Kia Soul Flex Breaks Cover

Kia has introduced a new ethanol-capable version of the Soul at the Brazilian Motor Show, which is being held in Sao Paolo. The vehicle uses the Soul Flex name and is aimed at grabbing a share of the country’s hefty flex-fuel vehicle market. We’ll mention the ethanol-capable vehicles account for 85 percent of the country’s new car sales.

The Soul Flex is the first Korean FFV (Flexible Fuel Vehicle) that can run on ethanol, gasoline, or on a mixture between the two. The vehicle uses a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 128 hp and a peak torque of 162 Nm (119 lb-ft) and returns a fuel economy of 11.2 liters per 100 km (20.9 US mpg). This can be translated into a 44 percent fuel economy increase over the gasoline incarnation of the powerplant.

Compared to the gasoline version, the engine uses a reinforced fuel pump, pillar cap and fuel line, as well as the addition of a gasoline assistance system that aids engine ignition at low temperatures. In addition to that, the powerplant comes with an adapted fuel injection & catalyst system, as well as a new engine compression ratio.

Kia will debut exports of the Soul Flex to Brazil this month, with the model scheduled to go on sale early next year.

“Kia is planning to introduce an all-new Sportage ‘Flex’ model at the end of next year, and Kia will further strengthen its presence in Brazilian market as new flex models are to be introduced in each market segment,” stated the press release.