Two comments from people about the bright orange Kia SOUL in the Car Showroom Garage: 'Gee you'll stand-out in that thing,' and 'I haven't seen too many of those on the road.'
Exactly! That's the whole point of this charismatic, boxy hatchback.
Offering a multitude of exterior and interior colors, trim combinations, wheels and striping, the SOUL is all about individuality, customization and freedom of expression. Kia said from the launch it was never about big volumes, racy high performance or blending with the everyday.
What You Get
Conceived in North America, developed in Korea and refined in Europe, the SOUL evolved from a head-turning concept car that was first shown in 2006 and was evolved by Kia's Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer (formally with Volkswagen Group) before a production-version debut at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.
Available in three model grades, the funky SOUL is essentially a five-door, five-seat, front-wheel-drive hatchback. But its chunky styling, 30 customizable accessories and three option packs turn the SOUL into something special.
Inside, the SOUL delivers a 'crossover' feel with the passengers sitting high like an SUV. All models have six airbags, active front head restraints and ABS anti-lock brakes while the two higher-spec models gain Electronic Stability Program with Traction Control.
Under The Hood
Power comes from two 1.6-litre four-cylinder engines - one petrol and one diesel - and drive is via a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.
Kia handed Car Showroom the keys to a petrol Soul. With 91kW at 6,300 rpm and peak torque of 156Nm at 4,200 rpm it handled life in the city and on rural mountain roads confidently.
The 1.6-litre multi-valve unit is the first of Kia's new 'Gamma' series petrol engines to be offered in Australia. Fuel consumption is as low as 6.5l/100kms (manual) and the emissions are rated at 154g/km.
The diesel is a common rail design with a variable geometry turbocharger and was designed and engineered at Kia's European HQ in Russelsheim, Germany. It's good for 94kW at 4,000 rpm and peak torque of 260Nm just under 1,900 rpm.
Fuel economy is listed at 5.2l/100kms (manual) while emissions are 137g/km.
The Interior
SOUL buyers can customize interior trims and colors as well. While our test car had a relatively plain black trim, red highlights featured in the console and even inside the glovebox.
Appropriate for SOUL's hip, urban-dwelling target market, the audio systems are beauties. Every model has a six-speaker CD system with MP3 and iPod compatibility, USB and AUX ports. The system features PowerBass - technology designed to deliver high quality sounds, with particularly lively bass tones, in the difficult environment presented by a vehicle.
Our test car featured steering wheel-mounted remote audio controls and the upgraded 315-watt external power amplifier with a dash-top central speaker, boot-mounted sub-woofer and mood-reflecting LED lights in the front door speakers. These lights can be set up to pulse in time with your chosen music.
Rear seat room is not massive but the Car Showroom juniors enjoyed the excellent all-round vision afforded by the SUV-like high seating positions.
Luggage space is versatile and maxes-out at a handy 546 liters. Range-topping models like the Soul we tested come with a useful plastic under-floor tray in the boot to stow wet items.
Exterior & Styling
The SOUL stamps its mark to stand out from the crowd with its funky, boxy styling.
It's tall - 1.6 meters - and combined with its 4.1-meter length/2.55 meter wheelbase, the SOUL is certainly vertical in appearance. Black coatings on the pillars create an impression of coupe-like unbroken windows wrapping around to the rear.
Throw in the high, bulging bonnet, protruding wheel arches and a roofline that appears to slope down to the tailgate and the overall package is - well - different.
Our range-topping model rode on sporty 18-inch alloys while other grades have 16-inch and 15-inch wheels.
The front-end is nicely styled with the 'Schreyer' Kia corporate grille and black bezel giving the headlights a contemporary look.
At the rear, the double-lens taillights are mounted on the rear quarter panels so they don't interrupt the tailgate which Schreyer and his team designed to look like a backpack.
Our test car was painted in the metallic 'Cocktail' orange color with black 'Dragon Body' decals - an example of the customization which is part of the SOUL mantra.
Accessories available to customize your Soul range from a chunky chrome fuel cap (as fitted to our test car) to front skirts, a black roof spoiler, a chrome pack, racing stripes, 'Houndstooth' decals - the list is long.
On The Road
The SOUL is a crossover primarily designed for the concrete jungle and it excels in those tight confines - for starters the miniscule 10.5-meter turning circle is a boon in compact car parks.
Over our mountain test route, the independent strut front/torsion beam rear suspension was well matched to the 18-inch wheels with grippy 225/45 tyres to deliver a competent performance.
The 1.6-litre petrol engine and four-speed automatic were handy but the SOUL was never intended to take on the likes of the Ford Focus XR5 or Volkswagen Golf GTI. Up and down steep hills, the SOUL worked hard but always got the job done.
Challenges
At 1364 kgs, the SOUL is a tad heavier than the similar Suzuki SX4 - toss-in the 18-inch alloys with low profile tyres and our test car was a little harsh over Melbourne's notorious tram and train track crossings.
Verdict
If you measure a vehicle according to its intended purpose, the SOUL delivers.
And its execution of extensive customization, 'out-there' styling and target market-appropriate features shows the freethinking capabilities of the Kia brand under the styling stewardship of Peter Schreyer. The SOUL is so not what we have come to expect from Korean brands that you have to congratulate Kia for the boldness shown in bringing this car to market.
The Competition
Entry to the SOUL lineup starts at $20,990 and the SOUL3 we tested is stickered at $27,390 - that's good value when you consider the specifications.
Suzuki's SX4 in hatchback form is similarly priced, big on practicality and drives nicely…but it looks downright conservative compared to the SOUL.
Thumbs-up:
Makes a statement; different; mega-customization options
Thumbs-down:
Driveline short on refinement; harsh ride on poor roads
