Kia Syros EV review: Performance, range, space and practicality tested

Kia Syros EV Design: Familiar, but distinctly electric

What makes the Kia Syros EV particularly interesting, though, isn’t any single number on the specification sheet. Having driven it, what stands out is the way Kia has brought together performance, range, space, technology and everyday usability in a package that feels remarkably well judged for the money. In fact, the Syros EV makes a very strong argument for itself against cars that are larger on paper, taking on the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara particularly convincingly.

The basic proportions remain familiar. At 3,995 mm, the Syros sits right at the upper limit of the sub-four-metre category, but the tall body and 2,550 mm wheelbase give it a much more substantial presence than the dimensions suggest. The upright stance also serves a practical purpose, creating excellent visibility from the driver’s seat and allowing Kia to extract a surprising amount of space from a relatively small footprint.

The EV gets its own styling cues, including a closed-off front treatment, revised bumpers and aerodynamic elements, but Kia hasn’t gone down the route of making it look dramatically different from the combustion-engined Syros. I think that is the right approach. There is enough differentiation to tell the two apart, but the EV doesn’t wear its electric identity like a badge of honour. It simply looks like a more contemporary version of the same compact SUV.

A spacious cabin that defies its size

Where the Syros continues to impress is inside. The cabin is one of the reasons the standard Syros made such an impression when it arrived, and the EV retains the same fundamental strengths. The driving position is comfortable, visibility is excellent and the sense of space is immediately apparent. More importantly, Kia has paid attention to the second row, which is often where compact SUVs reveal their limitations.

The rear bench can slide and recline, allowing occupants to decide how much space they want for themselves and how much needs to be given over to luggage. It is a simple but genuinely useful solution. With the rear seats positioned appropriately, the Syros EV can offer up to 465 litres of boot space, which is impressive considering the car’s exterior dimensions.

This is also where the Syros EV starts to make a stronger case as a family car. You don’t have to accept cramped rear seats simply because you have chosen a compact SUV, and you don’t have to sacrifice the boot every time you carry adults in the back. That flexibility is likely to matter considerably more to an Indian buyer than another screen or another connected feature.

Kia Syros EV side profile: Its tall stance and long wheelbase give the compact electric SUV a more substantial road presence
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Special Arrangement

Kia has, of course, loaded the cabin with technology. The higher variants get a pair of 12.3 inch displays, along with connected car functions, wireless connectivity, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, multiple camera views and a long list of convenience features. The layout is modern without being excessively complicated, and the separate climate control interface is particularly welcome because it means you aren’t forced to dig through menus every time you want to adjust the temperature.

The equipment levels also help the Syros EV feel more substantial than its size would suggest. This is increasingly important in the Indian market, where buyers are willing to spend considerably more on compact SUVs provided the car feels sufficiently premium. Kia understands that expectation and has equipped the Syros accordingly.

Features and technology: Plenty to like

The biggest change comes underneath the cabin. Kia offers the Syros EV with two battery options, a 42 kWh unit and a larger 51.4 kWh pack. The extended range version develops 171 PS and 255 Nm, while the claimed MIDC range rises to 526 km. The smaller battery is rated at 443 km.

The 171 PS figure is particularly significant because it changes how the Syros feels in everyday driving. Electric motors deliver their torque immediately, and in the Syros that response makes the car feel considerably more energetic than its compact dimensions might lead you to expect. There is no waiting for a turbocharger to build boost and no automatic gearbox deciding when to make the next shift. The moment you ask for acceleration, the car responds.

Kia quotes 255 Nm of torque and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.1 seconds for the larger battery version. That is properly quick for a compact family SUV, although the more important characteristic is the way the performance is delivered. The Syros isn’t trying to be a sports car. Instead, it has enough reserve to make overtaking and merging into faster traffic almost effortless, and that makes it feel more relaxed than outright performance figures might suggest.

The 171 PS electric motor gives the Syros EV brisk performance and an effortless response in everyday driving
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Special Arrangement

The motor is also remarkably easy to modulate. This is one of those areas where electric propulsion suits a compact SUV particularly well. Around town, where traffic constantly changes speed and gaps appear and disappear with little warning, the immediate response means you can make progress without having to work the drivetrain. It makes the Syros feel effortless in a way that a similarly powered combustion engine generally cannot.

Regenerative braking adds another layer to the driving experience. The steering-mounted paddles allow the driver to vary the level of regeneration, while i Pedal provides a stronger one pedal driving mode. It takes some time to get accustomed to the different levels of deceleration, particularly if you are used to a conventional automatic; but once you understand the system, it becomes a useful tool in traffic. You can manage much of your speed using the accelerator while putting energy back into the battery whenever you lift off.

Kia Syros EV battery and range

The additional mass of the battery is noticeable when you start pushing the car harder through corners. The Syros EV isn’t a lightweight machine, and there is a definite sense of mass underneath you, but Kia has kept the responses predictable. It doesn’t feel unsettled when you change direction and there is sufficient body control to prevent the tall body from becoming cumbersome.

The suspension is more interesting because the Syros has to work on roads that can change character dramatically within a few kilometres. In the city, the ride is comfortable enough to deal with broken surfaces and speed breakers without making a meal of them, while the additional weight of the battery helps give the car a planted feel. At higher speeds, the tall body does begin to make its presence felt, particularly through crosswinds and on faster changes of direction, but that is hardly unexpected from a compact, upright SUV.

