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Kia Syros First Drive Review - Quirky Be Thy Name
South Korean carmaker Kia already has offerings in the B-Segment SUV market in the sub-4-metre Sonet and 4-metre+ Seltos. However, late last year, the Korean marque started dropping hints that it had another SUV waiting in the wings that would slot between the Sonet and the Seltos.
Come December, Kia finally took the wraps off the SUV from the teasers, a tall, boxy and very different-looking Syros. It has enough quirks and features to make a certain American YouTuber burst into giggles but also addresses the biggest issue with the Sonet - rear seat space.
So when Kia called us to get behind the wheel of the new Syros, we dumped everything we were doing and made our way to Gurugram. What follows is our Kia Syros review after a few hours behind the wheel in the National Capital Region...
Kia Syros Review: Design & Features - Quirky And Different
The Kia Syros' design is inspired by the firm's international EVs like the flagship EV9 and the smaller EV3. At the front, it features a blanked-off top-grille section, with the air intakes found on the front bumper that features black cladding and a faux silver bash plate.
The lights at the front - three vertically stacked LED headlights and a vertical LED DRL that also acts as the indicator - can be found on the edges of the grille. How these will hold up in the jungle raj that is the traffic in most of our cities is something only time will tell.
When viewed from the sides, the Syros' tallboy design really shines through, as do the design tweaks to the window design at the B-Pillar that remind you of a quirky SUV offering that came to India from Central Europe over a decade ago. Other highlights come in the form of the flash door handles, shark fin antenna, bridge-type roof rails, cladding on the wheelarches and the doors and the 17-inch crystal-cut alloy wheels.
At the rear, the quirky design madness continues with L-shaped brake lights flanking the rear windscreen with a small spoiler element hosting the third brake light sitting just above. The other lights that make up the rear lighting package are found down on the rear bumper, another quirky design feature that only time will tell if it survives our rash roads.
Step inside the Kia Syros and the cabin sure feels like a step up from that of the Sonet. The cabin has a dual-tone look that is mirrored by the upholstery for the seats (which feature added colour highlights based on the trim level).
The multi-layered dashboard is dominated by a large 30-inch screen that actually plays host to three displays. There are dual-12.3-inch screens for the driver's instrumentation and the touchscreen infotainment system (which supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), between which is nestled a 5-inch touchscreen for the climate control system.
During our time with the Syros, we found that touchscreen to be more or less a gimmick especially when driving as the 5-inch display sits behind the new two-spoke multi-function steering wheel (which has buttons galore), meaning that you have to go around it to make changes to HVAC setup on the go, which is a big no-no for us. Thankfully, Kia has provided a few physical controls to make up for this overzealous design quirk.
The infotainment screen also gives access to Kia's connected car suite which accepts voice commands in multiple Indian languages. There infotainment unit also features OTA updates and comes connected to an 8-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system to belt out your tunes.
The seats of the Syros are well-bolstered and are comfortable for those long drives, no matter which seat you choose. If you choose one of the top-spec variants (like the one we drove), then you'll get seat ventilation for all four seats, which is an absolute blessing with our extreme weather. Speaking of the rear seats, they slide and recline and there is more than enough leg and headroom to make even the taller lot happy to sit back and relax in the Syros' rear seats.
The cabin of the Syros has even more features to play with including a massive dual-pane panoramic sunroof, retractable cup holders, wireless phone charger, manual blinds for the rear windows, smart air purifier with an AQI display, rear AC vents, 64-colour ambient lighting and USB C ports at the front and the rear.
In terms of Safety, the Kia Syros features six airbags, front, side and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, ABS with EBD, traction control, all four disc brakes (only in the top-spec models), ISOFIX anchor points for child seats, cruise control, electronic parking brake with auto hold among others.
The Syros also gets Kia's Level 2 ADAS setup with 16 autonomous safety features including front collision warning, front collision avoidance (car, pedestrians, cycles, junction turning and direct oncoming), lane vehicle departure alert, cruise control with stop and go, bling view monitor and more.
Kia Syros Review: Specs & Dimensions - Tallboy SUV
The Kia Syros measures 3,995mm long, 1,800mm wide and 1,665mm tall and it features a 2,550mm long wheelbase. While the Syros is significantly taller than the Sonet, it is still shorter than the Maruti Suzuki Brezza. The extra 50mm wheelbase length compared to the Sonet is noticed inside the cabin.
The Kia Syros offers 190mm of ground clearance and 465 litres of boot space, the latter of which is more than enough to carry a few suitcases with relative ease. The rear seats fold in a 40:20:40 split, in case you want to use the Syros to transport a few longer shopping items.
Under the bonnet of the Syros, you'll find two engine options - a 1.0-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre turbo diesel. The 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine pushes out 118bhp and 172Nm of torque and is paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT gearbox. The turbo-diesel, on the other hand, cranks out 114bhp and 250Nm of torque and is paired with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission options.
Kia Syros Review: Driving Impressions - Plenty Of Zing
We got to drive the Kia Syros equipped with the turbo petrol engine and the 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox. On the move, the Syros feels plenty quick and you can really wring the engine out as it features good mid and top-end grunt.
The DCT is quick and does its job well and smoother than similar options we've seen in the B-Segment and while the car felt quiet and refined when cruising on the highway, pushing the revs on the turbo-petrol does tend to expose its three-cylinder thrum.
There are three modes on offer - Eco, Normal and Sport - and the changes between them are noticeable and you can easily switch between them on the go thanks to the button placement on the steering wheel.
Speaking of the steering, it feels light and sharp at city speeds, allowing you to manoeuvre through traffic with ease and it does weigh up at higher speeds to give you the confidence to cruise on the highways.
The suspension setup of the Syros is well-balanced and it takes care of bumps and ruts without much issue at all. And while it may look like a tallboy, the Syros controls the body roll levels so that you don't have to worry about feeling sick if you have a bit too much fun while taking a turn.
The brakes on the Kia Syros work well. Our car came with disc brakes on all four wheels (limited to the top-spec automatic variants) which brought it to a halt quickly and safely. However, other variants of the Syros will feature drum brakes at the rear and how this affects their stopping power is something we will only be able to tell once we've gotten into their driver's seat in the future.
Kia Syros Review: Verdict & Final Thoughts - A Quirky SUV For The Masses
The Kia Syros sees the Korean marque address the biggest issue with the Sonet, the lack of space at the back. In creating the Syros, Kia has not only solved that problem but also given us an SUV that has a quirkiness that will appeal to those who like to stand out from the crowd.
And while we do wonder about the design choices for the lights and how they'll hold up to our mad cities and their crazy traffic along with that extra screen for the HVAC system, the Kia Syros just packs so much into a sub-4-metre SUV, that we find it hard to ignore for those looking to get into the SUV life.
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