New Kia Syros Takes On The Kia Carens: Features, Specifications, And Powertrain Detailed

The recently debuted Kia Syros is a new member in the sub-four metre segment, which is dominated by the Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Maruti Suzuki Fronx, and Kia Sonet to name a few. However, the Syros packs a lot of features, in fact, more than a compact SUV. Kia has bestowed its cars with numerous features and its latest offerings are no exception. Hence, we are going to compare it with the Carens – Kia’s 3-row MPV. 

Kia Syros vs Kia Carens: Price

The upcoming Syros sits between the Kia Sonet and Seltos and is expected to come with a starting price of about Rs 9.70 lakh. In comparison, the Carens starts at Rs 10.52 lakh and goes up to Rs 19.94 lakh. Having said that, it is likely that the prices of the Syros will overlap with prices of the Carens.

Kia Syros vs Kia Carens: Dimensions

The Syros and Carens fall under different segments and it is further evident in their dimensions. The Carens is significantly longer than the Syros in terms of length and wheelbase, while it is slightly taller than the sub-four metre sibling. On the other hand, they are almost identical when it comes to width. Given the three-row seating layout of the Carens, its boot space is substantially smaller compared to the Syros.

Kia Syros vs Kia Carens: Features

As seen in the table, the Syros comes equipped with a host of features, including a Level 2 ADAS, 360-degree camera, dual 12.3-inch screens, a panoramic sunroof, front and rear seat ventilation, and side parking sensors. While the Carens catches up with the Syros in several areas, it misses out on ADAS, larger displays, a panoramic sunroof, rear seat ventilation, and a 360-degree camera to name a few.

Kia Syros vs Kia Carens: Powertrain

South Korean automaker Kia offers various engine and transmission choices with its cars and the table above shows a similar trend with the Syros and Carens. While the Syros 1-litre 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and 1.5-litre diesel unit, the Carens can be had with 3 distinct engine options, including a naturally aspirated petrol, a turbo-petrol, and a diesel. Given they are both Kia products, the 6-speed manual, 6-speed torque converter automatic, and 7-speed DCT are shared across the board. But the Carens offers an additional 6-speed iMT transmission with the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and diesel motors.

Although the new Kia Syros packs more features, an upmarket cabin, and a turbo-petrol and diesel powertrain, by no means the Carens does not offer as much tech. The seven-seater is a feature-rich MPV when compared with its competitors, such as the Maruti Suzuki XL6 and Ertiga. However, it is to be noted that the Carens does not get many modern-day features that are available in the Syros or even the Sonet and Seltos.

As we enter the new year, we expect that the Kia Carens will get a revamp. Not to mention the electric equivalent of the Carens, which is likely to arrive later in the year. On the other hand, Kia is expected to announce the pricing of the Syros sometime in February after its India showcase at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in January 2025