Bam! Kia has turned it up a notch. The Korean automaker brought automotive scribes here to test drive its new Soul. The five-door run about has the potential to change Kia's public persona from a manufacturer of small affordable but bland looking vehicles to the producer of funky fun to drive cars that are values for the money.
The Soul is an econo-box. It is small, square and relatively fuel-efficient. But Kia's designers angled the roof, the hood and the character lines from front to back so the vehicle looks like it's moving when standing still. That's a pretty nifty feat for a vehicle in this price category.
The Soul is an urban car aimed at youthful drivers. But Kia is realistic. Executives understand that style and value attract older drivers, too. The Soul comes in four trim levels: Soul, Soul+, Soul! and Soul Sport.
Prices begin at $13,300 for the base Soul, while the Soul+ starts at $14,950 and tops out at $17,100 when all options are included. The Soul! Begins at $16,950 and tops out at $17,900. The Soul sport, starts at $16,950 and ends at $18,600. Even when you add the $695 freight charge, any version of a fully equipped Soul will cost less than $20,000.That's not much for a car that will turn heads.
Oomph is provided by a 1.6-liter engine that makes 122 horsepower. There is also a 2.0-liter engine that makes 142 horsepower. Either engine can be mated to a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission. Kia didn't bring Souls equipped with the smaller engine but I got a chance to drive the automatic and the manual.
But first let's talk about the interior. Kia has done an extraordinary job of livening up the Soul's interior with fabric and color. In this price range, we're talking about plenty of fairly hard plastic but in the Soul it has been softened with texture lines and different hues.
Further interior enhancements were provided by two-tone interiors as well as herringbone-emblazoned seats.
Then there was the equipment. With a youthful target, it's about sound. The Soul offered USB and auxiliary jacks. And I was particularly impressed that the Soul was equipped with satellite radio and Bluetooth that turns compatible cell phones into handless car phones. Heck, one option is speakers that will light up in sync with the music. There was also a 315-watt premium audio system with subwoofer.
Leaving downtown's Brickell Island, we drove through Miami Beach. With the Soul's high seating position I never felt like I was oversized by anything on the road. Sight lines were good, so was handling. And the ride wasn't bad. However, we did notice some road noise. We couldn't tell whether it was the car or its tires.
We came back and went to Coral Cables for lunch. From there, we headed to Key Largo. It was during this run that I found my only complaint with the Soul: the car is a little slow.
The Soul is so snazzy looking that I think buyers will expect it to be a lot quicker than it is. In other words, the Soul could use a little more horsepower. But don't get it twisted; the car doesn't have to be a brute. But 20 more ponies should make it quick and just about perfect.
I hope to get a Soul this summer for a week-long road test to gauge reaction to it as well as its reaction to roads that have been ravaged by a particularly cold winter. Still, the Soul is a watershed for Kia. It's got the right price and it's got good looks.
Frank S. Washington
AboutThatCar.com
No comments:
Post a Comment