Whether they admit it or not, a lot of car manufacturers nowadays tend to follow a template when designing their offerings. One doesn’t need a degree in design or the creative arts to notice how most new cars today tend to look alike. In fact, more than a few of us have confessed to doing a double take just to check what model we’re looking at.
This is why models like the Kia Soul tend to come across as a whiff of fresh air. Sure, it may be boxy. Yes, it isn’t exactly the most fluid in terms of aerodynamic efficiency. But maybe this is its appeal. The squared flanks are a rarity in today’s jellybean-inspired, teardrop-shaped automotive world.
Penned at Kia’s Design Studio in California, the Soul was meant to cater to the hip crowd from the very start. Its distinctive shape targets an audience that isn’t afraid to stand out.
And yes, this boxy profile pays off quite handsomely when it comes to interior space. Kia claims that there is roughly 2.860L of it. Around 500L of that volume goes to cargo room. As if this isn’t enough, this can be increased to 1,400L by simply folding down the rear seats.
Of course, the Kia Soul is more than just a pretty face. Kia says that it has packed it with innovations such as its very own version of a Dual Clutch Transmission. This cool piece of driving kit makes for quick upshifts and downshifts, not to mention excellent fuel economy both in city traffic and out on the open road.
Moreover, the Korean carmaker has thrown in goodies like a multimedia infotainment system with steering wheel controls, premium materials, and bucket front seats, just to name a few. All these in order to give that very same hip crowd who patronizes such a vehicle the feeling that they aren’t being shortchanged.
The Kia Soul is available in both diesel and gasoline variants. Check it out at your nearest Kia dealer.
