Kia Syros and Tata Nexon are two compact SUVs aimed at consumers who want a vehicle that is just as serviceable in everyday situations as it is effective. Kia adopts a different course in its tall, box-like shape with generous rear seating as well as premium cabin treatment. The Nexon also establishes itself as a convenient SUV with various powertrains, road presence, as well as a relatively wide range of gearboxes.
Both SUVs are available with petrol and diesel engines, which makes their mileage comparison particularly relevant. The Syros uses a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine, whereas the Nexon offers a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. On paper, the Nexon diesel has a significant mileage advantage, while the petrol figures are more closely matched. However, claimed fuel efficiency does not always reflect what these cars deliver in everyday traffic. In this comparison, we look at the claimed and real-world mileage of Kia Syros and Tata Nexon and calculate how these figures affect monthly and long-term fuel costs.
Kia Syros vs Tata Nexon Specs
The table below highlights the major specifications of the Kia Syros and Tata Nexon:
| Specification | Kia Syros | Tata Nexon |
| Petrol engine | 1.0-litre Turbo Petrol | 1.2-litre Turbo Petrol |
| Diesel engine | 1.5-litre CRDi Diesel | 1.5-litre Turbo Diesel |
| Petrol displacement | 998 cc | 1199 cc |
| Diesel displacement | 1493 cc | 1497 cc |
| Petrol power | 120 PS | 120 PS |
| Diesel power | 116 PS | 115 PS |
| Petrol torque | 172 Nm | 170 Nm |
| Diesel torque | 250 Nm | 260 Nm |
| Petrol transmission | 6-speed MT, 7-speed DCT | 5/6-speed MT, 6-speed AMT, 7-speed DCT |
| Diesel transmission | 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT | 6-speed MT, 6-speed AMT |
| Drive layout | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Fuel tank capacity | 45 litres | 44 litres |
While there is a difference in engine capacities, the petrol engine variants of both these SUVs give very similar power numbers. Both of them produce about 120 PS of power, while the Syros churns out 172 Nm of torque compared to the Nexon’s 170 Nm. The Syros gets a 1.0-litre turbo engine, which is smaller and has three cylinders. The Nexon, on the other hand, is powered by a larger 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine.
The diesel engines are also closely matched in power. However, the Nexon produces slightly more torque at 260 Nm compared with the Syros’ 250 Nm. Another important difference is the automatic gearbox. Kia offers a conventional 6-speed torque-converter automatic with the Syros diesel, while the Nexon diesel automatic uses a 6-speed AMT. These differences in engine tuning, vehicle weight, and transmission design have a noticeable impact on real-world mileage.
Kia Syros vs Tata Nexon: ARAI Mileage Figures
While the estimated mileage numbers show a difference between the petrol and diesel engine comparison, the Kia Syros performs fairly well on paper, while the Nexon’s diesel variants do have a significant edge when it comes to certified fuel economy.
| Engine & Transmission | Kia Syros – ARAI Mileage | Tata Nexon – ARAI Mileage |
| Petrol Manual | 18.20 km/l | 17.44 km/l |
| Petrol Automatic | 17.68 km/l | 17.18 km/l AMT |
| Petrol DCT | 17.68 km/l | 17.01 km/l |
| Diesel Manual | 20.75 km/l | 23.23 km/l |
| Diesel Automatic | 17.65 km/l | 24.08 km/l |
When it comes to petrol characteristics, the Syros has the upper hand with its claimed figures of 18.20 km/l, while Nexon records 17.44 km/l. Nonetheless, the difference is not significant for the automatic petrol models too, although the gearbox used is not the same for the different models.
The diesel comparison is very different. The Tata Nexon diesel manual claims 23.23 km/l, almost 2.5 km/l more than the Syros diesel manual. The gap becomes even wider with the automatic models. The Nexon diesel AMT claims 24.08 km/l, whereas the Syros diesel automatic is rated at 17.65 km/l. Therefore, based purely on certified mileage, the Nexon diesel is clearly the stronger option for buyers prioritising fuel economy.
Also Read: Kia Syros Buying Guide: Price, Features, Variants
Kia Syros vs Tata Nexon: Real World Fuel-Efficiency
In real conditions, the gap between the claimed and real mileage proves to be much bigger and is especially large for the Syros. Many factors can prevent the Syros from being very efficient in everyday conditions, including its higher body and weight, the troublesome turbo engines, various traffic conditions, as well as frequent speeding.
Independent testing of the Syros petrol manual recorded around 9.1 km/l in city conditions and 12.6 km/l on the highway. The DCT performed slightly lower, returning around 8.3 km/l in the city and 11.5 km/l on the highway.
| Driving Condition | Kia Syros Petrol | Tata Nexon Petrol |
| City | MT: 9.1 km/l; DCT: 8.3 km/l | DCT: 9.1 km/l |
| Highway | MT: 12.6 km/l; DCT: 11.5 km/l | DCT: 16.6 km/l |
| Average | MT: 10.85 km/l; DCT: 9.9 km/l | DCT: Around 10.83 km/l |
| Tank capacity | 45 litres | 44 litres |
| Approx. tested range | DCT: Around 446 km | Depends on variant and conditions |
The petrol figures indicate that the two petrol models have similar city mileage characteristics; at least the performance of their DCT versions is almost equal. However, when it comes to highway use, the Nexon petrol DCT shows much better results since it has a highway mileage of around 16.6 km/l, which is much better than the results of the Syros DCT showing 11.5 km/l.
