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Kia Syros review: 7.2/10, Must Buy

Kia · Petrol/Diesel · ₹8.39L - ₹15.79L · Launched 01 Feb 2025

ReviewHub score: 7.2/10 · Verdict: Must Buy — based on 10 YouTube reviews (8 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative).

Wins the segment on rear seat space without much argument - just don't expect the ride and handling to keep pace with how roomy it feels.

About this car

Kia's boxy, EV9-inspired sub-4-metre SUV, slotted (and priced) between the Sonet and Seltos on a reinforced K1 platform. Offered with a 120PS 1.0-litre turbo-petrol (6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT) and a 115PS 1.5-litre diesel (6-speed manual or 6-speed torque-converter automatic), both shared with the Sonet, plus a 30-inch triple-screen dashboard, segment-first sliding/reclining/ventilated rear seats, and Level 2 ADAS with 16 features.

Score by aspect

  • Looks & Design: 6/10
  • Performance: 6/10
  • Comfort & Ride: 6.5/10
  • Mileage: 6/10
  • Features & Tech: 9/10
  • Value for Money: 6/10

What owners and reviewers like

  • Rear seat space and practicality are the Syros's defining strength - Autocar India, both CarDekho tests, Trengine, Faisal Khan, Content With Cars, a real HTK-Optional owner (Birlas Parvai) and Najeeb Rehman all independently single out the sliding, reclining rear bench, flat floor and a 390-465 litre boot as best-in-segment, several calling it more usable than the bigger Seltos.
  • A genuinely class-leading feature list - the 30-inch Trinity triple-screen, wireless Android Auto/CarPlay, an 8-speaker Harman Kardon system, ventilated front and rear seats, a panoramic sunroof and Level 2 ADAS with 16 features are repeatedly described as beating cars a segment above, with Faisal Khan noting some of this kit isn't available on cars costing more.
  • The 1.5-litre diesel's low-end pull and highway manners are praised across independent tests - Autocar India, Ask CarGuru's 1,000km long-term test and real owner Birlas Parvai all note the 250Nm diesel cruises effortlessly under 2,000rpm at 90-100kmph and never feels strained, even if outright pace is modest.
  • Strong, independently verified safety credentials - a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for both adult and child occupants, 6 airbags standard, and Level 2 ADAS (adaptive cruise, lane-keep, forward collision warning) that Najeeb Rehman's highway test found genuinely worked, holding lane and braking appropriately at speed.

What to watch out for

  • Ride and handling are a genuine step behind the segment's best, not just a matter of taste - OVERDRIVE's three-way comparison against the Skoda Kylaq and Mahindra 3XO found the Syros 'constantly moving around, pitching and bobbing' on uneven roads, the worst-riding of the three, and Faisal Khan's long-term verdict is blunter still: 'neither does it ride well, neither does it handle well.'
  • Real-world fuel efficiency underwhelms for the segment, especially the diesel automatic - Faisal Khan's long-term test of the diesel's 6-speed torque-converter automatic (the diesel never gets a DCT - that's petrol-only) returned just 9-10kmpl city and 13-14kmpl highway, which he measured as nearly half the efficiency of the identical engine in the mechanically-related Sonet, and even Ask CarGuru's otherwise-positive 1,000km diesel test found highway economy collapses from 19-20kmpl at an unrealistic 75kmph crawl to a real-world 15-16kmpl at normal highway speeds.
  • The polarising, EV9-inspired boxy styling comes with a genuine practical downside - CarDekho and Content With Cars both flag that the headlamps and tail-lamps sit at the car's outermost corners rather than being tucked behind protective cladding like most SUVs, so everyday parking scrapes directly risk the lights, a point Birlas Parvai's real owner confirmed from experience.
  • Priced at the top of its own segment without fully matching the driving experience - at a pre-GST-cut ₹16.8-19.17 lakh in top trim, OVERDRIVE concluded the Syros 'doesn't quite have the driving chops to justify' C-segment money, and Faisal Khan directly ties this to it being Kia's slowest-selling made-in-India model, though the subsequent GST-driven price cut to ₹8.39-15.79 lakh has narrowed that gap meaningfully.
  • Small but repeated ergonomic rough edges - the 5-inch climate-control screen sits partly hidden behind the steering wheel for some driving positions (CarDekho, Faisal Khan, Ask CarGuru), there's no centre rear headrest, and the flush door handles are fiddly to use one-handed (Ask CarGuru).

