| Manufacturer | Kia Motors |
|---|---|
| Production | 2008–present |
| Model years | 2009-present (Asia) 2010-present (other markets) |
| Assembly | Gwangju Plant, Gwangju, South Korea Yangcheng Plant, Jiangsu, China Oskemen, Kazakhstan (Azia Avto) |
| Class | Compact car |
| Body style | 5-door hatchback |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Engine | 1.6L Gamma I4 122hp (2009-2011) 2.0L Beta II I4 142hp (2009-2011) 1.6L U I4 Diesel 126hp 1.6L Gamma GDI I4 138hp (2012-) 2.0L Nu I4 164hp (2012-) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual (2009-2011) 4-speed automatic (2009-2011) 6-speed manual (2012-) 6-speed automatic (2012-) |
| Wheelbase | 100.4 in (2,550 mm) |
| Length | 161.6 in (4,105 mm) (2009-2011) 162.2 in (4,120 mm) (2012-) |
| Width | 70.3 in (1,786 mm) |
| Height | 63.4 in (1,610 mm) |
| Curb weight | 2,945 lb (1,336 kg) (2012-) |
| Related | Hyundai i20 Kia Venga |
| Designer | Mike Torpey |
The Kia Soul is a compact car designed at Kia's design center in California, unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, manufactured in South Korea and marketed globally beginning with model year 2010.[1]
The Soul uses Kia's corporate grille, known as the Tiger Nose, as designed by Kia's design chief, Peter Schreyer.
Contents |
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.[2]
The Kia Soul is sold with a six-speaker stereo system that includes a CD player, a USB port and Sirius Satellite Radio. Additional features available for upgrade include additional speakers, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and Bluetooth for hands-free connectivity.[3]
Custom upgrades include 18" alloy wheels, cruise control, leather wrapped steering wheel, racing stripes, "dragon" and "houndstooth" graphics, and LED turn indicators.[3]
For 2011, the Kia Soul gets more conventional pull-out door handles, standard metallic interior trim, redesigned instrument cluster, leather boot shifter, and switchblade style fold-in integrated key and remote.
The 2012 model year brought a more thorough update, with revised exterior and interior styling and new powertrains. The updated 1.6L, now featuring direct injection, makes 138hp/121 lb-ft, the 2.0 makes 160hp/143 lb-ft of torque. The 1.6 now delivers 27mpg in the city and 34 on the highway. The 2.0 returns 26 in the city and 33 on the highway. New features include navigation, UVO infotainment, leather and heated seats and automatic climate control. [4]
The North American version of the Soul is initially available with one of two inline four-cylinder gasoline engines. The base model is powered by a 1.6 litre unit producing 122 bhp (91 kW) and mated exclusively with a five-speed manual transmission. Higher trims feature a 2.0 litre unit producing 142 bhp (106 kW) connected to a standard five-speed manual transmission with a four-speed automatic available as a stand-alone option.[5] A 1.6 litre diesel engine producing 126 bhp (94 kW) and 260 N·m (190 lb·ft) torque is offered in European models instead of the 2.0 liter gas, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.[6]
Kia Soul earned Euro NCAP maximum five star safety rating.[7] In 2009, According to Euro NCAP, The five star safety rating places Kia Soul among the safest B-segment family cars in the world.[8] The Soul was awarded the maximum five star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), but only on the New Zealand version. Australian versions get 4 out of 5 stars.[9] The Kia Soul awarded 'Top Safety Pick' from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the US.[10]
Kia Motors presented the Soul Flex at the 2010 São Paulo International Auto Show. The Soul Flex is the first Korean flexible-fuel vehicle capable of running on any blend from E20-E25 gasoline (mandatory Brazilian blend) to E100 (neat ethanol). The new Soul Flex delivers a 44% improvement in fuel efficiency compared with the existing gasoline model, as well as superior power and torque.[11]
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 at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.[12]
By late 2006, Kia announced it would put the car into production as a 2009 model.[13]
The Soul Hybrid/Eco-Soul is a concept vehicle with Gamma 1.6L petrol engine, an electric motor rated 15 kW (20 PS; 20 hp) and 105 N·m (77 ft·lbf), continuously variable transmission, ISG (Idle Stop&Go), regenerative braking.
