Kia Syros sports utility vehicle unveiled in India

(L to R) Hardeep Singh Brar, Senior VP National Head of Sales Marketing, Teck Koun Kim, Kia Global Design Centre, Gwanggu Lee, MD & CEO, Kia India and Joonsu Cho, CSO, Kia India.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Kia India unveiled its highly-anticipated compact SUV, the Syros, marking the fifth addition to its SUV line-up for the Indian market. Positioned between the Kia Seltos and Sonet, the Syros is set to target a more premium audience, and enable Kia to further strengthen its presence in the fastest-growing SUV segment.

Bookings for the Syros will commence on January 3. Its price has not yet been revealed. Deliveries are slated to begin in early February.

The Syros will be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol variant features a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine delivering 118 bhp and 172 Nm of torque, paired with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The diesel variant is powered by a 1.5-litre engine, generating 116 bhp and 250 Nm, available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

Other features offered on the Syros include a panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, a rear sunshade, ambient lighting, rear AC vents, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an 8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, and connected car features with remote window ventilation. 

The Syros is equipped with a slew of safety features, including Level 2 ADAS. The car gets a 360-degree camera, ESC, Hill Start, 6 airbags and disc brakes on all four corners.

“Our current market share is 15% in the three segments that we are operating in, which are low SUV, mid SUV and mid multi-purpose vehicle. Next year with Syros coming in, we want this 15% to go to 20%,” Hardeep S. Brar, senior vice president, and head of marketing and sales at Kia India.

The senior industry executive said car sales growth next year could be between 5% to 10%. Besides general elections, sales were also impacted by IT layoffs, which led to the lowest growth in sales in the southern States, he said. “Now, with the IT layoffs behind us and the fresh recruitment starting, I think the growth should be in the high single digit. The only big factor which we are not aware of is how the monsoons will go next year. If the monsoons are normal, I think it can be a high single digit growth for next year,” he said.