Hyundai Grand i10 vs KIA Seltos

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Hyundai Grand i10 in South Africa

Hyundai Grand i10

1.2 Fluid Petrol Manual
ZAR 242,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 114 Nm ⛽ 16.5 km/l
VS
KIA Seltos in South Africa

KIA Seltos

1.5 EX+ CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 570,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 143 Nm Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Seltos
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Seltos
🔑 Ownership Tie
Grand i10 starts ZAR 379995 cheaper Grand i10 from ZAR 218,900 · Seltos from ZAR 379,995

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Grand i10 Seltos
Engine Power 61 85 kW
Torque 114 143 Nm
Engine Size 1197 1497
Claimed Mileage 16.5 16.4
Ground Clearance 170 190
Boot Space 235 433
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 975 1405
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 7

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Seltos

58
/ 100
+6
pts
#2

Grand i10

52
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Grand i10 and Seltos are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Seltos +2 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Seltos +4 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Seltos

Performance 7/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 13/20
Ownership 20/20

Grand i10

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Grand i10

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Seltos

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Grand i10

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Seltos

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Grand i10 Seltos
Length 3665 4370
Width 1660 1800
Height 1520 1640
Wheelbase 2385 2610
Ground Clearance 170 190
Kerb Weight 975 1405
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 235 433
Rear Track Width 1420 mm 1560
Gross Vehicle Weight 1410 1900
Front Track Width 1435 mm 1570
Turning Radius 4.9 m 10.6
Towing Capacity 300 kg (Unbraked) N/A
Load Bed Length Not Applicable N/A
Load Bed Width Not Applicable N/A
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Front Legroom Available 1030
Rear Legroom Available 860
Front Headroom Available 990
Rear Headroom Available 950
Front Shoulder Room Available 1380
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1330
Boot Space Seats Folded Available 1385
Number of Doors Available 5
Max Payload Available N/A
Boot Volume Available 433
Front Overhang Available 840
Fuel Tank Capacity Available 50
Rear Overhang Available 920
Spec Grand i10 Seltos
Engine 1.2 MPI DOHC 1.5 G4LC Inline-4 Petrol NA
Engine Type Petrol Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Displacement 1197 1497
Cylinders 4 4
Power 61 85 kW
Torque 114 143 Nm
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Gasoline Direct Injection
Turbocharger No No
Top Speed 171 170
0-100 km/h 12.8 11.5
Power @ RPM 6300 6,300 rpm
Torque @ RPM 4200 4,000 rpm
Valves per Cylinder 12 16
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 13.0:1
Engine Position Front Front Transverse
Fuel Grade Required Petrol 93 Octane
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Naturally Aspirated
Engine Type Config Inline Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve
Variable Valve Timing Yes CVVT
Cylinder Bore Available 75.0
Piston Stroke Available 84.5
Engine Code Available G4LC
Engine Oil Capacity Available 4.5
Power 150 114
Cylinder Layout Available Inline 4 (I4)
Maximum Engine RPM Available 6,500 rpm
0–100 km/h Available 11.5
Battery Capacity Available N/A
Charging Port Available N/A
AC Charging Time Available N/A
Engine Displacement Available 1497
EV Range Available N/A

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 KIA Seltos wins with 58 pts vs 52 pts for Grand i10

In structured scoring, Seltos emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Grand i10 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Seltos edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Grand i10 0 vs Seltos 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Grand i10 18, Seltos 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Grand i10 20, Seltos 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Grand i10 9, Seltos 13. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Grand i10 5, Seltos 7. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Seltos edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Seltos scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Grand i10 and Seltos in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Grand i10 scores 5 vs 7.

Efficiency: Grand i10 scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Grand i10 scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Grand i10 scores 9 vs 13.

Ownership: Grand i10 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Seltos the advantage in this comparison.