Kia's cheeky headturner has soul
Kias have "traditionally been white-goods cars, the kind of thing you buy when you just want cheap and reliable transport", says Gavin Conway in The Sunday Times. So perhaps the South Korean car maker "was having a chuckle" when it named its new family car the Soul. But the company's designers have "tried hard to shake off the drab image". The Soul has that "cute and funky box look pioneered by Japanese cars such as the Nissan Cube and Toyota Scion xB, neither of which is on sale in the UK".
And the boxy styling allows for a spacious interior, the build quality is high and, although nobody would ever buy a Kia for the driving experience, the Soul "does better than expected in that department": the ride quality is surprisingly good and the steering direct and precise. There is a choice of two engines, 1.6 litre petrol or turbodiesel, both developing 124bhp. The diesel is "by far the better choice, delivering punchy performance".
Kia is one of few car makers to actually see its sales rise during 2008, says Channel4.com. Offering long warranties, high levels of equipment as standard and a "cost-effective ownership package", Kia is "reeling in people who are downsizing from larger cars, trading down from more prestigious brands or buying a new-car for the first time". And with the style and practicality of a supermini, plus the space of an SUV, Kia's "cheeky head-turner" could be a serious contender for supremacy in its sector, says Conor Mills in AutoExpress.
Exact prices are yet to be announced, but the Soul will compete with small MPVs such as the Nissan Qashqai 1.6 Visia (£14,048). On sale from March.
Engine: 1,582cc, four cylinders. Power: 124bhp @ 4,000rpm. Top speed: 113mph. 0-62mph: 10.4 secs.