx compact SUV in 2023.The Maruti Fronx and its rebadged Toyota sibling, the Taisor, are the only models currently available with the localised Boosterjet.Interestingly, even nearly three years since the Boosterjet was localised, this powerplant only finds its way under the hood of the Fronx and its badge-swapped sibling, the Toyota Taisor. Clearly then, Maruti would want to capitalize further on the Boosterjet’s local assembly.Power playWhen the first-gen Brezza (dubbed the Vitara Brezza) launched in 2016, it was exclusively available with the revered 90hp, 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. However, Maruti Suzuki exited the diesel market in 2020 due to stringent BS6 regulations, which meant the Vitara Brezza facelift was sold with only the carmaker’s 1.5-litre K15B naturally aspirated petrol engine.Maruti’s K15C is the only engine on offer for the Brezza at the moment.Since diesel was off the table and the Boosterjet hadn’t been localised yet, the second-gen Brezza launched solely with the K15C (the BS6.2-compliant evolution of the K15B) engine, a CNG version of which joined the compact SUV’s line-up in 2023.Though the K15C is the strongest petrol engine in Maruti Suzuki’s current arsenal – 103hp and up to 139Nm – it’s tuned to maximise fuel efficiency (claimed figures of 17.80-19.89kpl), which, as we noted in our 2022 Brezza review, makes the motor feel rather insipid in the mid to high bounds of the rev range. Considering that rivals like the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Skoda Kylaq and Mahindra XUV 3XO offer turbo-petrol engines with outputs ranging from 111hp to 131hp, enthusiastic buyers are likely to steer clear of the Brezza.In comes the Boosterjet engine. Though the localised Boosterjet develops slightly less power than the K15C – 100hp vs 103hp – the former develops marginally higher torque, and the turbocharger should make for stronger highway performance. Fuel efficiency shouldn’t take a major hit either, as the Fronx’s Boosterjet variants deliver claimed mileage figures of 20.01-21.25kpl. The Brezza is marginally heavier, so with the Boosterjet equipped, it would likely manage similar fuel efficiency numbers as those of the K15C.Price and performanceWhile performance may not be a Maruti pillar, what’s likely to be a big kicker is a lower price. Taxation plays a big role in how cars are priced in India, and the 2025 GST reform brought forth a widespread reduction in car prices. Under the new GST norms, compact cars – length under 4 metres with a petrol engine under 1,200cc or diesel engine under 1,500cc – reaped the largest benefits, as their tax rate went down to 18 percent from the prior 28 percent.Due to its 1.5-litre engine, the Brezza doesn’t qualify for the 18 percent compact car GST rate.This meant savings stretching up to Rs 1.86 lakh for buyers looking to bring home a hatchback or compact SUV. However, the Brezza didn’t see price cuts to this extent, because even though it measures just under 4 metres long, the compact SUV’s 1,462cc engine exceeds the 1,200cc restriction to qualify for the 18 percent tax rate. Thus, the Brezza is taxed at 40 percent post-GST reform – down from 45 percent, but still quite high.In comes the Boosterjet again, which at 998cc is eligible for the 18 percent GST rate in a sub-4-metre car. The Brezza price range is currently Rs 8.26-12.86 lakh at 40 percent taxation, and below, we’ve speculatively calculated how much the compact SUV would cost if it was powered by the Boosterjet engine.VariantCurrent price (Rs, lakh)Price with Boosterjet engine (Rs, lakh)LXi MT8.266.96VXi MT9.267.80ZXi MT10.408.77VXi AT10.608.93ZXi+ MT11.519.70ZXi AT11.759.90ZXi+ AT12.8610.84Moreover, using the Boosterjet in the Brezza would help Maruti Suzuki improve economies of scale for the engine, since the compact SUV sells just as much, if not more than the Fronx every month – 10,000 to 12,000 units on average. Not only would the Brezza become a more compelling purchase for buyers thanks to a reduced price, Maruti Suzuki would also have a stronger business case for keeping the Boosterjet around.A Boosterjet-powered version of the Maruti Brezza facelift is certainly worth a shot then. ‘Two birds, one stone’ is hard to argue with.All prices are ex-showroom, India.

Mercedes-Benz India has announced a price hike of up to 2 percent across its models, including EVs. The company says the increase in car prices, effective January 1, is because the “Euro-INR exchange rate consistently remains above the Rs 100 mark”.Mercedes says price hikes vary from model to modelCost of imported parts and CBUs affected by Euro-INR exchange rateWhy Mercedes car prices are increasingExchange rate volatility, higher input prices, rising logistical expenses and inflation hit overall costs.Regarding the price hike, Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO, Santosh Iyer, said the euro-rupee exchange rate has been unfavourable for longer than anticipated this year. “This prolonged volatility affects every aspect of our operations, from imported components for local production to completely built units (CBUs). In addition, rising input costs and increasing logistical expenses, in combination with inflationary costs, have significantly increased our overall operational costs,” he said.While price hikes vary by model, the biggest impact will be on CBUs. Even the prices of locally assembled cars with imported components will increase. Mercedes’s Pune plant assembles the A-Class Limousine, GLA, C-Class, GLC, E-Class LWB, GLE, S-Class, GLS, Maybach S 580, EQS 580 sedan and EQS SUV 450. The rest of the EVs, Maybachs and AMG performance models in its portfolio are imported.Commenting further on the rise in prices, Iyer lauded the Reserve Bank of India’s continuous repo rate reduction that enables “Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) to pass on the benefits to end customers, thereby mitigating the price-increase effect to a large extent.” The brand claims that MBFS facilitates about 50 percent of its sales in the country and that 80 percent of those who buy a Mercedes-Benz car use financing.Image source: Mercedes-Benz Mahavir Motors via YouTube