Rumors about an all-wheel-drive Kia Soul->ke2186 have been circulating for years now, but it looks like the model could be on the verge of appearing. Kia->ke41 has just released a teaser of a new all-wheel-drive concept vehicle it will be debuting at the Chicago Auto Show,->ke225 and it’s not hard to see that this is some sort of Soul-based product.

The most intriguing part of this concept vehicle is that it will use an electric AWD (e-AWD) system. Now, it isn't clear Kia will use a fully electric car with AWD or if it might be plug-in version of a standard Soul using the conventional front-engine/front-drive setup and adding electric motors to power the rear wheels.

Even though Kia only supplied a single image showing the front of the car in profile, it’s easy to see some of the changes that should give this concept a stockier, SUV-like appearance. These include what looks to be a taller ride height, plastic cladding around the wheel openings along with more aggressive fascia, and a larger wheel and tire combo. Kia has a track record of showing two-door and even pickup-truck concept versions of the Soul, so there is no word as to what Kia has in store for the rest of this particular car.

The good news is that there isn't much longer to wait to find out as Kia will unveil the concept on February 12.

Click past the jump to read more about Kia's future concept car.

Why it matters

The second-generation Kia Soul has been a rampant success for Kia in its two years on the market, and it looks like the funky little hatchback could be getting a new all-wheel-drive version previewed by this new concept vehicle (in addition to the all-electric Soul EV).