Kia Syros Compact SUV Launched in India: Features, Engine Options

Kia has finally launched the new compact SUV, Syros, for the Indian market. This makes it the second sub-4-metre SUV Kia will sell in the country, after Sonet. The Syros seems to fill the big gap that has always existed between the Sonet and other compact SUVs regarding rear-seat space. This new design language borrowed from larger Kia models, like the EV9, brings the Syros close to a full-fledged Kia, and the engines have both petrol and diesel variants. An all-electric version is also supposed to follow.

The Syros bases its design on global electric Kia vehicles like the EV9 and EV3, and its front end is boxy and upright, with vertically stacked headlamps at the edges of the bumper. The car features three LED projector units and a unique LED daytime running lamp that drops down. In the vein of design trends in electric vehicles, the top section of the front is sealed, while air intakes are located in the blacked-out bottom section, contrasted by silver trim.

One of the most distinctive things about the Syros is its tallboy design that’s evident in its profile. Also, the blacked-out A-, C- and D-pillars with body-coloured B-pillars create a window line that’s reminiscent of the Skoda Yeti. You also get chunky plastic cladding over the wheel arches, flush-fitting door handles, a distinctive kink in the window line at the rear and a 3-petal design for the alloy wheels (which measure up to 17-inches on the top trim). At the rear, the high-mounted L-shaped tail-lamps surround the rear windscreen, and there’s a two-tone black and silver finish for the rear bumper.

Dimensionally, the Syros measures 3,995mm in length, 1,800mm in width, 1,665mm in height and a 2,550mm wheelbase. This makes it 10mm wider and 55mm taller than the Sonet, and the wheelbase has also gone up by 50mm. The boot capacity is rated at 465 litres, up from the Sonet’s 385 litres. The tallboy design and longer wheelbase frees up more interior space, says Kia.

Kia is offering eight colour options with the Syros: Frost Blue, Pewter Olive, Aurora Black Pearl, Intense Red, Gravity Grey, Imperial Blue, Sparkling Silver and Glacier White Pearl.

The Syros gets an all-new dashboard that’s a notable step up from the Sonet, with the dual 12.3-inch displays for the infotainment and instrument cluster being the highlight; combined with the 5-inch screen for the climate control system, they form a 30-inch display claims Kia. There’s a new two-spoke steering wheel inspired by the EV3 that has a neatly stacked centre console with a wireless charging pad. The dashboard also gets a band of physical switches for the HVAC controls, nicely concealed AC vents and horizontally flowing lines that’s accentuated by ambient lighting.

The equipment list on offer is really impressive wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, OTA updates for the infotainment system, in-car connectivity tech, all four ventilated seats, reclining and sliding second row seats with centre armrest and a 60:40 split-folding function, powered driver’s seat, an 8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, electronic parking brake, six airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera and Level 2 ADAS suite.

Under the hood, the Syros gets two engine options – a 120hp, 172Nm 1.0-litre turbo-petrol with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT, and a 116hp, 250Nm 1.5-litre diesel paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic. It should be noted that higher-spec automatic veriants will get paddle shifters. The Syros is one of the few sub-4-metre SUVs to still offer a diesel engine option.

The Syros will go on sale in a total of four trims HTK, HTK (O), HTK+, HTX, HTX+ and HTX+(O). The brand has yet to reveal which featres will be available on which trim, though the top-spec HTX+ (O) will have all the kit mentioned above.

Kia is expected to announce prices for the new Syros in February, and it will compete with other compact SUVs like the Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Maruti Brezza and the upcoming Skoda Kylaq, among others. While bookings will commence from January 3, Kia has announced that deliveries will start from early February. It is expected to cost about Rs 1 lakh more than an equivalent variant of the Sonet, which means it will overlap with the Seltos as well. However, Kia hopes an expansive features list and an improved rear-seat experience will set it apart from the competition.

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