After bowling the market over last year with its Telluride SUV and the excellent value it represented, Kia has pulled out a second act in the form of the new Seltos. Essentially a very slightly larger Kia Soul with AWD capability, this seems to be exactly what the market has been looking for, and with pricing starting at $21,990 (including AWD!), it represents a significant accomplishment in the value vs performance vs space triangle that frankly can easily bring the fight to such segment stalwarts as the Toyota RAV4 as well as the Subaru Forester while perhaps also undercutting Kia’s own Sportage and giving Soul owners another upgrade path.
Of course my tester didn’t represent the base model, however even loaded with every option but one (sunroof) and including destination, it still rang in at under $30,000. I found it so appealing that I will be recommending it to my own mother, who is starting to make gentle noises about looking to replace her aging Outback.
Obviously I liked it, and there is a lot to like here. Starting with the styling, it’s a fairly upright and practical shape with a few bits of flair, mainly in the front as well as the rear roofline/pillar that still allows for good all around vision. This particular one was finished in Starbright Yellow with a Black roof and mirrors, a combination that I personally found perky and fun, but which had my teen soon looking if it could also be had in more subtle colors (it can).
The de rigueur black plastic surround theme as for virtually anything deemed capable of traversing rough roads or inclement weather, to say nothing of any actual offroad pursuits is present here as well and love it or hate it, it balances the lower extremities of the car very well against the roof in this case. At its root, it’s fairly conservatively styled but thoroughly modern and will likely offend few people that don’t live to be offended by anything new.
Carrying that sensibility inside brings a large cabin with comfortable and upright seating for five, four of them very comfortably. Starting at the front, my tester had perforated black “Sofino” leatherette trim that did a passable imitation of leather and was quite comfortable. The driver’s seat (but not the passenger’s) features full electric adjustability including two way lumbar, I set it and left it all week.
Facing the driver is a Leather (not Sofino) -wrapped steering wheel with a multitude of switches and buttons on it to control the Infotainment as well as Cruise Control and the on-board computer. Behind the wheel are crisp and clear gauges to convey all the necessary information along with a configurable 7″ screen between the dials for trip computer, torque appropriation display, and various other notices and adjustments.
The center console is similarly no-nonsense, while the HVAC was automatic, in this car it is only a single zone so the passenger will have to acquiesce to the driver’s comfort settings (or vice versa) although each side does get its own seat heater and the driver also gets to heat the steering wheel. The radio is controlled via the 10.25″ touch screen that also contains a navigation system and the display for the backup camera and whole menu of other items to swipe through and select as needed along with a row of hard-coded buttons and knobs at its base for frequently accessed items.
Between the seats are the cupholders as well as the shifter with leather covered knob, the Drive mode knob (Sport, Normal or Smart) that in fact does change the character of the car somewhat with all of the settings having appropriate uses. There is also a lock button for the center differential to the right of the shifter; while the car has an intelligent torque-vectoring AWD system that moves the power around as needed when needed (and not just due to slippage) such as under acceleration, it is possible to lock the center differential to keep it in 50/50 AWD at any speed. While a RAV4 can do the same, its system shuts off at 25mph, which could leave one at a (at least perceived) disadvantage in seriously inclement weather.
Ahead of this and below the other controls is a handy storage bin along with one of my favorite implementations of the wireless charging pad; in this case it is contained on a second level of the storage cubby, so that the phone is out of the way but easily accessible and being charged while the space below it is completely usable for any other items.
While the price for all of this kit is very reasonable, and the dash is generally attractive, much of it however is clad in fairly hard plastic. There are some soft areas on the center dash as well as in the door areas where one is likely to make contact to help break it up a bit. It doesn’t look bad and it feels ok if you have the need to caress any of it for whatever reason, but what would help tremendously are some small rubber or felt mats for the bottoms of cubbies, door pockets, cupholder bin areas, and especially inside the glove box, where the hard plastic shell with the owner’s manuals would slide and slam against the sides of it all week long in turns.
Sure that packet can be relocated elsewhere but a small expenditure here would add tremendous incremental value. Of course this particular car at almost $30k made this more noticeable than the base model at $8,000 less where it’s much more forgivable. The flipside is that harder plastics are generally very durable and easy to keep clean, I could see a decent amount of dirt and debris being tracked into the car in poor weather months or if off the beaten path, and it is very user friendly from that perspective.
