SAN ANTONIO — An alternative name for Kia’s new large crossover, the Telluride, underscores just how well it’s doing after nearly a year on the market. The “Sell-u-ride,” as some Kia dealers and insiders call it, is still transacting near sticker price because of strong demand.
Enter the subcompact Seltos crossover arriving in showrooms this month to carry on the tradition. If Kia meets its goals with the new vehicle, devising a substitute moniker won’t be hard. “Sell-tos” and “Sell-tons” come to mind. It’s already being called a “baby Telluride” for its looks and features.
Indeed, the Telluride’s success — selling 58,604 copies last year amid tight supplies and winning 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year — is having a big impact across Kia’s growing lineup of crossovers. The chiseled exterior and feature-packed interior of Kia’s halo CUV also will likely find their way into the next-generation Sportage and Sorento.
“We are leveraging what we did well with Telluride, and given a similar great product, we think we can repeat that sort of approach with Seltos,” Michael Cole, president of Kia Motors America, told Automotive News on the sidelines of a media event here.
“We felt the Telluride was the halo model for us, and we positioned it very much as that big, bold, boxy, rugged, tough vehicle — the adventure vehicle,” Cole said. The Seltos, he said, follows the same blueprint in a smaller, more affordable package.