The vehicle was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show[14][15] and later at Auto Shanghai [16] and later at the Canadian International Auto Show.
The Soul'ster is a concept vehicle with two doors and four seats with an open roof over the rear seats. It includes dual chrome exhaust, polished aluminum exhaust tips featuring carbon-fiber interior sleeves, and 19-inch 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels. It is similar to the Jeep Wrangler. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009 NAIAS.
The production version includes a choice of 1.6L I4 rated 120 hp (89 kW) with 5-speed manual transmission or 2.0L I4 rated 120 hp (89 kW) with 5-speed manual transmission.[17] It will go on sale in 2010.[18]
A trio of concept vehicles created by Kia's European design team under the guidance of Kia's Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.[19]
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,[20] 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.
Soul Hamstar Edition Introduced in 2011, features body colored bumpers, rear sport spoiler, black 18" wheels, black fender vents w/side marker repeater, rear bumper applique, matte alloy fuel door, hamstar exterior graphics, black leather seating, heated seats, hamstar edition floor mats, smart key push button starting, automatic climate control, fog lights leather steeering wheel and shift knob.
The vehicles were unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.[21] Soul Burner later appeared in 2008 SEMA auto show.[22]
The Denim is a limited (1200 units) version of 2010 Kia Soul Soul+ for US market. It includes Denim body colour with white racing stripes, 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.[23]
Soon after the vehicle's release, Kia launched a series of commercials as part of their "A new way to roll" campaign. The ads, created by ad agency David&Goliath, features (a combination of motion-captured and costumed) hamsters on stationary Hamster wheels on city streets, which are then all passed by "cooler" hamsters riding in the Kia Soul. The commercials have attracted a cult following and have surged in popularity on video-sharing sites like YouTube.[24] The commercials were awarded "Automotive Ad of the Year" at the Nielsen Automotive Advertising Awards.[25]
Songs featured in the ads include "Do What You Do" by Marz, "Fort Knox" by Goldfish, "Junkyard" by The Potbelleez, "Colours" by Calvin Harris, "The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)" by Black Sheep and, during the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO.
In October 2011, the Kia Soul Hamsters were inducted into the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame, advertising industry’s equivalent of Hollywood and Vine. As of 2011, Kia is also the only car manufacturer to be inducted.
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.[26]
| Type | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| City | Visto | Morning/Picanto | Picanto | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Subcompact | Kia Brisa | Pride | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Avella | Rio (DC) | Rio/Pride (JB) | Rio (UB) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Venga | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact | cee'd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sephia/Mentor | Spectra/Shuma | Spectra5/Cerato | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sephia/Mentor | Sephia/Mentor | Spectra/Shuma | Spectra/Cerato | Forte/Cerato | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Concord | Credos/Clarus | Optima/Magentis | Optima/Lotze/Magentis | Optima/K5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Enterprise | Opirus/Amanti | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potentia | Cadenza/K7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports car | Elan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact SUV | Sportage | Sportage | Sportage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUV | Sorento | Sorento | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mohave/Borrego | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact MPV | Carens | Carens | Carens/Rondo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joice/Carstar | Soul | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minivan | Carnival/Sedona | Carnival/Sedona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pickup truck | Bongo | Wide Bongo | Bongo Frontier | Bongo III | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bus | (Asia Combi) | Combi/Power Combi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Granbird | Granbird | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Subcompact | Rio | Rio | Rio | ||||||||||||||||
| Compact | Sephia | Sephia | Soul | ||||||||||||||||
| Spectra | Spectra | Forte | |||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Optima/Magentis | Optima/Magentis | Optima | ||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Amanti | ||||||||||||||||||
| Compact SUV | Sportage | Sportage | Sportage | ||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size SUV | Sorento | Sorento | |||||||||||||||||
| Borrego | |||||||||||||||||||
| Compact MPV | Rondo | ||||||||||||||||||
| Minivan | Sedona | Sedona | |||||||||||||||||