The rear seats are large and comfortable and while there is no fore and aft adjustment possibility, the seatbacks can recline in several increments and they also can fold down in a 60/40 manner. Facing them are hard coverings on the rear of the front seats for durability as well as air vents and a USB port at the rear of the center console.
I had plenty of room when I climbed back here and although this car didn’t have a sunroof (optional) and how I would take mine, I judged there to be plenty of headroom for one not to disturb me. For the record, I am 6’1″ with a 32″ inseam if you’d like to compare the legroom to yours, the front seat was adjusted for myself.
This uplevel car also benefits from having a 1.6liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates 175hp @ 6,000 rpm and 195 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm. The engine felt very strong, I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually put out a bit more power than that, curiously in the FWD-only Soul the essentially identical engine is rated at over 200hp. It pulled like a mighty little train and even at over 8,000 feet was willing to keep up the fight easily.
Dialing it into “Sport” mode appeared to keep it one gear higher than normal, as a result boost was available even quicker than normal and the rorty little engine would rev its heart out as often as desired. While no GTI, it’s much more characterful than the average CUV in the segment.
Helping the engine is a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that worked great to keep the engine in its powerband and banged off shifts that at part throttle were extremely smooth and when pressing more on the accelerator felt more like a skilled person driving a manual transmissioned car, which is essentially what is happening within.
When on the power you could feel the shifts and the slight surge between them, different than a conventional torque converter automatic transmission and much more direct than a CVT. If you’ve driven a manual transmissioned car, it will all feel very familiar and slightly eerie, if your only firsthand experience is with conventional automatics, then it’ll either feel just fine or perhaps a little different but not even remotely objectionably so.
Fuel economy this week rang in at just over 28mpg, the official ratings are 25City, 30Highway, with a 27Average. I drove it around 380 miles with the regular Denver and lower Wyoming loops totaling about 280 miles with the balance composed of mainly in-town driving. For a vehicle with more or less full-time AWD as well as a turbo, this seems acceptable, it also only requires regular gasoline.
The cargo area is large and deeper than the picture might indicate with some extra storage underfloor around the spare tire. I was able to place a few large Rubbermaid storage bins in here and the cover was able to close without pinching them. That rigid cover does a good job of concealing anything within and can be removed but it would be difficult to stow if underway and the need arose. Still, a rigid cover I generally find preferable to the rollup kind if only for noise reduction reasons.
As with many reasonably priced vehicles (and some expensive ones) there was a little more road noise than wished but not to the point of overt annoyance. The 18″ wheels with 235/45-18 Kumho Majesty-9 V-rated tires likely contributed to this as well but made the car handle curves and corners with aplomb if not outright aggression.
Driven like a relatively normal person, the handling was perfectly acceptable and better than many mass-market CUVs and the ride was similarly composed and supple without much harshness except on the most severe lateral transitions such as in one particular parking garage’s expansion joints when traversed perfectly perpendicularly. The wheels are an attractive contrasting color (but not black!) design with a whimsical red highlight in the middle on this trim level.
The automatic LED headlights did a good job of lighting the road at night and LEDs are also present for the fog lights as well as tail lights. As with many offerings originating in Korea, especially from Kia and Hyundai, the standard content list is extremely comprehensive, i.e. they’ve taken a definite page from Japan Inc.’s playbook from several decades ago, but now combined with interesting and attractive design and pricing on the value side of the equation make for an extremely compelling proposition across their range.
This car model is built in Gwangju, Korea, and was meticulously assembled and painted. I could not detect any manufacturing shortcomings and while a fairly new vehicle, it had accumulated around 6,500 hard journalist miles to date. Everything worked, nothing rattled or felt flimsy, and overall it felt like it would last far longer than its 10year, 100,000 mile powertrain and 5/50 bumper to bumper warranties and 5/50 roadside assistance programs.
The only additional options listed on the sticker were this particular paint color combination at a very reasonable $345 and a sturdy set of carpeted floor mats (including the cargo area) for $130. The destination charge was $1,120 and the bottom line total with everything was $29,485.