The absence of an engine does, however, change what you notice inside the cabin. At urban speeds the Syros is pleasantly quiet, and the lack of mechanical noise makes the experience considerably more relaxed. On the highway, wind and tyre noise become more apparent, particularly because there is no combustion engine to mask them. The upright shape that gives the Syros its excellent interior packaging isn’t particularly aerodynamic, and this is one area where a larger, more streamlined EV will inevitably have an advantage.

An effortless electric SUV in everyday driving

Range is, naturally, the subject that will dominate most conversations around the Syros EV. Kia’s 526 km MIDC figure for the 51.4 kWh version is impressive, but anyone familiar with EVs knows that certification figures are best viewed as a standardised comparison rather than a prediction of what you will achieve in everyday driving. Highway speeds, air conditioning, traffic conditions, ambient temperature and driving style can all have a substantial effect on consumption.

The drive provided encouraging efficiency figures, but it would be premature to draw firm conclusions about real world range from a short launch drive. What is clear is that the 51.4 kWh battery gives the Syros enough energy capacity to make it a practical primary vehicle for most urban families. If the majority of your charging happens at home, a full charge should comfortably cover several days of normal commuting, while the available fast charging makes longer trips considerably easier to plan.

The versatile package

Kia says the larger battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in approximately 39 minutes using a 100 kW DC fast charger. The car also supports 11 kW AC charging and battery conditioning, which is particularly useful when the vehicle is being used regularly for longer distance travel.

Safety equipment is equally comprehensive. The Syros EV gets six airbags, electronic stability control, all wheel disc brakes and a range of standard electronic safety systems, while higher variants add Level 2 ADAS functions. These include forward collision avoidance, lane keeping and following assistance, adaptive cruise control and blind view monitoring.

Kia Syros EV cabin: The modern cabin combines a spacious layout with a long list of technology and convenience features
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Special Arrangement

The ADAS calibration is something I would want to evaluate over a longer period because these systems need to work consistently in the chaotic conditions of Indian traffic. A camera or radar system that performs perfectly on a controlled test track is one thing while dealing with motorcycles filtering through gaps, poorly marked lanes and unpredictable traffic is another. That is an area where real world ownership will ultimately tell us more than a specification sheet.

The competition makes the Syros EV’s positioning particularly interesting, especially when you look at the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara. The e Vitara has the advantage of being a larger SUV and brings the weight of Maruti Suzuki’s enormous presence in the Indian market, but the Syros EV is arguably the more versatile package. Its clever rear seat arrangement gives it greater flexibility, the cabin makes better use of its footprint and the equipment list is particularly comprehensive. For a buyer who is looking beyond size alone, the Kia makes a very strong case.

This is not to suggest that the e Vitara is a poor product. Quite the opposite. It is an important car for Maruti Suzuki and gives buyers another credible electric SUV option. But when the two are evaluated on the things that affect daily life, the Syros EV’s packaging becomes a significant advantage. The ability to slide and recline the rear seats, configure the cabin around passengers or luggage, access a substantial equipment list and enjoy the immediate performance of the 171 PS motor makes the Kia feel like a more complete proposition.

Highway refinement and road noise

The other important factor is value. The Syros EV is not simply competitive on price. It is genuinely good value for money. Kia has managed to put together a package where the buyer gets a substantial amount of car for the money, and that changes the way the Syros should be viewed in the market. It isn’t merely a compact EV competing on running costs. It is a well equipped, properly spacious SUV that happens to have an electric powertrain.

That gives the Syros an advantage beyond the conventional arguments about EV ownership. A buyer doesn’t have to justify choosing a smaller vehicle because it is cheaper to run. The car itself offers enough space, performance, technology and practicality to stand on its own merits.

Kia Syros EV dashboard: The dual 12.3-inch displays give the cabin a contemporary, tech-focused feel
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Special Arrangement

There are compromises, of course. The upright shape inevitably brings some aerodynamic penalties, and the Syros EV doesn’t have the same sense of lightness or agility that you get from a smaller hatchback-based EV. The more heavily equipped variants also enter a price territory where larger electric SUVs begin to become relevant alternatives, and that will make the final buying decision more complicated.

But judged on its own terms, the Syros EV is a remarkably well rounded package. It doesn’t ask the buyer to accept a small cabin in exchange for a small footprint, nor does it make electric ownership feel like an experiment. The performance is strong enough for highway use, the range is sufficient to make the car practical beyond the city and the charging capability is good enough to make longer trips feasible with some planning.

Kia Syros EV verdict: A compelling compact EV

After spending time with the Syros EV, my biggest takeaway is that Kia has understood what buyers actually need from a compact electric SUV. Range matters, but so does space. Performance matters, but so does ease of use. Technology is attractive, but it has to serve a purpose. And perhaps most importantly, the car has to make sense financially.

The Syros EV does that remarkably well. It has enough range to be taken seriously as a primary family car, enough performance to make driving enjoyable, enough space to avoid the usual compact SUV compromises and enough equipment to feel genuinely premium. When you add Kia’s charging ecosystem, battery warranty and ownership programmes to the equation, the overall proposition becomes even stronger.

Kia Syros EV boot: Up to 465 litres of boot space makes the Syros EV particularly practical for its compact dimensions
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Special Arrangement

It is also one of those rare cars where the price strengthens the argument rather than weakening it. Kia has managed to make the Syros EV feel like a significantly more expensive product than it actually is, and that combination of equipment, space, performance and range makes it exceptionally difficult to ignore.

The Kia Syros EV is priced from ₹13.50 lakh to ₹20.00 lakh, ex showroom

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