Of the many competitors in the compact SUV segment, the Skoda Kylaq and Kia Syros are direct rivals as both come with a turbo-petrol engine, a choice of manual and automatic gearbox options, and overlapping price tags. We put the European and Korean compact SUVs through our exhaustive and accurate real world fuel efficiency tests to find out which is more frugal.

Skoda Kylaq vs Kia Syros specifications and price

Kylaq’s ARAI mileage figures are higher than Syros

*Approximate value

On paper, the Kylaq and Syros seem to be evenly matched. Both the 1.0-litre direct injection turbo-petrol engines make in excess of 100hp and 170Nm of torque, though the Syros has a 5hp advantage while the Kylaq has a 6Nm edge. One of the main differentiators between the two is that the Kylaq’s automatic option is a 6-speed torque convertor unit while the Syros gets a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox option. The compact SUVs also have equally large fuel tanks, and similar weights – with the Skoda being marginally lighter – which means that the power- and torque-to-weight ratios are also similar. On the other hand, the Kylaq has a significant edge of up to 2kpl in ARAI mileage over the Syros. It should be noted that in terms of price, while there is an overlap, the Kylaq undercuts the Syros overall.

Skoda Kylaq MT vs Kia Syros MT real world mileage tests

Kylaq MT average tested mileage is 2.02kpl higher than the Syros MT  

In manual form, the Kylaq’s average mileage is up to 2.02kpl higher than the Syros’, and in the city and on the highway, the Skoda compact SUV delivers better fuel economy. This also means that on a single tank of petrol, the Kylaq will go 91km further than the Syros in the real world.

Skoda Kylaq AT vs Kia Syros DCT real world mileage tests

Kylaq AT delivers nearly 1kpl more than Syros DCT in the real world

While the Kylaq AT and Syros DCT have a 2kpl difference in ARAI mileage, our real world tests showed that the Skoda compact SUV is 0.95kpl more frugal than the Kia model. The tested city mileage for both automatic cars is comparable, but the Kylaq is far more efficient on the highway than the Syros. This also means that the Kylaq AT’s single tank range is 42km more than the Syros DCT. 

Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing

Before our real-world fuel efficiency tests, we fill our test cars’ tanks to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, running the aircon and other electricals, such as the audio system, indicators and wipers, when required, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling the tanks to full again.

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