The
Kia Soul is a
compactA compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
,
mini MPVMini MPV is a car classification used to describe superminis or subcompact which have taller build, fitting below the compact MPV and large MPV classifications....
produced in
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
for the global market. It was designed at Kia's design center in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
, and unveiled at the
2008 Paris Motor ShowThe 2008 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2008, in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.This edition of the Paris Motor Show featured a high number of hybrid and electric vehicles , a tectonic shift that led a New York Times blogger to ask, "Who killed the non-electric cars?"...
. Production began in late 2008, with the first vehicles appearing at European dealerships in February 2009 and North American dealerships in March 2009, as a 2010 model. The Soul comes in over 10,000 combinations of engines, colours, styling and accessories.
The interior features two semi-bucket seats in the front.
The
Kia Soul is a
compactA compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
,
mini MPVMini MPV is a car classification used to describe superminis or subcompact which have taller build, fitting below the compact MPV and large MPV classifications....
produced in
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
for the global market. It was designed at Kia's design center in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
, and unveiled at the
2008 Paris Motor ShowThe 2008 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2008, in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.This edition of the Paris Motor Show featured a high number of hybrid and electric vehicles , a tectonic shift that led a New York Times blogger to ask, "Who killed the non-electric cars?"...
. Production began in late 2008, with the first vehicles appearing at European dealerships in February 2009 and North American dealerships in March 2009, as a 2010 model. The Soul comes in over 10,000 combinations of engines, colours, styling and accessories.
Features
The interior features two semi-bucket seats in the front. In the rear there are flat-folding seats that can be moved in order to increase storage space.
The Kia Soul will be sold with a four-speaker stereo system that includes a CD player, a USB port and
Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in the United States and Canada, owned by Sirius XM Radio. Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and...
. Additional features available for upgrade include additional speakers, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and Bluetooth for hands-free connectivity.
There are many custom upgrades for the Kia Soul. These include 18" alloy wheels, cruise control, leather wrapped steering wheel, racing stripes, "dragon" and "houndstooth" graphics, and
LEDLEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
turn indicators.
Engine
The North American version of the Soul is initially available with one of two
inline four-cylinderThe inline-four engine or straight-four engine is a four-cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a...
gasoline engines. The base model is powered by a 1.6 litre unit producing and mated exclusively with a five-speed
manual transmissionA manual transmission, or manual gearbox is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
. Higher trims feature a 2.0 litre unit producing connected to a standard five-speed manual transmission with a four-speed
automaticAn automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
available as a stand-alone option. A 1.6 litre diesel engine producing and torque is offered in European models, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Safety
Kia Soul earned Euro NCAP maximum five star safety rating. In 2009, According to Euro NCAP, The five star safety rating places Kia Soul among the safest B-segment family cars in the world. The Soul was awarded the maximum five star safety rating by the
Australasian New Car Assessment ProgramThe Australasian New Car Assessment Program is an automobile organisation operated by the governments and motoring organisations of Australia and New Zealand to give consumers coherent results on the protection given by vehicles in front and side impact collisions...
(ANCAP). The Kia Soul awarded 'Top Safety Pick' from
Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyThe Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that still occur...
(IIHS) in the US.
Kia Soul concept (2006)
The design was based on the Kia Mesa concept. It included a 2.0L I4 engine, 5-speed automatic transmission with manual shift capability and adaptive cruise control.
The vehicle was unveiled in 2006 NAIAS.
By late 2006, Kia announced it would put the car into production as a 2009 model.
Kia Soul Hybrid (2008)
It is a concept vehicle with Gamma 1.6L petrol engine, an electric motor rated 15 kW and , continuously variable transmission, ISG (Idle Stop&Go), regenerative braking.
The vehicle was unveiled in 2008 Paris Motor Show, and later in Shanghai Motor Show.
Kia Soul'ster Concept (2009)
It is a concept vehicle with 2 doors, 4 seats with an open roof over the rear seats. It includes Soul'r yellow body, dual chrome exhaust and polished aluminum exhaust tips featuring carbon-fiber interior sleeves, 19-inch 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels.
The vehicle was unveiled in 2009 NAIAS.
Production version include choice of 1.6L I4 rated 120 hp with 5-speed manual transmission or 2.0L I4 rated 120 hp with 5-speed manual transmission.
Production version would go on sale in 2010.
Kia SOUL Burner, Diva, Searcher (2008)
They are a trio of concept vehicles created by Kia's European design team under the guidance of Kia's Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.
SOUL Diva was created as a fashion accessory for a style-conscious young-at-heart woman who regards her car to be as important as her entire outfit. It included white, gold and black colour scheme, full-length tinted glass panoramic roof, glossy black imitation leather using 'quilted' stitching and trimmed to look like sofas, black long-pile 'Pony-hide' carpet.
