2010 Kia Soul !
Categories: Car Reviews
Written By: admin
When Scion fumbled the ball in the game of affordable yet hip cars, Kia was there to scoop it up and make a dash for the end zone. The 5-door Soul is a masterful attack by a young team on traditional defenses. While in my care, the Soul attracted large amounts of positive interest from a wide-ranging demographic; it didn’t leave this jaded journo unfazed either.
It’s impeccably assembled (though the scratch-prone plastics that make up most every surface inside betray its econocar roots) and charismatic, with fun details like houndstooth upholstery and speakers equipped with colored lights that thump to the music. Yet the Kia at root is safe (5-star NHTSA rated), well spec’d, practical, and roomy, thanks to its 5-door layout and upright stance.
The Soul’s 142hp 2.0-liter four has a decent amount of low- and mid-range torque (peaking at 137lb-ft), though its urge is somewhat sapped by the 4-speed automatic’s lack of gears, which also expose the engine’s harshness at higher RPMs. But the Kia moves along smartly enough (8.7sec 0-60) while still returning real-world mid-to-high 20’s in fuel economy.
The Soul is a pleasant enough steer too, with decent body control and an acceptable ride despite the low-profile 18” footwear. Adding such design flair as exhibited by the Soul to the brand’s traditional strengths (gobs of standard equipment—Bluetooth on all but the base model, etc), and stellar warranty coverage makes this Kia a powerful player and should provoke worry in competitor’s locker rooms.
THE BROKER’S VIEW: Hyundai (which Kia is part of) is now the world’s fourth largest car company—ahead of such players as Ford and Honda. And in the US, Kia’s sales were up an astonishing 60.4 percent in August. Competitors might claim it was a Cash for Clunkers thing, but it’s not like other brands didn’t offer fuel-efficient rides. Moreover, during the first eight months of this year Kia sales were up 8% over 2008, something almost no one could claim. Might have something to do with building desirable vehicles like the Soul, which are also efficient, inexpensive, and reliable.
Price as tested: $19,070
For more: Kia.com
