Kia has confirmed that the new Syros will arrive in South Africa before the end of the year.
The Syros is a compact SUV that made its international debut at the end of 2024, and is currently assembled at the automaker’s factory in India.
The model is intended as a mid-range crossover positioned between the Sonet and Seltos, meaning it should be one of the more affordable Kia SUVs in South Africa once it arrives later this year, reported Car Magazine.
What to expect
The Syros is based on Hyundai and Kia’s K1 platform, which is the same one used by the Hyundai Grand i10 and Exter.
In terms of size, the new crossover is 3,995mm in length, 1,800mm in width, and 1,655mm in height.
As a reference, the Sonet is 4,110mm long, 1,790mm wide, and 1,610mm tall, meaning that the Syros is actually a bit smaller in terms of length, but bigger in terms of width and height.
Overall, the two cars are very similar in their dimensions, but the same cannot be said of their styling.
The Syros is the next model to continue Kia’s new design language first seen on the upcoming Tasman bakkie.
Anyone who’s kept tabs on the Tasman knows that the pickup has a rather distinctive appearance with blocky proportions and angular lines.
All of this is true of the Syros, which has a flat front-end with a small horizontal grille above the number plate.
It also has a set of vertical LED headlights and daytime running lights on either side of the grille, and a prominent silver front bumper.
The blocky design language extends to the side profile, highlighting a pair of black wheel arch mouldings, roof rails, and silver side skirts that continue the look of the bumpers.
It’s a similar story at the back with another silver bumper and a pair of LED taillamps that run in an L-shape around the rear window.
In India, the Syros is sold with two different engines, starting with a 1.0-litre turbocharged plant good for 88kW and 172Nm.
The alternative is a larger 1.5-litre turbo-diesel mill, which raises the output to 85kW and 250Nm.
Interestingly, both options are available with either a manual or automatic transmission, the former of which is a six-speed gearbox.
The automatics are slightly more complicated, as the petrol is available with a seven-speed dual-clutch shifter, while the diesel only has six gears.
Kia has yet to confirm which engines will be allocated to our market.
However, it’s not unreasonable to assume we’ll get both, considering the brand already sells the petrol and diesel versions of cars like the Seltos and Sportage.
The carmaker has also not disclosed the model selection or equipment list, but we can take a peek at an Indian brochure to get a sense of what’s coming.
Over on the subcontinent, the crossover is available in the brand’s familiar trim levels, ranging from the LS and LX to the SX, EX, and EX+.
A few of the highlights include ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, a sunroof, ventilated seats, a wireless charger, and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon stereo (depending on the model).
The dashboard is dominated by a dual screen comprising a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-inch infotainment system, the latter of which supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The safety fittings are just as extensive, including adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring, front collision warning, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention alert, hill assist, electronic stability control, parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, and six airbags.
The Syros’ pricing and model lineup will only be revealed later this year, though it will presumably start somewhere between R300,000 and R380,000 if it is meant to slot between the Sonet and Seltos.
Kia Syros
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