Kia Syros 4000 km Review: Indeed A Charm

The small grouses that I previously had with the Syros seem to be disappearing into oblivion as I spend more time with this innovative little Kia

It’s been over a month since I’ve been living with the Kia Syros now. Apart from the daily office and gym runs, the car has seen extensive long distance usage with regular Pune-Mumbai runs – sometimes done by me and sometimes by my colleagues who seem to keep borrowing the Kia for different reasons. With some miles under my belt, the Kia Syros continues to impress thoroughly, but there are some irks that have caught my eye. But first, an appreciation for the power house.

Diesel Supremacy!

Honestly, I am just blown away by how good the Syros’ diesel engine is. Right from its noise and vibration levels, there’s this sense of refinement that’s alien for a diesel engine. It does rumble in the lower end of the RPM range, but once you get going, it is smooth and refined.

My Pune-Mumbai trips were done with a full load inside the vehicle, and yet, never did I feel the need to wring the engine’s neck for performance. Sure, for quick overtakes close to triple digit speeds, I preferred switching to Sports mode. For everything else, the performance is more than usable and adequate. Even the steering weighs up in Sports mode, which gives you confidence while making high speed lane changes.

The best part is, it does all of that without eating your wallet away. I spent around 700kms within a span of three days that involved both highway and city usage (in Mumbai) with a full load, and yet, the indicated fuel efficiency never dropped below the 14kmpl mark. Considering that I don’t particularly have a light foot, this figure is impressive. 

Small Irks

The first annoyance comes due to the apparent sin of using a diesel engine in India. BS 6 phase two diesel engines have a urea system, which helps filter and reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions from the exhaust system. It requires a fluid called AdBlue to be filled up occasionally.

Now the issue is, if you’re running low on AdBlue, the system gives you a reminder to fill it up timely followed by a rather warm warning reading ‘the vehicle will not restart after a certain number of kms’. But the warning seems to be premature as it popped up when I had more than 700kms before I ran out of the fluid completely. The warning is necessary, no doubt, but not having an option to acknowledge the alert and remove it is a big annoyance. 

The system beeps at you in quick intervals, which can be a mood buster if you’re vibing to your favourite tunes. Additionally, it also takes up the right side of the instrument cluster, so you have no display for your rev meter (RPM counter) and right-side blind view monitor. I only ask for an option to remove the alert once it has reminded me, no need for it to be present perpetually. It does go away if you restart the vehicle, but it’s an issue that’ll arise every alternate time until you top the fluid up.

The second observation is related to the smooth finished material used around the central console. It sure does look and feel premium, much more than what Piano Black elements are able to achieve, but it also tends to grab onto dust and liquid marks super easily. The good thing is, it is rather easy to clean with a slightly wet microfiber, so keep that in handy. 

That microfiber will also come in use to wipe the flush door handles, which seem to pick up more muck than usual. To be fair, my usage has heavily been in Maharashtra’s torrential monsoon season, but the door handles aren’t powered, which doesn’t help their case either. You need to have a hand empty, otherwise opening them is always a task.

Now, the last small displeasure is actually caused by the pleasure you get by sliding and reclining the second row seats all the way back. The space is immaculate for a giant to be comfortable, and the convenience of seat ventilation, sunshades and central armrest just add to the experience. However, the fixed door armrest isn’t of much use in that position as they are too far forward, and your arm doesn’t get adequate support, because of which, you end up in a rather awkward setting. It is a very specific issue, and won’t really arise until and unless you set the seat all the way back.

Closing Note

Honestly, these 2,000kms with the Kia Syros have been more pleasant than I was expecting.

Sure, there are these small things that could’ve been better, but they are exactly that – tiny chinks in what is otherwise a solid armour. In the next report, I’m going to talk about the things that I like about the Syros. Not the general stuff, but things in which it has the segment absolutely and firmly in its rear mirrors. It’ll also include an experiment with the tyre pressures, in a bid to find out whether it can have a positive impact on the ride quality or not. So stay tuned!

Positives: Efficient and effortless diesel engine

Negatives: Annoying warning for AdBlue refill 

Date When Received: 23rd May 2025

Kilometres When Received: 4,243 km

Kilometres Till Date: 8,250 km