Kia Syros First Drive Review

So, your pocket only allows you to afford a compact SUV, but your family insists on more space and legroom in the rear? Well, until recently, you had only two options in such a situation. First, just ignore your family – obviously a bad idea! Second, stretch your budget and get a bigger loan for a bigger SUV, which is possibly an even worse idea! Things, however, have changed for now, there is a third alternative – the all-new Kia Syros. It’s priced like the Sonet but offers the space, practicality, and creature comforts of the Seltos. Well, that’s what Kia wants you and me to believe. But is that really the case?

Got its Q

Let’s address the elephant in the room – the design and appearance of the Syros. Now, this isn’t your typical compact SUV. It has a rather quirky and unusual design, which is likely to divide the opinions of buyers in the segment. Its tall-boy design, short overhangs, and slab-sided rear are a far cry from a typical SUV design. Instead, it seems more like a cross between an MPV and an SUV.

That said, I find it appealing. It stands out for sure! It’s simple and functional, but at the same time, it’s no wallflower. Plus, the EV9-inspired design elements, like vertically stacked cube-shaped LED headlights, starlight LED DRLs, flush door handles, and dual-tone 17-inch alloys (on top models), give it quite a premium feel.

It’s an acquired taste, no doubt. For some, it could even be a deal breaker. The Syros prioritises function over form, rather than the other way round – it has not been designed to please your visual senses but to serve a purpose.

Room for Everyone

Step inside the Syros, and if practicality and comfort are your priorities, you won’t give two hoots about its exterior appearance. The Syros’ main highlight is the space and equipment it offers to compact SUV buyers at a compact SUV price. First off, the interior is completely new – there’s no parts-bin sharing with the Sonet or Seltos. The dashboard design is also all-new – it’s clutter-free, seamlessly integrated, and looks premium. The new ‘squircle’ steering wheel adds a unique touch, and the overall quality of components and fit-and-finish are exemplary.

Next up, you have the features – and they are aplenty. In its top-spec versions, the Syros gets a raft of new and segment-first features. The centrepiece of the cabin is, of course, the 30-inch Trinity display, which consists of three screens – an infotainment touchscreen, an HVAC touchscreen, and a digital driver display. The screens are high-resolution, and the touch response is crisp, all of which makes the Syros feel a generation ahead of its sibling – at least, in terms of the in-cabin tech.

That said, I do find the middle screen for AC controls a bit problematic, for it is placed behind the steering wheel, which means that adjusting temperature and fan controls on the go can be tedious and distracting. Thankfully, Kia has included large, chunky buttons for HVAC controls, making life much easier.

Other features include ventilated front and rear seats, 64-colour ambient lighting, four interior colour combinations, an electrically adjustable driver seat, wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – something which is still missing in the top-spec versions of the Sonet and Seltos – and more. The Syros is also the only compact SUV, apart from the Mahindra 3XO, to offer Level 2 ADAS systems. It’s more or less the same system that you get in the Seltos, which, you might remember, emerged as the winner in our comprehensive ADAS comparison test. Another great feature is the introduction of Kia Connect 2.0, which brings over-the-air updates and on-board diagnostics.

At 2,550mm, the Syros sits on a longer wheelbase than the Sonet (2,500mm) and most other rival compact SUVs. This translates into significantly more space inside, making the back bench the Syros’ party piece. It’s spacious, with acres of headroom, and the rear seats can also slide and recline for added comfort. While you do get ventilation, it’s only on the base of the seat and not the backrest. There are two USB Type C ports, AC vents, and controls for the air purifier. However, what really stands out here is the leg space on offer – it feels almost as spacious as the Creta or Seltos if not more! Plus, the tall-boy stance pays dividends in terms of headroom. The boot space is equally impressive, ranging from 390 litres to 465 litres, depending on the position of the second-row seats. What’s a bit of a miss here is the parcel tray, as it doesn’t fill up the void when the rear seats are at their forward-most position. A foldable parcel tray would have been a nice addition.

Effortlessly Seamless

Kia offers the Syros with two engine options, both of which are shared with the Sonet – the tried-and-tested 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol and 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. There’s no naturally aspirated engine on offer. Interestingly, unlike the Sonet, the turbo petrol engine gets a six-speed manual in addition to a seven-speed DCT – no clutch-less manual or iMT this time. The diesel engine is also offered with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. On this occasion, we drove the diesel AT version.

The diesel AT has long been our preferred choice in the Sonet, and it feels equally well-suited to the Syros. It offers a seamless torque delivery with a solid mid-range punch – very old-school. You always ride a strong wave of torque, meaning the power is available almost all the time. There’s a bit of a lag below 2,000rpm, but since it’s not a heavy car and the ratios are shorter for the first two gears, it gets up to speed without any trouble. Sure, the diesel engine is a bit loud and doesn’t enjoy being thrashed or revved hard, but cabin insulation is more than acceptable – in fact, it definitely feels better insulated than our long-term Sonet.

The ride-and-handling of the Syros is well-balanced. We expected it to be overly soft, but that’s not the case. The ride quality is supple and absorbent, and the handling is tidy. Although going over bad roads at low speeds reveals that the suspension still has a firm edge, much like the Sonet, albeit the ride isn’t as crashy. The steering is light at city speeds and weighs up well as speed increases. There’s a fair bit of body roll, but it doesn’t handle like a boat despite having a higher CG. It’s quite predictable, with excellent high-speed stability, although there’s a considerable amount of wind noise at triple-digit speeds.

Verdict

Kia says that the Syros fits into a ‘sweet spot’ between the Sonet and Seltos, and its pricing range reflects that. Starting at Rs 9 lakh and going up to Rs 17.80 lakh, the Syros sits bang in the middle of its two siblings. While the top-spec versions may look costly, the lower trims are priced competitively against rival compact SUVs – and that’s where the Syros is likely to carve out its market share (or eat into others’!).

As a family SUV, the Syros has all the bases covered. The drivetrains, space, comfort, practicality, and even driving dynamics are all spot-on. The only possible deal breaker could be its quirky design, but then, for someone who prioritises the comfort of the occupants over everything else, the Syros’ design will hardly be a concern. All in all, we expect the Syros to be another runaway success for Kia, and for all the right reasons.

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The Syros looks quirky, but it’s no wallflower

The diesel offers seamless performance, thanks to its solid mid-range punch – very old-school