Omo, make una hear dis one well-well. Kia don come again with new motor wey go make sense for Naija roads. For di New York Auto Show wey just hold, di Korean motor company show two new SUVs wey dem go release for 2027. Na di 2027 Kia Seltos and di 2027 Kia EV3. Di Seltos one get hybrid version wey be first time for dis kind motor.
Di ting dey sweet because as fuel price dey climb like mountain, hybrid motor dey help to manage fuel. Di Seltos hybrid go use 1.6-liter engine with electric motor. E even get e-AWD system wey be Kia first time to put am for hybrid SUV. Dat one mean say e go fit run well for wet and dry road.
For inside di motor, space don increase small. Di wheelbase grow by 2.4 inches, so legroom for back seat don better. Cargo space reach 64.1 cubic feet when you fold di back seat. Ground clearance sef don rise to 8.1 inches—dat one go help for bad road.
Tech inside don upgrade pass di old one. Dem put 12.3-inch touchscreen, and you fit even get dual 12.3-inch displays with 5-inch climate control panel. You fit talk to di motor by saying “Hey, Kia” because e get AI assistant. You fit use your phone to lock, unlock, or start di motor from far place.
Di normal Seltos with petrol engine go still dey. You fit choose between 2.0-liter engine with 147 horsepower or 1.6-liter turbo with 190 horsepower. Di petrol versions go start to dey for sale by second quarter of 2026, while di hybrid go join by fourth quarter of 2026.
Now make we talk about di EV3. Dis one na full electric SUV wey go be Kia cheapest EV for America. E go come with two battery options: 58.3 kWh wey fit give 220 miles range, and 81.4 kWh wey fit reach 320 miles. You fit choose front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Di powerful GT version go get 288 horsepower. E go come with Virtual Gear Shift and Active Sound Design wey go make am sound like petrol motor. Charging go fast—from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes with DC fast charger. E go fit use Tesla Supercharger network.
Di EV3 go start to dey for sale for America by late 2026. Price never come out yet, but people dey expect am to start around $35,000. For Naija, if dis motor enter market, e go need steady electricity for charging, but di range fit help for city driving.
Kia say dem wan make electric cars more affordable. Eric Watson, Vice President of Sales Operations for Kia America, talk say di EV3 na bold step to make electric mobility reach more Americans. Orth Hedrick, Executive Director of Product Planning for Kia North America, also yarn say dem wan raise di bar for small SUVs with di new Seltos.
Di New York Auto Show wey dem show dis motors go hold from April 3 to April 13 for Javits Center for Manhattan. General admission ticket na $22 for adults.
As Kia dey push for hybrid and electric motors, dem dey build on di success of dia Telluride SUV wey don become popular. Di new Seltos design resemble Telluride with upright grille and Star Map signature lights.
For safety, di Seltos go come with plenty features like forward collision assist, blind spot alert, adaptive cruise control, and surround view monitor. Di EV3 sef go remember your last regenerative braking setting, and e go even recapture energy when you dey reverse.
Di market for small SUVs dey hot. Di Seltos go compete with motors like Chevrolet Trax, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-30, Nissan Kicks, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Volkswagen Taos. For Naija, if dis motors enter, dem go face competition from Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V wey already dey popular.
Wetin remain now na to see how dis motors go perform for real road condition. Fuel economy figures for di hybrid and final prices go come later dis year. But one thing sure: Kia dey try to give options—whether you want petrol, hybrid, or full electric.
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