Updated 17:15 IST, January 28th 2025
Kia Syros Drive Report: Spacious, Feature Loaded SUV with Good Performance
Kia India has recently unveiled the Syros for the Indian market. It is available in six variants, eight colour options, and two engine options to buyers.
First Drive of Kia Syros: Kia India has recently unveiled the Syros for the Indian market. According to Kia, it is positioned between the Sonet and the Seltos. It is available in six variants, eight colour options, and two engine options to buyers. It has a 1.0L inline three-cylinder turbo petrol engine and a 1.5L inline four-cylinder diesel engine to choose from. Kia India organised media drives to experience the Syros. On our short drive on the city and highway, we were able to highlight some key aspects of the Syros. Here is our experience:
Kia Syros Design:
The design of the Kia Syros is different compared to other Kia cars. It has LED DRL and LED headlamps on the top-spec variant. During our night experience, the illumination from the headlamps was decent. We expected better illumination from the projector LED headlamps. At the front, it has six parking sensors, that help in parking in tight spaces.
On the side, the length of the Syros is similar to the Sonet. As a differentiating factor, Kia Syros has flush door handles, which look cool, and roof rails, enhancing the visual appearance. The top-spec variant runs on 17-inch alloy wheels that provide great ride quality on uneven roads or roads with a lot of potholes.
At the rear, the Syros has L-shaped LED DRLs for the taillamps and a separate taillamp section. The design of the rear looks quite simple and has blacked-out bumpers to reduce visual bulk. Regarding boot space, it can be increased or decreased as the rear seats can be reclined and slide forward and backward.
Kia Syros Interiors:
The interiors of the Kia Syros have ample space for passengers. Talking about the rear seat experience, the Kia Syros has a reclining function and can be slid forward and backward. The rear seats were comfortable, and with the recline angle at the highest, they provided a great experience while cruising on highways and in city traffic. Further, there is a panoramic sunroof enhancing the airiness of the cabin. For passengers who wish to cut the sun rays and heat in the summer from the rear windows, Kia has provided the Syros with rear seat sunshades, which can be retracted manually.
Since the length of the Syros is under 4m, the cabin is wide enough, and three passengers are comfortable in the rear seats. The front seats of the Syros are also comfortable. There is plenty of storage space for the cups and bottles, and the cabin has a practical design. The steering wheel of the Syros has a double D-cut and multiple buttons for various functions. It has a drive mode selector and terrain mode selector switch integrated into the steering wheel. As we experienced the automatic variant, the gear selector knob has an aircraft design that feels sturdy to hold.
Kia Syros Features:
The Kia Syros is loaded with features. For starters, it has a 30-inch connected screen, which consists of a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 5.00-inch AC control screen, and a 12.0-inch infotainment screen. The display of the screen is crisp, but it is reflective in the daytime, which could have been offered with an anti-glare glass for a better experience. There is ambient light with 64 colours, which is subtly visible in the daytime.
Further, it has connected car features, and Kia claims that Syros has wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Our experience with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay was smooth, and it was connected instantly. Since today’s modern cars have screens all over, Kia still manages to offer physical control for the AC temperature, volume buttons, and other functions. One thing that we felt was misplaced was the button for the electronic parking brake. It is situated on the right side lower down, and first-time users might have to search for it to operate it.
To enhance the driving experience, both petrol and diesel engines have three driving modes on offer. There are Eco, Normal, and Sport Mode. During our driving experience, the difference in the driving modes was quite evident. Additionally, there are three terrain modes as well, which alter the level of traction control.
Kia Syros Safety Features:
The Syros has a plethora of safety features. It has six airbags, ABS, EBD, traction control, and more. Additionally, Kia offers the Syros with 16 features of Level-2 ADAS like the lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning among others.
Kia Syros Engines:
Buyers of the Kia Syros have a petrol and a diesel engine to choose from. There is a 1.0-litre inline three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, producing 120BHP and 170Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DCT gearbox. On the other hand, buyers also have the option to pick a 1.5-litre diesel engine, producing 115BHP and 250Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual or an automatic gearbox.
Kia Syros Driving Experience:
We drove the HTX+ diesel automatic variant and will share our experience of it.
The performance of the diesel engine was smooth. The grunt from the engine was evident at ideal conditions, and the power delivery was linear post-2000 RPM. Under hard acceleration, the engine became a bit noisy, and there was a certain lag evident, which is common in diesel engines. However, overall, the driving experience and the performance were smooth. While driving in the Eco mode, we felt the engine was a bit lethargic and maintained great fuel efficiency. In the Normal mode, it was a normal experience. When put in the Sports mode, the upshift from the gearbox was made at around 3500-3800 RPM, churning out the maximum power, and the difference in the performance was evident. On the corners, there was an immense body roll present that could be felt inside.
Kia Syros Ride Quality and Braking:
The suspensions on the Kia Syros are tuned on the softer side. As our test unit was a top-spec model, which runs on 17-inch alloy wheels, the ride quality was decent, and the NVH levels were well maintained. However, the ride quality becomes bouncy at triple-digit speeds. Regarding brakes, the Syros has all four disc brakes on offer and has ABS with EBD, traction control, and more. The brakes felt confident and there was a nose dive under heavy braking.
Kia Syros Price:
The prices of the Kia Syros will be announced on February 1, 2025.
Conclusion
The Kia Syros has decent performance from the engine, ample space in the cabin, and is a feature-loaded vehicle. The exterior design won’t likely get cheered by the masses, but it is a practical, comfortable offering in its segment. Whether it will be a value-for-money or not will depend on its price reveal.
Published 17:15 IST, January 28th 2025