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Kia Soul (2007)
By
Ben Pulman
Spy shots
31 August 2007 09:07
Ah, a 4x4 that’s not actually that big, and can’t go off road?
Pretty much got it in one. This is Kia’s mini 4x4, the production version of the Soul concept that appeared at the Detroit Motor Show in January. It’ll be in the mould of the Fiat Sedici/Suzuki SX4. Although we’ve snapped it testing in the Californian desert, it isn’t slated to make its international debut until the Paris show in September 2008. Thus right-hand drive cars won’t appear on British shores before the start of 2009. The Soul will give us our first glimpse of Kia’s new B-segment platform which will also underpin a mini-MPV (think Vauxhall Agila and Suzuki Splash) and the next Rio.
Any chance of concept car looks inside?
Not a bit of it. The only similarity between the Soul concept car and the production vehicle seems to be the basics of doors, seats, a dashboard and steering wheel. The concept’s panoramic roof and fold-out laptop have disappeared. Funny that. However, this car is aimed at ‘yoof’ buyers, so expect a decent sound system to be an option, while hidden under that dashboard cladding is a pop-up sat-nav system similar to that on the concept. Otherwise, the only similarity to the Detroit car is the slatted air vents either side of the radio. Unfortunately, the door trims look rather shiny and cheap but if we take the quality and materials of the latest Ceed as our benchmark then the Soul should be a decent car.