The diesel comparison also favours the Nexon.
| Driving Condition | Kia Syros Diesel | Tata Nexon Diesel |
| City | Automatic: Around 10.8 km/l | Manual: Around 14.0 km/l; AMT: Around 14-15 km/l |
| Highway | Automatic: Around 13.6 km/l | Manual: Around 21.2 km/l; AMT: Around 19-20 km/l |
| Average | Automatic: Around 12.2 km/l | Manual: Around 15.8 km/l; AMT: Around 17 km/l |
| Tank capacity | 45 litres | 44 litres |
| Approx. tank range | Around 549 km based on tested average | Around 700 km or more depending on variant |
Nevertheless, the Kia Syros diesel auto model allows for smooth transportation, and its real mileage is much lower than the one shown in ARAI, as opposed to the Nexon diesel, which performs much better, mostly during highway trips where its performance gains will be highly required.
It is also important to remember that these real-world figures come from different tests and driving conditions, so they should be treated as realistic reference points rather than identical laboratory comparisons. Even so, the overall trend is consistent: the Nexon has a significant advantage in diesel Nexon mileage, while the gap between the petrol variants is smaller in the city and wider on highways.
Also Read: Tata Nexon Mileage Comparison: Petrol vs CNG vs Diesel vs Electric
Kia Syros vs Tata Nexon: Fuel Cost Comparison
We will be looking at the fuel expenses, assuming both SUVs will be driven for around 1500 kilometres in a month. The cost of petrol has been assumed to be of the order of ₹112.04 per litre, and diesel has been assumed to cost around ₹98.68 per litre in Pune. We will also take representative figures of actual automatic mileage in order to compare the two vehicles effectively in the context of their ownership costs.
| Cost Parameter | Syros Petrol DCT | Nexon Petrol DCT | Syros Diesel AT | Nexon Diesel AMT |
| Monthly Running | 1500 km | 1500 km | 1500 km | 1500 km |
| Average Mileage | 9.9 km/l | 10.83 km/l | 12.2 km/l | 17 km/l |
| Monthly Fuel Use | 151.52 litres | 138.50 litres | 122.95 litres | 88.24 litres |
| Average Monthly Fuel Cost | ₹16,976 | ₹15,518 | ₹12,133 | ₹8,707 |
| Average Yearly Fuel Cost | ₹2.04 lakh | ₹1.86 lakh | ₹1.46 lakh | ₹1.04 lakh |
| 5-Year Fuel Cost | ₹10.19 lakh | ₹9.31 lakh | ₹7.28 lakh | ₹5.22 lakh |
The gap in the fuel expenses of the automatic petrol versions of the two SUVs is fairly limited. In terms of monthly expenses at 1500 km driven in a month, the Nexon can save about ₹1450 per month in fuel costs based on these representative figures.
The diesel difference is much larger. The Nexon diesel AMT’s higher real-world efficiency results in considerably lower fuel expenditure than the Syros diesel automatic. For a buyer who travels frequently or covers more than 15,000-20,000 km every year, this difference can become an important factor in the ownership decision.
Kia Syros vs Tata Nexon Price
| Model | Variant Range | Approx. Ex-Showroom Price |
| Kia Syros | HTE to HTX(O) | ₹8.42 lakh to ₹15.82 lakh |
| Tata Nexon | Smart to Fearless Plus | ₹7.40 lakh to ₹14.40 lakh |
The Tata Nexon has a lower starting price, and its regular petrol and diesel range is also lower than the Syros. The Syros has been positioned as a slightly premium compact SUV by Kia for people who value the rear seats, technology, comfort, and a conventional automatic in the diesel segment.
The final on-road difference depends on the selected engine and gearbox. Insurance, registration costs, dealer offers, and variant-specific equipment can also change the effective price difference between the two models.
Summary
Kia Syros and Tata Nexon offer similar petrol and diesel engine choices, but their real-world mileage characteristics are quite different. The Syros petrol manual has a slightly better claimed figure than the Nexon petrol manual, although real-world testing shows that the Nexon petrol DCT has a noticeable advantage on the highway.
The difference is particularly visible in the diesel variants. The Tata Nexon diesel exhibits much higher mileage in its claim, and the car also fares better regarding actual mileage obtained during the drive. Hence, people who cover long distances on a monthly basis and wish to save money on fuel would find the Nexon diesel far more economical in that respect. The Syros is still a good option for buyers as far as space, comfort, features, and operating a torque converter-type diesel automatic vehicle is concerned, but solely through the prism of mileage and fuel expenditure, the Tata Nexon seems to be the clear winner.
FAQs
Q. Kia Syros vs Tata Nexon: Which car gives better real-world mileage?
Tata Nexon delivers better overall real-world mileage, particularly with its diesel engine. The petrol versions are closer in city conditions, although the Nexon petrol DCT has shown considerably stronger highway fuel efficiency.
Q. What is the claimed mileage of the Kia Syros?
The Kia Syros petrol manual claims around 18.20 km/l, while the petrol DCT is rated at 17.68 km/l. The diesel manual claims up to 20.75 km/l, whereas the diesel automatic is rated at around 17.65 km/l.
Q. What is the claimed mileage of the Tata Nexon?
The Tata Nexon petrol variants are rated between approximately 17.01 and 17.44 km/l depending on the gearbox. The diesel manual claims 23.23 km/l, while the diesel AMT delivers a claimed mileage of up to 24.08 km/l.
Q. Which is more fuel-efficient on the highway, Kia Syros or Tata Nexon?
The Tata Nexon is generally more fuel-efficient on highways. The difference is particularly noticeable with the diesel models, where the Nexon can return around 19-21 km/l in real-world highway use compared with around 13-14 km/l for the tested Syros diesel automatic.
Q. Which diesel SUV is better for high monthly running, the Syros or the Nexon?
From a mileage and fuel-cost perspective, the Tata Nexon diesel is the better choice for high monthly running. Its higher real-world efficiency can result in substantial savings over several years, especially for buyers who frequently travel on highways.
