India’s Kia Syros Looks Like a Mini-EV9 with an ICE Powertrain

Making its global debut in India is the Kia Syros – the brand’s new small SUV crossover that looks like a mini EV9.

Alongside the ASEAN region market, the Indian automotive market has also been the choice for many international automotive brands to churn out market-specific models that are more compact and friendly on the pockets. One of those is the Kia Syros—a new small SUV crossover from the Korean automaker that offers modern styling with a decently spaced and well-equipped cabin.

Just to give you a glimpse of how small the Syros is, this subcompact SUV crossover measures 3,995 MM long, 1,800 MM wide, 1,665 MM tall, and has a wheelbase of 2,550 MM. This makes the Syros smaller than some of the small SUV crossovers on sale in our market, such as the Perodua Ativa (Daihatsu Rocky), Honda WR-V, and Mazda CX-3—all of which are measured larger than 4,000 MM in length.

Its small footprint doesn’t stop Kia designers from expressing themselves, as the Syros gets a pretty modern and stylish look, so much so that it looks like a shrunk-down version of Kia’s flagship EV SUV, the Kia EV9. Scattered around its small and boxy facade are some familiar design cues borrowed from Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design language, such as the grill-less front face, the LED headlights with sharp LED DRLs, semi flared-out wheel arches, and many more.

What surprises us more is the fact that Kia has managed to keep the Syros’ cabin pretty spacious and well-equipped, especially after considering its small size and its positioning as one of the brand’s ‘entry-level’ urban SUV models. Again, borrowing some design cues from their electric-powered siblings, this time from the EV3, the Syros gets a familiar front dash setup featuring two 12.3-inch screens, a 5-inch dedicated screen for the climate control, and a two-spoke multifunction steering wheel.

Aside from the familiar front dash setup, other tech and comfort amenities primed here include the 4-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with ventilated function, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a 64-colour ambient lighting system, an 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system, as well as no less than 16 ADAS functions that offer Level 2 semi-autonomous driving capabilities.

From the images, rear seat space looks pretty okay for such a small car, with the presence of dedicated A/C vents and USB charging ports further elevating the life quality for the rear passengers. Not to forget, the Syros’ boot space is also not too shabby, measuring at 465 litres as standard.

As of now, the Syros will be offered in two combustion powertrain flavours, with a full electric version in the pipeline for the future. The two ICE options come in the form of a 1.0-litre 3-cyl turbocharged petrol engine rated at 118 HP and 172 NM, as well as a 1.5-litre 4-cyl diesel version that churns out 114 HP and 250 NM, with both of them offered with either an automatic or manual gearbox that sends power to the front wheels (FWD).

First deliveries for the new Kia Syros are slated to commence in early 2025, with prices and detailed trim specs to be unveiled later in Feb next year. Beyond the Indian market, the Syros may have a chance to make its landfall in other popular small SUV markets such as Europe, South America, and hopefully Asia-Pacific too.