Besides what was mentioned already, this SX Turbo trim level also included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, all the safety software (Forward Collision Avoidance, Blind Spot Assist and Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Warning and Avoidance, Lane Keep Assist and Lane Following Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Driver Attention Warning, and High Beam Assist as well as Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Highway Driving Assist. Last but not least is Safe Exit Assist, handy if little kids are in the picture.)
There were several USB ports, Armrests front and rear, Remote Keyless Entry, BOSE premium audio (which was fine but I’m finding that the BOSE systems are my least favorite of the optional upmarket systems, generally a bit boomy while lacking sound definition), Electronic Parking Brake, Rear Passenger Air Vents, Autodimming rearview mirror and Remote Start.
Overall this was a very enjoyable car to drive, it seemed eager and energetic and had a fair amount of personality. While I can’t speak to the lower trim levels from personal experience, the other engine is a 2-liter naturally aspirated one with 147hp paired with a CVT. Interestingly while at the base price of 21,990 there is an LX version that includes the AWD, there is also an S version for the same price WITHOUT AWD but with some of the other goodies such as the LED headlights and some other things instead which likely makes for a better proposition in a fairer weather location.
Then there’s an EX trim level still without the turbo engine after which it goes to S Turbo and this one, the SX Turbo full boat. Check out the website, this is an impressive car for the money and should be cross shopped by anyone looking for a smaller but not tiny CUV. My main regret is that the coronavirus prevented me from demonstrating it to my mom in person, she’ll just have to read this review.
Kia has for sure arrived and the Seltos shows that the Telluride was no fluke, and is now busy filling out the last remaining niches while renewing the already existing lines. Japan, watch out, the water’s getting rougher, and with competition like this, Detroit also has a whole ‘nother front to guard against. Kia’s looking to get you coming and going and if they keep this up there is no reason to bet against that.
Thank you very much to Kia for the opportunity to drive this Seltos and also for providing it with a full tank of fuel.
Well, yes they are, sort of, BUT!!!
China is going to blow us all, I mean, all.
After trapped in China for few months due to the ridiculously piled up flights, I have nothing to do but watching F1, F2 ( eye candy Robert Shwartzman ), F3, playing TOCA Race Driver 3 in a Lancia Montecarlo ( yes I was that bored ) and checking out the cars in the local area ( I was more interested in Citroen but all local Citroen, DS dealers I could find are out of business, after COVID-19 virus wiped out all production near Wuhan for months, and sadly for Citroen they put all their R&D, production around Wuhan for the Chinese market ) The current newer Chinese vehicles are massively ahead of those from big three at pre-launching phase, and many on drawing broad ( which IS a big problem. They are still discussing if something could be done, in a financially responsible way, while the cars with those functions are running on the street already in other countries ).
I just don’t understand how they did it. I mean, some of the new cars running on the street for a year is better than a carefully detailed M-plate new big new thing from the US ( And I have been disappointed about them for a while, after interacting with them daily with my routine, rotational complaints ) Even Kia Seltos isn’t competitive against Geely Icon at all ( but Icon is more of a Kia Soul type vehicle, still the level of refinement ) I just don’t understand how could Geely Icon be made like that, with those function and design, at a price like dumping. ( frankly, they are all so affordable but surely they are not dumping, not at that scale. Their break even point and production costs, R&D costs must be alarmingly low somehow, almost impossible to understand )
I tried out Aion LX, Geely Icon, and Baojun RC-something that looks very sleek in light blue with blue interior ( an interior looks like a Peugeot 508 and Chrysler 300C Platinum/Chrysler Pacifica Platinum together ) and seriously, the Chinese new start-ups, existing local brands who were making silly cars as recently as a dozen years ago are making products one generation ahead and they can turn the table anytime now. Or, they would just outright flip the whole table.
I might go on to be a race car engineer because I can’t see how the current automotive order can stay and I still want to stay in the business, and I have many more years to live. ( thankfully, coming to motorsports nothing right has been figured out by the Chinese manufacturers yet )
A guy I used to know was an Engineer with the GM division Rochester Products in the 70’s. He said he saw the begining of the end when they tooled up to produce the fuel injectors for the Cadillac 500 which were the standard Bosch style injector they were making under license. He decided that maybe automotive engineering, in the US didn’t have a great future.
In fact I’d say the opportunities have increased since that time. Not only do we have much more complex vehicles with far more subsystems that any one would have dreamed of in 1975 there are now more companies designing and building cars in the US than there were 45 years ago.