SOUL Burner was described as the 'bad boy' of Soul concepts. It included solid roof panel and no roof rails, 245/40R19 tires, 4 bucket seats, L-shaped day-light LED driving lamps around the outer edges. At the rear, two vertical exhaust pipes are placed at the extremes of the bumper.
SOUL Searcher was designed capture the spirit of Korean and Far Eastern culture with a focus on achieving personal inner peace and creating a calm cocoon for the occupants. It included an old leather finish on bonnet, powered folding roof, tailgate panel, dashboard, door panels and steering wheel rim; grey-beige felt floor and seats.
The vehicles were unveiled in 2008 Geneva Motor Show. SOUL Burner later appeared in 2008 SEMA show.
Kia Soul Denim (2009-)
It is a limited (1200 units) version of 2010 Kia Soul Soul+ for US market. It includes Denim body colour with white racing stripe, white painted side-view mirrors, white 18-inch alloy wheels.
The vehicle has MSRP of $17,300US for 5-speed manual, $18,250 for 4-speed automatic.
Kia Aero Soul APRIL System
As an April Fool's Day joke, Kia published a press release on a new environmentally-friendly concept based on the Soul in 2009. The concept used sensors on the bumpers and retractable panels to harness the flow of wind.
Reviews and awards
- The Kia Soul earned a red dot design award
The red dot design award is a large and coveted international product design prize awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany. The aim of the prize is to honor outstanding design quality and trendsetters. Since 1955, designers and producers can apply for the prizes with the...
in 2009 link
- "Interior of the Year Winners" award from WardsAuto
Ward's is an organization that has covered the automotive industry for over 80 years. They are responsible for several publications including, Ward's AutoWorld, and Ward's Dealer Business.Ward's also publish the annual list of Ward's 10 Best Engines....
in 2009 link
- Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics is an American magazine devoted to science and technology. It was first published January 11, 1902 by H. H. Windsor, and has been owned since 1958 by the Hearst Corporation...
comparison - Kia Soul surpassed the Nissan CubeThe Nissan Cube is a mini MPV produced by Nissan and currently sold only in Japan, North America and Europe.-First generation:The first generation of the Cube was introduced in 1998. It shared the same platform as the Nissan Micra , as well as the same 1.3 L engine. A CVT and four-wheel drive...
and the Scion xBThe Scion xB is a vehicle made by Toyota for the United States market and sold under their youth-oriented Scion brand. It is a box-shaped, 5-door compact station wagon.-First generation :...
. link
- Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear was a motoring television magazine from the United Kingdom that aired from 2002-2009. The programme started its sixteenth series in June 2009. Originally shown on Five, Fifth Gear has also aired on the Speed Channel in the USA for a short period in 2004 to early 2007...
link
- The Times
The Times is a daily national newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register....
link
- WhatCar?
What Car? is a long-running UK monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Fowler and published by Haymarket Motoring. First published in 1973, it is intended primarily as a magazine for consumers rather than dedicated automobile enthusiasts...
link
- Kia Soul Named to the Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book, headquartered in Irvine, California, is the United States' largest automotive vehicle valuation company. The company's website is a source for new and used vehicle pricing and information...
'5 Great Deals' List link
- Kia Soul Recognized by Texas Auto Writers Association as 'Best Value' link
- Kia Wins PETA
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Hall, a well known Rhodesian-Canadian potter...
's Animal-Friendly Advertising Award link
- The Soul's residual value after three years was valued at 56 percent of the original value to take the top place in its segment in the Automotive Lease Guide's latest report. It surpassed the Nissan Cube
The Nissan Cube is a mini MPV produced by Nissan and currently sold only in Japan, North America and Europe.-First generation:The first generation of the Cube was introduced in 1998. It shared the same platform as the Nissan Micra , as well as the same 1.3 L engine. A CVT and four-wheel drive...
and the Scion xBThe Scion xB is a vehicle made by Toyota for the United States market and sold under their youth-oriented Scion brand. It is a box-shaped, 5-door compact station wagon.-First generation :...
. link
- Kia Soul Recognized on 'Coolest New Cars Under US
The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...
$18,000' List by Kelley Blue Book's Kbb.com link
- Kia Soul’ster awarded 2009 Concept Truck of the Year link
- Named to 'Top 10 Back-to-School Cars' List by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com link
- Kia Soul Named to Time Magazine’s 'Most Exciting Cars of 2010' List link
- Kia Soul Named one of '10 Great And Safe Rides For Teens' by AutoWeek Magazine link
External links