This New Kia Sure Has a Whole Lotta "Soul"

While Kia Motors has experienced an incredible amount of success during the last decade, one thing curiously missing from their product mix was a vehicle having any "soul."

Well, this vehicle should do the trick. Currently trickling into Kia dealerships near you is the fuel efficient yet stylish Soul hatchback. This subcompact based on the Kia Rio fits into the part of the market currently occupied by vehicles like the Honda Fit and Scion Xb. Prices are slightly less than the Scion and Honda, with similar levels of standard equipment.

While the new Kia Soul will no doubt be cross shopped against these rivals from Honda and Toyota, for once this Korean entry doesn't appear to have been saddled with the usual Korean "me too" styling. It is truly a unique and cohesive design statement. But all is not perfect with the design of the new Kia Soul. In a few regards Kia really did go a few steps too far.

When Kia introduced the Soul in concept form on the auto show circuit, it showed off three distinct custom interior schemes. In order to appeal to a younger demographic, Kia decided only to offer the truly "offbeat" interior on the highline sport model. But whoever at Kia headquarters thought that gaudy red upholstery and a red dash that appears spray painted really went with a bright white exterior truly had too much Kimchi at the company cafeteria lunchroom.

Regardless of interior color schemes and options, there is little doubt that Kia will have a big hit with the new Soul. Not only will it surely sell in large numbers to the fuel efficiency minded, it will also appeal to people who would never have considered a boring old Kia. Come on, you think cool urban hipsters long for the day when they can afford a Kia Octopus, oops, we mean Amanti. Sorry, that car just looks like an Octopus.

In all truth it really only takes one really striking "gotta have it" design for a car company to land on buyer's radar. Just ask Mini with the, um, Mini and Fiat with its diminutively adorable 500. If you don't know what a 500 looks like you just might eventually see one at your local Chrysler dealership. That is if Chrysler still exists in a year and their manufacturing deal with Fiat goes through.

It looks like the new Kia Soul will be that breakthrough car that just might finally get the brand on the radar of Honda and Toyota buyers. But even beyond that, this brand new Kia sure has a whole lotta "soul."