As anticipated, Kia confirms it will go ahead with production of the small but potentially fun Soul compact car after years of teasing with multiple concepts. Look for the Spectra-based C-segment car to go on sale in the U.S. in early 2009.
We first saw a concept version of the Soul at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. We were further teased earlier this year, at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, with three customized Soul concepts—the Soul Burner, Soul Searcher, and Soul Diva—that were accoutered with items such as huge, 19-inch wheels, garish paint schemes, gold trim, and wild graphics.
The production Soul, which will debut at the Paris auto show in October, appears to be tamer, but Kia is hoping buyers of the five-door hatch will “express their psyche” by personalizing their Soul with custom colors and accessories—essentially taking a page from Scion’s playbook. And the boxy Kia is reminiscent of the Scion xB.
The front-wheel-drive Soul is an all-new addition to the Kia lineup and, with an expected fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine, joins the growing fleet of small cars for North America in response to escalating oil prices and increasing environmental awareness.
The Soul will compete with other small newcomers including the Ford Fiesta due in 2010. A direct competitor is likely to be the equally boxy Nissan Cube that will go on sale in North America in the spring of 2009 as a 2010 model.
The Soul initially was to go on sale later this year, but the launch was pushed back to early next year. Officials say only that delays happen.
Kia has a lot planned for the platform. After the Soul, a new Spectra is due for 2010, and the Korean automaker showed a coupe concept at the 2008 New York auto show with the less-than-imaginative name of Kia Koup. While production has not been confirmed, we see no reason why it won’t be greenlighted.
