The Seoul based car maker Kia has announced pricing for their all new crossover the 2010 Kia Soul and the numbers look pretty good. The CUV will be available in 4 trim levels: the base Soul starts at $13,300 and only comes with a 5 speed manual, the Soul+ is priced at $14,950, the upscale Soul! and Soul Sport both retail for $16,950.
The base Soul is the only variant available with the 1.6 liter four cylinder engine that produces 122 HP and 115 ft-lb of torque. The rest of the lineup comes with the 2.0 liter four cylinder that makes 142 HP and 137 lb-ft of torque and gets 24/30 MPG in the city and on the highway respectively. Unlike the 1.6, this power plant can be shifted by either a five speed manual like the base or a four speed automatic transmission.
The only options available for the Soul+ are a $400 315 Watt stereo system and an $800 power moon roof that will also get you fog lights for the front bumpers. The Soul Sport comes with a rear spoiler standard, but the power moon roof is a $700 option, and unlike the Soul+ fog lights come standard.
The Soul is being offered with a few impressive features, like the 10 year 100,000 mile warranty. Dual front and side curtain airbags, electronic stability control and 4 wheel anti-lock disc brakes. Air conditioning, Bluetooth and keyless entry are all standard. Kia is even throwing in a trial period of Sirius satellite radio.
The low entry price and long list of standard features should make the Kia Soul the perfect alternative to mundane people movers, now if we could only get our hands on one.
Press release after the jump.
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The Kia Soul might get a new brother. Kia is taking a serious look at the Soul’ster concept for production. "The response was so overwhelming," said Alex Fedorak, a Kia Motors America spokesman.
The Jeepish Kia was first shown last month at the North American Auto Show in Detroit. Even at its premiere Kia officials were talking about engine configurations and production possibilities, which will likely not be too hard considering most of its soul comes from the Soul.
The 2009 Kia SOUL urban crossover made its world debut in 2008 at the Paris Auto Show. Sales will begin in early of 2009 and Kia hopes to sell around 136,000 examples annually. Customers will have to choose from 15 different versions and 11 exterior colors and four interior color-schemes, plus a wide range of option packs, optional extras and accessories.
The 4.1-metre long Kia Soul urban crossover has an unusually long (2550 mm) wheelbase, but the key dimensions behind the Soul’s striking appearance are vertical measurements. Overall height is 1610 mm, the base of the windscreen is 135 mm higher than a typical compact car, the ‘hip point’ is 120 mm higher and the ground clearance is raised by 45 mm to 165 mm.
The SOUL will be offered with a choice of 126 hp diesel and 126 hp gasoline engines. In Europe the most popular choice will be a 1.6-litre CRDi 16-valve diesel engine that delivers 126 hp and a peak torque of 255 NM. The gasoline one, a 1.6-litre Gamma, will deliver 126 hp at 6,300 rpm and 156 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. Standard transmission for Kia Soul will be an upgraded five-speed manual with improved shift quality and lower weight, the 1.6-litre diesel will be available with an automatic transmission as an extra-cost option.
Benefiting from a modest kerb weight, the Kia Soul accelerates briskly, delivering acceleration times (to 100 kph) from 10.4 to 11.3 seconds and going on to reach top speeds in excess of 175 kph (109 mph). Fuel consumption figures range over a 5.1 to 6.6 liters/100 km span, while CO2 figures vary between 137 and 159 g/km.
Full details after the jump.
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Kia announced that is would bring a special version of its Soul compact crossover to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. As we got closer to the show, it began to seem that Kia did more than just add a few new panels to its newest economy car. Instead Kia lobbed off the roof and two doors to create a cool budget-friendly beach buggy it calls the Soul’ster.
It’s of course no surprise that Kia says that the car can be offered with any of the four engines that are available for the Soul sedan/crossover. So if Kia were to put this into production it could come with one of four gas and diesel options offered internationally (the U.S. will only get the 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine making 140 hp). But remember that is IF Kia puts this little guy into production.
Press release after the jump.
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Kia is preparing a new concept version based on the Soul compact crossover. The new concept variant, named "urban crossover passenger car" will be revealed in Detroit. From the teaser shot, we’re guessing it will be a three-door hatchback variant of the Soul.
Excited? Yeah, neither are we, but maybe Kia will surprise us all.
Kia SOUL will make its US official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. But until then, the US spec were revealed, thanks to Kia World.
The US model will only be offered with a 2,0L in-line four engine. Developing 142 hp, the engine should provide plenty of punch, while still delivering a respectable gas mileage. When going on sale in US, the Soul will be available with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions.
Kia plans to sell 50,000 units in USA (from a total of 136,000). Sales will begin in April 2009.
After Kia unveiled the SOUL Crossover at the Paris Auto Show, people start thinking why not a cabrio version also? Sure, why not? A car that gives you the impression of a child playing is also good to come in a topless version, no?
The Cabrio version was photoshoped by a member of Kia World.
So, what do you think, should Kia stop at the Crossover version and should it also come with new versions?
At the Paris Auto Show, Kia will unveil, next to the SOUL crossover, the hybrid version of the car. The Soul Hybrid concept comes complete with a transparent bonnet and floor, so the new hybrid powertrain and battery pack can be viewed by show visitors.
This Soul features a 1.6-litre gasoline engine, mated to a 15 kW, 105 Nm electric motor, Kia´s own CVT (continuously variable transmission), ISG and ‘regenerative braking´ to re-charge its power pack. The prototype is designed to achieve a fuel consumption of 4.9 l/100 km and a CO2 figure of 117 g/km – reducing CO2 emissions by 26.4%.
Kia confirmed today that the 2009 Soul crossover will make its official debut at the Paris Auto Show. The company also revealed that the car will have a choice of both diesel and gasoline engines.
Two 1.6-liter, 16-valve, four cylinder engines will power the car. The gas and diesel powerunits are based closely on the DOHC engines already fitted to the successful, European-built, Kia cee’d. Both engines will produce the same 126 hp. In the U.S. there will also be an option of a 2.0-liter engine making 142 hp.
Press Release after the jump.
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Here’s a new spy shot of the Kia Soul caught testing without any camouflaging. The photo by Brenda Priddy & CO. shows that the little Soul should keep close to the previews when the cars debuts this October at the Paris Motor Show.
A 1.6-liter engine in both gas and diesel forms will power this replacement for the Rio 5. Both power units are based closely on the 16-valve DOHC engines fitted to the acclaimed European-built, Kia cee´d. The car should be available in the U.S. by April of next year.
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