Before we get to talking about the SUV, let’s understand why Kia is launching the Syros. The past decade has seen compact SUVs take centre stage in the Indian market. Not only have they eaten into the share of premium hatchbacks and compact sedans but also dented the sales of midsize sedans and SUVs! And today, the segment has turned into a pie so lucrative that Kia India now wants a bigger share of it. The Sonet has been doing excellently – launched in 2020 and given a facelift last year, it continues to rake in good numbers. But Kia feels the compact SUV segment holds more potential than currently tapped, and also that there exists a gap between the Sonet and Seltos in its product line-up that’s big enough to be bridged by something like the Syros.
I’d say, the Syros is yet another example of Kia India’s knack of making buyers realise the need for something they didn’t know they needed, and then cater to the need! One of the first things to notice about the Syros is that it looks very unique and very different from pretty much every other Kia offering in India. In fact this front end here is also a little quirky looking, as the headlamps are positioned at the far ends of the face and the grille is closed off at the top. But more importantly, the Syros looks very premium and very upmarket. I also see lots of design inspiration from bigger SUVs that Kia sells abroad. The headlamps look very unique and futuristic, while the grille, a closed off one, is a nod to Kia’s trademark tiger nose grille design. Admittedly, while the front end looks slightly quirky, it also helps the Syros look very unique and distinctive.
The Syros offers a similar vibe from the sides with its boxy shape as some of the design cues are a little unconventional, like the window lines and the cladding on the wheel arches, which is squared off on the top but perfectly round at the bottom. That said, there’s also a clear sense of Kia trying to offer a more premium feel, with bits like the flush door handles and larger, 17-inch alloy wheels on higher variants. Given its sub-4 metre length the Syros looks compact from the sides, but Kia has managed to push the front and rear axles further apart to increase the wheelbase by 50mm as compared to the Sonet’s. Besides helping improve cabin space this has also helped in enhancing the SUV’s stance. Design elements like the flared sides and silver cladding also help the Syros look appealing and add to its premium quotient. When you look at it from the rear there’s no mistaking the Syros for anything else, thanks to the slim, L-shaped tail lamps and slab-sided boot. The Syros also looks very clean from the rear, helping it look premium and adding more visual mass. Positioning of the turn indicators and reverse lamp is unique which further adds to the distinctiveness too. Overall, it may look unconventional, especially with its slab-sided front and rear end design, but the Syros has an air of coolness.
The premium vibe continues inside too. In fact, the interiors here are easily the most premium looking as far as compact SUVs go. There’s a clear effort in terms of making the insides of the Syros feel nicer than not just compact SUVs, but midsize SUVs too. And this is a feeling conveyed by the sporty steering wheel, triple screen layout, dashboard design and high quality plastics, not to forget, the impeccable fit-finish levels. The gear lever design and centre console augment this feel further, as do the USB ports and air-conditioning switches. We’re also told a lot of recycled and sustainable materials have been used, besides which usage of soft touch plastics is abundant. The cabin feels very spacious given the excellent space management, besides which the light grey colour theme and panoramic sunroof add to the sense of space.
Kia also tells us there’s been a strong emphasis on maximising rear seat comfort and space, despite the compact exterior dimensions. The rear seat slides back and forth and the seat back reclines as well, which, for the record, is a feature you won’t find even in SUVs a segment or two above the Syros. Effectively, the second row in the Syros is more spacious than the Seltos! We’re told the idea was to address a key concern family SUV buyers had with compact SUVs, which is the lack of space in the second row. You even get sun blinds on the rear windows, but my personal favourite is a feature that you won’t find even in most luxury cars, which is ventilated second row seats! These should certainly help the Syros appeal to a wider audience, though a lot of buyers are also sure to be impressed with its exhaustive feature list.
Kia has thrown in everything it could into the Syros including a panoramic sunroof, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, a Harman Kardon music system, six airbags, Level 2 ADAS and a lot more. These are besides the inclusion of driving modes and traction modes, an electric parking brake, 360 degree view with switchable views, blind view monitoring and an electrically adjustable driver’s seat. So the Syros does not just outdo its direct rivals in terms of features, it also beats a lot of midsize SUVs on the front!
You can have the Syros with petrol and diesel engines both. If you like driving, the petrol is the one you need to look at, as the Syros comes powered by Kia’s 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine putting out 120PS and 172Nm, mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT! The diesel engine on offer is the tried and tested 1.5-litre oil burner producing 115PS and 250Nm and can be mated to either the six-speed manual gearbox or six-speed torque converter automatic. We only drove the petrol automatic and the powertrain impresses with its refinement, performance and the responsiveness of the gearbox, especially via paddle shifters. It does feel a little strained at high revs, but impresses, especially for driving in traffic. The Syros also offers a very familiar feel on the dynamics front. It soaks up bumps and undulations well and is also a confident handler. The steering offers a weighted feel, but with a sense of artificialness. There’s a clear focus on ensuring the Syros impresses when driving in traffic overall, but it also feels stable and planted at highway speeds, just like every other Kia product.
Clearly, the Syros is intended to spice things up in the compact SUV segment. In fact, it’s only its exterior dimensions that tell you this is a compact SUV because the interiors and features (including many segment firsts), help it feel very premium and also punch above its weight. Prices begin from ₹9 lakh ex-showroom and go up to a rather high ₹17.80 lakh, but then, Kia is clear this isn’t just another compact SUV. So if you’re looking for an SUV that’s compact on the outside but big inside, your search might just end here.
