KIA SIROZ : are you ready in just a few days time Kia will be launching this the radical all new siros which will not only compete in a very Fierce segment but also will fight against its own siblings the sonnet and the SOS now Kia says it’s got a bit of both from each of those SUVs and it might be a big small car or a small big car either way it’s got a lot of of promise and today we’re going to find out what’s it like to drive and what’s it all about arguably the talking point of the SOS is the way it looks and that is unlike any other.
Exterior Design
Front Profile and Dimensions
dimensionally it is wider than a Sonet and also Pips most of the subform meter SUVs in height as well the LED headlamps slow down wrap around and blend into the cladding the Je to like elements in them add blink and the sharp drls are distinctive there’s a silver scuff plate up front to add a bit of muscle as well.
Side Profile and Shape
the profile reveals a tall boy look with a stub nose but Swanky 17-in Wheels add to the proportions the heavy use of cladding is to help it stray away from being perceived as a hatchback and the 190 mm ground clearance will be plenty for our roads the flush fitting door handles Rish doors and blacked out a c and d pillars give it that concept car look.
Rear Styling
the rare features sharp L-shaped LED tail lamps a rear wiper washer and an upright stance with some more cladding and silver garnish on the bumper here too making the rear end the least busy angle on the SOS The Styling is far from safe and will appeal to those who don’t mind being a bit bold.
Interior Experience
Cabin Quality
however if the styling is not to your taste you will not have a complaint with the interior now on the inside of the Kia SOS what you’ll notice immediately is the level of quality the build is very good and the over all perceived quality also is quite High the layout is very fresh very modern you know nothing that Hawks back to the older cars nothing that really even connects to the older cars or other cars in its lineup.
Steering Wheel, Dashboard and Screens
so starting with the steering wheel you have this squirkle steering wheel that’s not exactly round it has some edges as well but really nice to hold really premium then you have the dashboard which most of it is housed in these screens now Kia say it’s a 30in screen so it’s a one unit that has a 12.3 in touchcreen in the center a 12.3 in instrument cluster and you have a 5-in hwx screen in the center as well.
Controls and Ergonomics
thankfully you don’t have to operate the screen from there even though you can adjust fan speed and other modes you have physical buttons right here very convenient for the temperature and the fan speed and even the AC blow setting those are physical buttons which is very nice.
the the slight issue though is that ergonomically the screen placement is not the best the 5-in screen sort of hides behind your hand and the steering wheel so visibility wise you sort of have to move around a bit but overall the screen quality the touchcreen quality the user interface the graphics really crisp and really really nice.
Practical Storage and Textures
low down you have some more switches you have your power sockets two type-c ports and they can be switchable from connecting and charging to just charging of course you have a 12vt socket as well below that you have a wire charger and below that you have the gear selector with the start stoft button.
none of the Plastics here are dark hard plastics they are hard plastics up top and you have these panels as well but they get this nice texture that looks very upmarket even the gloss finish is not gloss black which reflects a lot more and catches a lot more dust and smudges this gray gloss looks really nice.
Front Seat Comfort
on the passenger side you have a bit of a recess here to keep small items phones wallets some loose change and the SE seat the seats are very comfortable nice and Broad very well cushioned you get ventilated options as well and you have a powered driver seat too.
Panoramic Sunroof
you don’t really expect these things but it is a massive sunroof that brings in a lot of light and opens up the cabin that much much more and despite the panoramic sunroof there is no dir of Headroom it’s a nice tall boy design so overall sense of Space is really nice and Airy.
Rear Seat and Space
Segment-Best Room
now this is arguably going to be the highlight on the SOS just the amount of room available in the rear seat you just don’t expect this from a car in this segment but it is just amazing now the wheelbase is slightly higher than the Sonet that’s always a good thing and as you can see knee room is not a problem at all.
Outstanding Comfort and Adjustability
but that’s not all you can Elevate even more space all you need to do is pull on the sleever and the seat can move further behind that opens up a lot more room and if this is not comfortable you have a good amount of recline as well I mean this is just incredible for a car in this segment to have this it’s fantastic.
Rear Amenities
you also have a center armrest with two cup holders nice big armrest very well positioned as well you’ve got two AC vents at the back you’ve got two typec ports some space to keep your phone Sun blinds as well that’s almost a premium feature.
Boot Space and Practicality
however with the SOS also trumps every single compact SUV and the even bigger SOS is with a 465 L boot once the seats are pushed all the way ahead it is hum hum us and you can also fold down the rear seats for added room the loading lip is high and you will have to lift your luggage in and out rather than sliding it.
Driving Experience
Turbo Petrol Performance
first now the drivability and Vibe of this car overall is relaxed and comfortable the power delivery is linear so it’s not really Zippy in that sense despite that turbo petrol engine but if you switch the drive modes which are right here very very convenient the sport mode gets you a bit more response.
however once you get up to 100 110 triple digit speeds on the highways there is a fair amount of wind buffeting that comes into it you may not hear the engine as much but you hear the wind noise inside the cabin.
Diesel Engine Drive Impressions
into the diesel powered ceros it gets the same 1.5 L diesel engine 115 horsa that you see on the Sonet and well refinement levels compared to the turbo petrol even though at idle the vibrations are very well contained you don’t have much on the steering as soon as you get going you do hear that diesel drone.
what’s good though is offthe line response that bottom end talk that you get with a diesel engine is just superb so in the city this car is very very effortless and even on the highway I’m doing around 90 kph sixth gear under 2,000 RPM so it’s very well sorted.
Price Expectation
pricing is not out yet but since it will be slotted between the Sonet and the SOS you can expect a range between 10 to 16 lakh rupees lower versions will clash with the Sonet while the higher ones will eat into the selto zone.