Yes, it is completely true and now it is at a mega giant scale we never see before, and looks like, sounds like, feels like everyone else is too blind to see it coming. Only a small fraction people can sense it, but nothing can be done and it is far too late already.
A very interesting review. I am starting to feel (for once in my life) like an early adopter. It is good to see that Kia has kept all the good things I have enjoyed in my aging Sedona and improved on them over the last several years. This is a car I would absolutely look at. In fact, I had better not show this to Mrs. JPC as this could be just the kind of thing that would start some conversations I would just as soon avoid, with two paid-off and fully serviceable cars in my garage. 🙂
Yes I could see this in your garage, it really was well done. In fact, all things considered, one of my heavy favorites of this year.
I was gong to say I think it really came through in the article that you really liked this vehicle and that it seemed like it was one of the favorites in recent history.
For a new design, it is a pity the screen looks so much an afterthought or even aftermarket placement. Why could they not integrate it more into the dash?
Probably to keep it high up closer to the line of sight. BMW tried the “double bubble” canopy dashboard for a while and it was usually panned for just too blocky visually. In actual use it works very well, both visually and functionally. But of course everyone will have their own opinion on that as well.
Only if the designers could do the job as cohesively as the one for new Escalade.
But oh well, the current Navigator looks like how exactly it shouldn’t be done.
Jim, I enjoyed this review tremendously.
As one who will one day soon be finding a small vehicle large enough to haul a 6+’ tall harp, this is a contender. Kia is on a great path, may they keep it going.
I’m not sure the hatch will close on a 6′ long harp! But don’t count it out, perhaps like bicycles there’s a foldable harp that fits in a carry bag, you just haven’t looked hard enough…
For the manufacturers that gave up on sedans in search of margins on CUVs & SUVs, this car is the problem I predicted.
A Ford Ecosport S starts below the price on this, but if you add AWD, you are at $22,835 before adding any further options.
And, of course, Hyundai Motor Group remains committed to sedans.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
It’s an impressive piece of equipment. I like the styling, in some ways better than the Soul but overall I prefer the Soul’s styling ideology, so to speak; the Seltos is “aspirational” while the Soul does its’ own thing. Both pull it off better than in-house rival Hyundai does with the Kona and Venue; the Seltos makes the Kona look much older than it otherwise would at this point in its’ product cycle, and the “aspirational” Venue looks like a toy compared to both the (higher-priced and slightlty bigger) Seltos and the (same size and price but not trying to look like a “real SUV”) Soul.
I wonder how it compares to the GM Korea-designed Chevy Trailblazer? Just as a styling analysis the Chevy’s only sour note is that it’s just a little bit too big to pull off the 4-window look even with the flying-roof trim to break it up. In black it’s a disaster but with a light or bright color it almost works but still needs rear quarter windows
The Seltos’ styling comes across as a bit more “grown-up” or mature than the Soul somehow. I haven’t seen the new TB in person yet, but it looks interesting and is yet another entrant in an increasingly crowded space. There’s no shortage of choices, that’s for sure.
I see a resemblance to the Mazda CX-5 as to general shape. That’s a complement.
Another excellent review Jim. Kia has really been going from hit to hit and shows what can be done with some focus at a reasonable price level. Many consumers want good value (not cheap) and Kia seems to understand and pursue that market.
People are willing to pay when you give them a compelling product (regardless of price level) and I hope that the Seltos does well.
Why is it that Kia has better looking vehicles than Hyundai? Not sure why the parent company lets the subsidiary get the good stuff and leaves the bland designs for itself.
You know, I clicked on this really hoping it was going to be a hot hatch or sports saloon to rival the i30N. Especially with a name like the SX Turbo. Oh well, yet another boring CUV/SUV……
Apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play? 🙂
Eminem did it better
“Hey, Mrs. Abraham Lincoln
Other than your husband’s fucking brains that were leakin’
How’d you think that play was this weekend?”
But it appears many folks don’t find CUVs boring. Personally I’m not a sedan fan. Why not sit taller and more comfortably, have better sight lines, have a load of carrying capacity, and a minimal mileage penalty?
Once again Jim, great review.
The Seltos was on our radar for the kid, no doubt. Great packaging.
