Until the Nissan Cube is introduced this spring and then the Toyota Scion Xb some months after that, I am convinced that the new darling of the market in the months to come will be the new Kia Soul. The public should be pleased with its charming and original shape, but its very competitive suggested retail price should be a crowd-pleaser as well. And as we will learn, it is not only very well equipped, but for handling and driving pleasure, it compares favourably with the other vehicles in the category.
Great looking
The Soul's very unique shape is the most striking feature at first glance. In fact, its square shape is unlike anything Kia has produced to date, and the stylists managed to give this box on wheels elegant lines. They gave it a lot of character by designing a rectangular grille in a contrasting colour, raised wheel wells, sculpted side panels and wheels situated far apart with minimal awkwardness. The use of a rectangle in a contrasting colour in the middle of the rear bumper, and lights placed high up on the pillars that frame the rear hatch are just what the doctor ordered to keep the car from looking ho-hum from the back. One interesting feature for a car in this category is that it has an electric control or “soft touch” to open the rear hatch. You have only to press the rubberized plate incorporated in the handle and the hatch opens easily.
The passenger compartment features good quality plastics, fabrics with modern patterns and excellent finish for a vehicle at this price. Getting in couldn't be easier as the seats are neither too high nor too low. By the way, the relatively firm and comfortable front seats are elevated, making for a good driving position. Regardless of the model you select, they are heated.
The rear seats are very spacious for a car this size. The bench seat is raised, so it will be comfortable even for taller people. For even greater comfort, it is even possible to place your feet under the front seat. The trunk capacity is 546 litres when the seat back is in place and 1,511 litres when the seat back is lowered to a 60/40 split. Moreover, the rear hatch opens high enough so that tall people will not have to worry about hitting their heads.
Behind the wheel, the driver will find an elegant and well organized dashboard. The audio and climate controls are all arranged in a central console. In the lower central part, there is a USB input jack to connect an MP3 player to the audio system. And depending on the model, the Soul may come with mood lighting to illuminate the lower part of the dashboard and the speakers in the front doors, which can be lit constantly or set to flash to the beat of the music.
The Soul comes with a choice of two engines. The least expensive model, sold for $15,495, is powered by a 122-hp, 1.6-litre engine and paired exclusively with the five-speed standard transmission. The model is very well equipped, with six airbags, power doors and side windows, Bluetooth hands-free capability and even steering wheel mounted audio controls. However, it is not possible to order either ABS brakes or lateral stability control, both of which come standard on all of the other models, which all feature a 142-hp 2.0-litre engine. In addition to the five speed standard transmission, the other models offer the four-speed automatic transmission on option. I know, I know, a five-speed gear box would be more attractive and help improve fuel consumption, but that would increase the price.
Our road test undertaken when the Soul was launched was basically done with the 4u version with an automatic transmission. I should note that our model came equipped with an arm rest on the right side of the driver's seat. Unfortunately, it is integrated into the seat and its height varies as one lowers the seatback. This could prove annoying for those who lean their seat back more than the average.
All of these glowing comments would be useless if the car performed poorly or wasn't fun to drive. As for performance, its acceleration and pick up are better than average. We climbed fairly steep hills and the little engine produced neither too much noise nor vibrations. As for the automatic transmission, no complaints about the smoothness of shifting from gear to gear or chasing gears needlessly. The advertised fuel consumption of 8.5 l per 100 km is a little high for the category.
Once behind the wheel, the driving position is good and the height adjustable steering wheel help fine tune for comfort. Sure, it would be nice to be able to adjust the depth as well, but you have to take the Soul's price into account.
On the road, this Kia is fun to drive, features a well calibrated suspension, an engine that offers respectable performances, and stable and predictable cornering. When we took it out for a spin, we took on some reasonably winding roads for a spell and the Soul tackled it without any complications. By the way, there is a McPherson strut front suspension to go with the twist beam rear suspension. Add to that a relatively short turning circle, 18-inch tires for good longitudinal stability and cornering grip, and this likable Kia should do more than turn heads. And if you are concerned about the brand's reliability, Kia offers one of the industry's most comprehensive warranties.
Our first impression is that the Soul has everything it takes to win over the public and a very competitive price list. The competition has reason to worry. The Soul is targeting primarily those in the 20-29 years age range, and also those between 40 and 54 years old. But I am convinced that potential buyers in all age groups will fall for this cute little Korean.
By Denis Duquet
Car Guide Web
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