What each reviewer said

  • Autocar India (English) — Good Buy, 7.5/10
    “A comprehensive first drive crediting segment-busting rear seat room with slide-and-recline, a radar-based Level 2 ADAS system, and genuinely high build quality, while flagging noticeable wind buffeting and a coarse 3-cylinder thrum past 2,500rpm on the petrol, plus a ride that's firmer than the Seltos though better than the Sonet. Bottom line: 'the space, practicality and features are the highlights while the engine performance is modest at best' - a strong pick for a laid-back city SUV with all the bells and whistles.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • CarDekho (Hindi) — Good Buy, 7.5/10
    “A concise 3-month, 4,000km ownership update calling it unmatched for the money below ₹18 lakh thanks to EV9-inspired cabin design, segment-first sliding/reclining rear seats with ventilation, and sufficient petrol and diesel performance, while noting the unique looks need corner-panel care against scrapes and rear passenger space could be marginally better. Bottom line: 'is the price more? According to the size, yes. According to the work, no.'” Watch the review on YouTube
  • CarDekho (Hindi) — Good Buy, 7.5/10
    “An extensive deep-dive praising top-notch cabin fit-and-finish, finally-wireless Android Auto/CarPlay, a 30-inch Trinity display and flexible 309-465 litre boot, while flagging real side-to-side body movement on bad roads, a climate-control screen awkwardly hidden behind the steering wheel, and a close-to-18-lakh top-trim price. Bottom line: 'if you have these requirements, then you can probably digest its price tag' - sensible and practical for the right buyer.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Trengine (Hindi) — Good Buy, 7/10
    “A concise review recommending the 1.5-litre diesel for its stronger real-world mileage (15kmpl city, 20-22kmpl highway) and best-in-segment rear seat space fit for 4 adults and a kid, while flagging instrument cluster visibility issues and diesel NVH that could be better despite Kia's refinement edge over rivals. Bottom line: 'a good car' - best suited as a comfortable, reliable secondary family car.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Faisal Khan (English) — Decent Pick, 6/10
    “A structured 4-pros/4-cons long-term test crediting segment-busting features and space (sliding/reclining ventilated rear seats, a 465-litre boot, strong brakes), but landing hard on why this is Kia's least-selling made-in-India car: divisive EV9-inspired styling, diesel-automatic fuel efficiency of just 9-10kmpl city that's nearly half its Sonet sibling's, and dynamics the reviewer calls average at best - 'neither does it ride well, neither does it handle well.' Bottom line: a practical, well-equipped car let down by design and driving dynamics, with real potential if Kia addresses them.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Content With Cars (Malayalam) — Good Buy, 7/10
    “A detailed walkaround-plus-drive praising a genuinely engineered cabin (first-in-segment ventilated rear seats, Harman Kardon audio, a reinforced K1 platform that improved NVH), while candidly flagging that the ride is 'on the stiff side' on uneven roads and that the diesel's DPF can need manual regeneration after sustained city driving, a known issue across BS6 Kia/Hyundai diesels. Bottom line: engineering and space genuinely impress; whether the polarising styling works for you is the real deciding question.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • OVERDRIVE (English) — Decent Pick, 6.5/10
    “A three-way comparison against the Skoda Kylaq and Mahindra 3XO crediting the Syros with the most premium-feeling cabin, the largest, most responsive 12.3-inch screen, and the roomiest rear seat of the three, while finding it's 'constantly moving around, pitching and bobbing' over uneven roads - the worst-riding car here - with the most body roll and least driving engagement. Bottom line: at a pre-GST-cut ₹16.80 lakh, 'the Cirrus doesn't quite have the driving chops to justify' C-segment money, though it remains the most premium space of the three for rear-seat-focused buyers.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Ask CarGuru (Hindi) — Good Buy, 7.5/10
    “A candid 1,000km diesel long-term test built around a genuinely useful real-world finding: fuel economy swings from 19-20kmpl at an unrealistic 75kmph crawl down to 15-16kmpl at normal highway speeds, alongside praise for the 10.25-inch Harman Kardon system, 12-sensor parking suite and a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, with only minor niggles like fiddly flush door handles and sun glare through the panoramic roof. Bottom line: 'I have shared its benefits and shortcomings... the positive side is more' - few genuine complaints after 1,000km.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Birlas Parvai (Tamil) — Good Buy, 7.5/10
    “A real owner interview (HTK Optional variant, ₹13.5-14 lakh on-road) reporting genuinely decent turbo-petrol mileage - 12-13kmpl city, up to 16-17kmpl highway, beating the related Sonet's claimed city figure - plus confident ground clearance and highway stability up to 140kmph, while candidly flagging the corner-mounted headlamps as a real scrape risk he's experienced firsthand and middling interior plastic quality for the price. Bottom line: 'I have more pros... the positive side is more' after choosing it over the Venue, Sonet and XUV 3XO specifically for rear-seat space.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Najeeb Rehman KP (Malayalam) — Good Buy, 7.5/10
    “A thorough walkaround-plus-highway-drive confirming the Level 2 ADAS genuinely works - adaptive cruise and lane-keep held a confident line past 89kmph in testing - alongside a spacious, airy rear seat with 8-10 finger headroom and legroom, while noting the corner-mounted headlamps sit vulnerably close to everyday scrapes. Bottom line: a comfortable, well-equipped family SUV with no major complaints beyond the styling some won't warm to.” Watch the review on YouTube

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