Kia Soul, UK Press Event, Leeds.

It was back in late 2008 that we had our first encounter with the Soul. It was in Kia’s R&D centre in Russelsheim near Frankfurt where we saw it. The initial reaction from most, including Kia’s senior management, was “what on earth were they thinking of”. To say people were shocked is probably and understatement. The Soul went on to have reasonable success in the UK, although it is market leader in the US and China, selling in excess of 100,000 units per annum in the US.

The Soul is in the ever expanding sector of the market, the B-Segment Crossover SUV, which continually grows. In Europe, annual sales topped 380,000 units, with over a quarter of these being sold in the UK. The number of competitors is also growing, so this sector is getting ever more crowded and competitive therefore it is crucial for Kia to get the new Soul right; making it more useable, practical and the design more user-friendly.

The new Soul is 4140mm long and the wheelbase is 2570mm, which means both have been increased by 20mm over the outgoing version. The width has also increased and it is now 15mm wider. The roof line has been lowered by 17mm, so it now looks more in proportion.

The front of the car has been improved, but still retains its “Bulldog” look. The fog lights have been pushed to the outer edge of the bumper, which gives it a wider and more aggressive stance. The rear tailgate has been “tidied-up” and now looks as though it is part of the car and not an afterthought.

The larger body has created more interior space, even though the increases in dimensions are relatively small. The cabin feels much larger, more comfortable and is more flexible. There is definitely more head and shoulder room for driver and passenger, and rear passengers enjoy greater leg and knee room too.

The noise levels are noticeably lower when driving the car and this has been achieved by Kia using new expansion foam, replacing the previous block foam in the body cavities. A reinforced isolation pad in the cargo area and polyurethane layered carpet also contribute to a reduction in interior noise of almost three decibels.

There are three trim levels at introduction; Start, Connect and Connect Plus, with two more joining the line-up later in the year, the Mixx and Maxx. 

There are two engines available, the 1.6 GDi petrol that produces 130bhp. This has CO2 emissions of either 158g/km or 170g/km depending on trim level, 0-60 time of 10.6 seconds and a top speed of 115 mph. The other engine is the 1.6 CRDi diesel that produces 126bhp and has a CO2 figure of 132g/km, with a manual gearbox or 158g/km as an automatic. The manual’s 0-60mph and top speed are 10.8 seconds and 112 mph and the automatic’s are 11.8 seconds and 110 mph.

Kia chose Leeds for the UK press launch, which has to be the closest event to us in history, quite literally just around the corner from the CAP office. It showed off the changing City Centre of Leeds and the surrounding areas and proved to our southern friends that the North is not the grim place they thought it was.The Soul comes fully loaded with standard specification, with no options offered. The base car, which is the Start trim, has a long list of equipment, including: 16 inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, electrically adjusted door mirrors,  reach and rake adjustable steering wheel, air conditioning, DAB Radio and keyless entry, the list is endless.

Out on the roads around Leeds, it is obvious from the second you get in the car, that a lot of time, money and engineering have been spent on improving just about everything in the interior. The look, touch, feel and quality are much better than the previous car. It drives much nicer, rides the lumps and bumps in the roads better and is so quiet. The engines are more than adequate, but the CO2 figures look a bit high and uncompetitive, especially for company car drivers, although it will no doubt still be mainly sold to retail customers rather than fleet.

 The all new Soul is a likeable car, it is much improved, quieter, and you don’t feel quite as self-conscious driving it. Overall it is a very pleasant, comfortable Crossover SUV 

Prices start from £12,600.00 OTR and go up to £21,550.00 for the forthcoming Maxx CRDi. The one to have is the Connect Plus 1.6 diesel at £17,500.00.

Martin Ward, Manufacturer Relationship Manager