The Kia Syros has squeezed into the crowded compact SUV market with an ambitious promise of blending modern design, technology, and functionality. Positioned between the Kia Sonet and the Seltos, the Syros seeks to attract young families by maximising comfort and versatility without compromising its SUV personality.
Looks Compact With Presence
Kia must be commended for bringing such a bold design to our shores. From its upright stance to features like the signature Digital Tiger Face grille and Starmap LED DRLs, the Syros is a visual standout. It may split opinions, but it is a design that is fresh and walks away from the usual. So if you want to stand out in a crowd, this is it. The short bonnet, streamlined door handles (frowny face for this one), and aerodynamic accents lend it a futuristic aura.
The wheel designs are very classy and blend nicely with its butch looks. Funky is a word for its design, but somehow Kia India has held back on offering more colour options for the Syros. The frost blue looks great, but c’mon, such a design demands a newer colour palette. Also, the headlight design, although radical with its stacked beam setup, may get dinged easily in car parks and our unpredictable traffic, and it’ll be an expensive fix, so be watchful. The smooth flat bonnet gives a clean view of the front while driving, which is great for city use.
Comfort & Practicality
While the exterior design is commendable, its real strength lies in the smart dimensions. Measuring under 4 metres, the Syros optimises interior space while retaining a compact footprint, crucial for Indian urban navigation. The dual-tone interiors are crafted to reflect a premium feel, with materials and finishes tailored to elevate the cabin experience. In fact it’ll be hard to match the feel and experience of the cabin by any other competitor in this segment.
Kia has placed considerable focus on the rear-seat experience. The sliding and reclining second-row seats with ventilation are a segment first, enhancing passenger comfort for long journeys. The expansive sunroof and generous legroom create a bright, airy, and flexible cabin. It is almost confusing to think you’re sitting in a sub-4 metre car.
Additionally, the boot space, at 465 litres, is more than enough for family trips. The thoughtful inclusion of retractable cup holders, multi-purpose storage compartments, and sunshade curtains further accentuates its usability. Weirdly Kia’s presentation pointed at male audience targeting, whilst it is way more practical and vibrant to be preferred by female drivers.
Loads Of Technology
The centrepiece of the Syros’ tech offering, and literally the entire dashboard, is the 30-inch combination display. This combines a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, a digital instrument cluster, and automatic climate controls. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available even in the lower trims happily.
The Syros is equipped with the Kia Connect 2.0 system, offering over-the-air updates, remote diagnostics, and multilingual voice commands, now available in English, Hindi, and Bengali. The eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and a dual dashcam. Kia India also mentioned the connect system is also ‘connected’ to the drive systems, including the ECU. Now this may allow the company to supposedly improve the drive experience, but we will hold comments on this till we dig deeper.
Large Suite Of Safety Systems
In terms of safety systems, Kia Syros comes equipped with six airbags, ABS with EBD, Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), to cover most bases. The radar and camera-based Level 2 ADAS works great, with features such as forward collision avoidance, lane keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. These assistive technologies, while not for replacements of vigilant driving as we’ve mentioned multiple times, enhance safety on highways and city roads.
Performance Is Balanced For Comfort
The Syros is available in two powertrain options: a 1.0-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. The petrol variant produces 118 bhp maximum power with 172 Nm peak torque, while the diesel offers 114 bhp maximum power and 250 Nm peak torque. The petrol can be had with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch setup, while the diesel gets a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic, to diverse driving preferences.
We drove both the automatics on this drive, and can obviously report that both of them are effortless. The petrol pulls quickly off the line with its dual-clutch system banging you towards triple digits competently. The diesel on the other hand has a wave to torque pushing it quicker through the digits. Also the 6-speed automatic on the diesel feels as quick as the DCT on the petrol, which is good for everybody other than folks living in Delhi/NCR. Yes, the diesel is definitely the pick of the bunch, and with this smooth and quick 6-speed AT, it is an excellent package.
Ride quality is softer than what we have come to expect of Kias. Leaning towards comfort, the suspension tuned for a smoother experience over uneven surfaces. However, here again, the diesel with its higher preload to compensate for the heavier engine feels nicer to drive. The overall steering feedback is light on both, making it ideal for urban commuting but less engaging for spirited highway driving. The NVH levels ensure a quieter cabin, although there may be tiny areas of improvement to stop rogue noises in.
The Kia Syros is a brave move by a brand that thrives on customers who welcome breaking convention. It is a package that prioritises passenger comfort and practicality. While it may not excite the driving purist, its focus on family-oriented features, advanced safety systems, and connected features makes it an ideal family runabout for everyday use.
Also Read
Kia Syros Aims To Strengthen Foothold In India's Booming SUV Market