Kia rolls out India-tailored SUV Syros

Korean automaker plans to expand new car’s availability across Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle Eastern regions

Kia officials hold a rollout ceremony for the Syros, a new sport utility vehicle specifically tailored for Indian customers, at its Anantapur plant in Andhra Pradesh, India, Thursday. (Hyundai Motor Group)

Kia has begun mass production of the Syros, a new sport utility vehicle specifically developed to fill the needs of customers in India, as the Korean automaker aims to expand its presence in the world’s third-largest auto market.

According to Kia, the automaker held the rollout ceremony at its Anantapur plant in Andhra Pradesh, India, Thursday, following the world premiere of the Syros in December last year.

The new SUV recorded 10,258 presales, signaling significant market potential for the vehicle among Indian customers.

“We’re delighted with the interest our customers in India have already shown in the new Kia Syros SUV,” said Kia CEO Song Ho-sung.

“This is a positive sign ahead of the Syros’ market introduction in India and a testament to Kia’s customer-centric focus, delivering vehicles that provide value to our customers through the innovative features and services on offer.”

Kia will begin sales of the Syros from Feb. 1 with plans to expand the new SUV’s availability to the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East regions.

The Korean automaker highlighted that the Syros’ advanced design, practicality and connectivity features have been key drivers in the initial market interest it has already received.

“Kia India has always been driven by a challenger spirit, setting new benchmarks in the automotive industry with our commitment to innovation, technology and customer-centric design,” said Lee Gwang-gu, managing director of Kia India.

“With the Syros, we are further enhancing our product portfolio, offering a new species of SUV that combines superior comfort, cutting-edge technology and bold design.”

Prior to the launch of the Syros, Kia has released five vehicles — the Seltos, the Carnival, the Sonet, the Carens and the EV6 — in the Indian market so far.

According to Auto Punditz, an Indian auto industry analysis, Kia sold 245,000 units in India last year, down about 4 percent on year, to claim a 6 percent market share, placing itself as the sixth-largest auto brand in the burgeoning market.

By Kan Hyeong-woo (hwkan@heraldcorp.com)

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}