Kia Syros compact SUV gets 10,258 bookings, production begins

Twenty-eight days after it first revealed the Syros compact SUV, Kia India today officially rolled out the first customer unit of its latest SUV from its cutting-edge manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.

Kia India held a milestone ceremony at the plant, which was attended by senior Kia executives and employees, including Ho Sung Song, president and CEO of Kia Corporation, and Gwanggu Lee, managing director of Kia India.

Ho Sung Song, president and CEO of Kia Corporation said, "Today marks a significant milestone as we introduce the Syros — a futuristic SUV set to redefine the Indian automotive landscape. With its futuristic features and segment-leading innovations, the Syros underscores Kia’s commitment to pushing the boundaries with every new model. Just as we did with the Seltos, the Sonet, the Carens, we are excited to welcome a new wave of customers to the Kia brand. We are confident that once customers experience the Syros, they will develop a strong affinity for its class-leading interiors, space, and cutting-edge technology.”

The Syros is expected to give a fresh charge to Kia India and enable to grow its UV market share currently at 9% in the first nine months of FY2025.

The sub-four-metre Kia Syros which is slotted above the Kia Sonet, aims to disrupt the compact-SUV segment that includes rivals of the likes of the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, and Maruti Suzuki Brezza. The Syros is expected to give a fresh charge to Kia India and enable to grow its UV market share. 

With a high-on-technology, feature-packed offering, Kia India is betting big on the Indian market's growing premiumisation trend, with buyers willing to loosen their wallets for a modern, and advanced product. Hence, the Kia Syros, which is based on the same K1 platform as the Sonet, takes a step further to enhance its appeal in a new form factor and high-tech kit.

Following the start of bookings on January 3, 2025, the Kia Syros has received 10,258 bookings thus far across variants and powertrain combinations. Deliveries of the Syros, which will get its first public viewing at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo (January 17-22), will start shortly after February 1 when the company will announce the compact SUV’s official pricing.

Sonet, Seltos and Carens in Top 25 best-selling UVs chart for CY2024
Kia India, which currently markets six utility vehicles comprising the Seltos, Sonet, Carnival, Carens, EV6 and EV9, has sold a total of 179,631 units in the April-December 2024 period as per SIAM wholesales data. This constitutes flat sales – down 0.35% YoY (April-December 2023: 180,265 units). This performance means Kia India currently has an 8.76% market share of the total 20,48,720 UVs sold in the first nine months of FY2025.

In CY2024, the company sold 245,000 units, down 4% YoY (CY2023: 255,000 units). In CY2024, three Kia models are among the Top 25 best-selling SUVs and MPVs.

The Sonet compact SUV is ranked 11^th with 106,690 units, which marks robust growth of 34% YoY (CY2023: 79,776) and a two-rank move up the UV ladder-board. The rollout of a new model has clearly accelerated demand for this compact SUV. The Sonet is now the best-selling Kia model in India, having outsold the longstanding No. 1, the Seltos.

The Seltos midsize SUV, is ranked 17^th as a result of having dropped seven ranks from its 10^th position in CY2023. At 73,745 units, the Seltos’ wholesales are down by a sizeable 30% YoY (CY2023: 104,891) and this model has lost its longstanding position as the company’s best-seller to its sibling Sonet, which has outsold it every month since January 2024.

The Carens MPV, the third Kia UV in this list, is at 18^th position. Demand seems to have slowed down for this MPV and the 63,674 units old in CY2024 are down 6% YoY (CY2023: 68,000). The Carens was ranked 15^th in CY2023, which means it is down three ranks last year. Nevertheless, with the facelifted Carens, which has been snapped testing and sporting significant design changes, slated for mid-2025 launch, demand for this Kia MPV should once again take the fast road.

ALSO READ: Kia India MD & CEO confident Syros’s bold design and spacious interior will appeal to buyers

Kia India to launch Syros EV in early 2026