Photo: Kia
Kia's design has come a long way in all these years. Why, we still remember the ugly Rio sedan which made you run in terror every time a rental fleet offered it to you. Very few people noticed this, but it all started with the Soul, which was a sort of experiment to see if people would buy a cool Kia.
The experiment worked, but now that car that ushered in a new era of Korean design is getting a replacement. It was unveiled last year Los Angeles Auto Show in America and now it's finally available in Britain. On sale now from £12,600, the crossover is a much bigger version of itself, thanks to a compact car platform it's borrowed from the cee'd hatch.
Only two engine choices will be available, one petrol, one diesel, both sending their power only to the front wheels. A 1.6-liter GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) borrowed from the cee'd is available with 130bhp and 161Nm of torque and accelerates from 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds, with a top speed of 115mph. The diesel is also borrowed from Kia's hatchback, a 1.6 CRDi making 126bhp and 260 Nm of torque. Performance is about the same, but the major difference is you can order it with a 6-speed automatic, which you can't with the petrol.
The compact crossover is now that extra bit bigger than before. Its wheelbase has been increased by 2mm to 2,570mm, with the overall length growing by about as much to 4,140mm. The all-new Soul is also 15mm wider at 1,800mm. The overall boot capacity of the car is comparable to that of a regular family compact hatch – 354 liters with the rear seats in place.
Kia will offer five trim levels to its UK customers: Soul Start, Soul Connect, Soul Connect Plus, Soul Mixx and Soul Maxx. Here's what you get as standard: DAB radio, air conditioning, painted door handles and side mirror casings, keyless entry, electrically adjustable door mirrors, electric windows all round, steering wheel-mounted controls, USB and AUX ports and six airbags.
All these features for £12,600 sounds like a relative bargain. Nissan, for instance, can only sell you a Note supermini for that kind of money. Only the Dacia Duster can rival Kia's cheap crossover. But then you don't want a Duster, do you? You want the sexy Korean hamster car.
Only two engine choices will be available, one petrol, one diesel, both sending their power only to the front wheels. A 1.6-liter GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) borrowed from the cee'd is available with 130bhp and 161Nm of torque and accelerates from 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds, with a top speed of 115mph. The diesel is also borrowed from Kia's hatchback, a 1.6 CRDi making 126bhp and 260 Nm of torque. Performance is about the same, but the major difference is you can order it with a 6-speed automatic, which you can't with the petrol.
The compact crossover is now that extra bit bigger than before. Its wheelbase has been increased by 2mm to 2,570mm, with the overall length growing by about as much to 4,140mm. The all-new Soul is also 15mm wider at 1,800mm. The overall boot capacity of the car is comparable to that of a regular family compact hatch – 354 liters with the rear seats in place.
Kia will offer five trim levels to its UK customers: Soul Start, Soul Connect, Soul Connect Plus, Soul Mixx and Soul Maxx. Here's what you get as standard: DAB radio, air conditioning, painted door handles and side mirror casings, keyless entry, electrically adjustable door mirrors, electric windows all round, steering wheel-mounted controls, USB and AUX ports and six airbags.
All these features for £12,600 sounds like a relative bargain. Nissan, for instance, can only sell you a Note supermini for that kind of money. Only the Dacia Duster can rival Kia's cheap crossover. But then you don't want a Duster, do you? You want the sexy Korean hamster car.
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