Interesting that the subcompact Seltos has C-pillar windows when the compact Sportage does not. The Sportage’s rear doors do extend quite a ways back, but it’s not a true substitute when it comes to visibility.
Great review, and photography.
While I’m not a big fan of these compact SUVs, the most compelling examples seem to come from Kia and Hyundai. They seem to have the market for these figured out.
But it appears as if Kia has several cars competing in a similar size and price range. The Sportage, Niro and Seltos are all slotted between the small Soul and the mid-size Sorento. I know there’s modest differences in size and price, and that the Niro is a hybrid, but it’s interesting to me that while most manufacturers seem to be consolidating their model lineups, Kia is not. Good for them if they can provide customers a good choice of products, and stay profitable.
Thank you and yes there is almost a dizzying array of options and even more so if you expand the options to the Hyundai store using a lot of the same components. As overall value for money goes this is one of the best options in those stables, I think. You get more for your money than the cheaper offerings but save quite a bit and will likely be fine compared to the pricier ones, kind of a sweet spot in a way.
Like JPC above, I don’t consider myself an early adopter, but in shopping recently I found myself limiting my search almost exclusively to Hyundai and Kia. I questioned this at every turn, since I’m old enough to remember the Excel and the Sephia, both vehicles of dubious value in their days. Try as I might, I just couldn’t find a good reason to shop Honda or Toyota over the Koreans. In the end we chose a CPO ’18 Soul+. I can’t think of a single reason to second guess any of that. The reference in the title here to the Japanese strategy of presenting feature laden product with reasonable pricing couldn’t be more truthful as it applies to the Soul. Granted, the previous newest year vehicle I’d owned before this was a 2004, so obviously things like Apple Car Play are revelations to me anyway, but feature for dollar this car is on a par with the Mitsubishi products I owned in the 80’s, which were also vehicles that packed a lot of whiz-bang gadgetry and features into a product priced comparably to an entry level domestic car. Korea is indeed the new Japan.
Jim, I don’t know how you keep up this pace, writing up an in-depth and informative new car review as well as several Curbside Recycling pieces each week while presumably keeping up with your day job, too.
Anyway, I find this Kia very appealing and will likely be considering the Seltos as a potential car for one or both daughters should their move out of NYC prove to be permanent in a post-COVID world.
One question: how does the steering feel compare to other small CUVs and or smaller cars you have driven recently? In our household, European brands set quite a high standard and it has been a major complaint when we have considered certain other brands. I assume the Kia has electrically assisted steering and I have yet to find such a system that provides the same level of steering feel as the best hydraulic systems.
It wasn’t devoid of feel but less so than the recent MINI and BMW, both of which were more or less similarly sized. It’s competitive with most other things in its segment and better than the Sentra was from what I can recall. Not sure if that helps. It was an enjoyable car to drive but if at the limit cornering is high on the list then this (and most of its ilk) and probably not the best choice. That’s not to say it’s bad, it’s fine for the overwhelming majority of people but an ’86 GTI without power steering it is not (and it’s better in almost every other respect!).
Very helpful review. How loud is it at highway speeds? This could be an interesting car from my wife, who is about to take on a long highway commute… We had been thinking of getting one of those little Buick SUVs (used).
I felt it was good for noise for the price level and perhaps a bit above that. Pavement obviously makes a difference and more noise suppression would always be a good thing but it was easy to converse even at high speeds, i.e. not particularly objectionable.
A very compelling package. I like it quite a bit more than the Soul, which I appreciated and respected for opening up a new niche in the market, but never quite warmed up to stylistically.
This would be very high on my list if I was shopping for something in this segment.
And once again, superbly presented. Loved the photography.
Thank you! It’s definitely worth the incremental cost over the Soul even if the vibe of it is a bit different which is probably good to make it attractive to more of the overall market.
Agreed, the photography was stellar! Some of Jim’s best work yet.
Another very well written, and presented, review. You put a lot of work, and extra detail into your writing and photography, and it really shows. I’m sure the manufacturer’s representatives appreciate this added effort to highlight their products. Your reviews have appeared to raised the bar on new car evaluations in general, at CC. As others now have this standard to emulate!
Kia has produced another winner. Like Hyundai, their styling and overall design is advanced, and very attractive, with none of the polarization of Honda and Toyota design. I love this colour. I find the interior a touch conservative, but that can be said about most competitor’s products as well. Your reviews are a great addition to Paul’s site. Thank you!
Off topic, but if you aren’t aware of this song, I thought you’d enjoy it. It was released by Killing Joke five years ago, quite timely, as it is the unofficial anthem of the Coronavirus for many. It’s a great song, the lyrics are entertaining on their own!
Awesome, thanks for the videos, “Eighties” always gets played loud and proud whenever it comes on, wasn’t aware of this one…
Yes the color was great and the interior is a bit on the “normal” side which can be refreshing as well as user friendly. Everything is just where you’d expect it which at the end of a day is great. The fuel release was even a little handle on the floor next to the seat like the old days, many these days are on the lower left dash. Oh, and NO power hatch closer, so it closed just as fast as you made it close via the grab handle instead of waiting for it to do it under power.
I’m amused that somebody over at Kia either forgot or didn’t want to install the front license plate on this nice looking vehicle. Thank you for writing up a review and sharing your thoughts on this impressive Kia. I’m not too keen on the low profile tires or Black roof, but everything else looks great. I’m guessing the turbocharged engine is a real bonus in higher elevations when the air is thinner.
The black roof is optional and the wheel/tire package is different for most trim levels but yes, the engine having a turbo is a boon up here. Thanks!
Great review and photography – and I agree with your across the board. The Steltos is beautifully styled for a small CUV and I’d actually put it ahead of BMW and Mercedes offerings. The value here is quite amazing.
Just as an aside, I spent a year in Gwangju in the mid-80s – much different place then. Would love to go back to see how it’s changed.
Every time I see you Jim, you’ve gotten your hands on a new brand to test! I’m loving it 🙂
This time, we can compare notes!
https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-reviews/2020-kia-seltos-gt-line-review
I genuinely liked the Seltos. I reviewed the top-spec turbo model, too, but I also had a week behind the wheel of the front-wheel drive 2.0-litre model. Though it has a CVT, it’s one of the better ones out there and frankly, if it were my money, I’d just get the 2.0/FWD instead of the 1.6T/AWD.
The 2.0 FWD model impressed me quite a bit and I just didn’t think the 1.6T AWD added enough performance to justify the premium. And it’s not like we have snow to worry about here, so there’s no real need for AWD.
These are handsome and well-packaged crossovers. I think they’ll do well. I recommended one to my sister and she was quite impressed with it but she ended up getting a screaming good deal on an Equinox.
Oh, interesting about the 2.0CVT model, and that’s funny that you reviewed the same car in Australia. Your review was interesting, lots of similar findings. I didn’t have any juddering though with mine at lower speeds, it was good (no issue) in that respect. Thanks for reading this one!
Excellent review.
These smaller CUVs are sweeping the market in the UK. Surprised it doesn’t have self parking, the latest ‘must have’ option in our cramped country.
Hyundai/Kia are leading the charge, the Japanese are being displaced by the Koreans. The same old cycle of hubris seems to be at work.
We have Chinese MG cars building up a reputation here. I rather suspect that as we move outside the EU tarriff barriers we’re going to see a lot more Chinese cars, and airliners, besides everything else.
Frankly, those MGs are one of the less refined products from China, and their better offerings are so good that motorsports are probably the last defense in automobile industry from the invasion. ( just like in the UK, motorsports engineering is still top tier while British Leyland, well, British Leyland )
A most enjoyable and informative review, Jim! Like you, I don’t care at all for black wheels; in looking on the build & price site, it seems that Kia is limiting choices to specifically designed packages. The model I was building started with black wheels, and I couldn’t find any option to change them; however, when I added the sunroof, the wheels also changed?!? and the vehicle acquired other chrome accents as well (which I liked). I’ve noticed that the trend nowadays seems to be geared toward providing limited wheel/color/option packages tied to a certain level. Were I in the market, I would be torn between the Soul and this Seltos!
Great review, and I learned a new word:
‘Meaning of rorty in English:
ADJECTIVE (rortier, rortiest)
informal British
Boisterous and high-spirited.’
A nice looking addition to a category I don’t really pay attention to, and your wonderful photos certainly helped keep me reading. I think my favorite feature, though, is the vinyl upholstery. I love the “leatherette” seats in our late model base Golf, and I’m glad to see other manufacturers go in this direction after decades of cloth ranging from mouse fur to rough tweed.