Topic: CD Article: 2010 Kia Soul

[Autos_Editor]

         
First Drive:


The new Kia Soul "is one of the freshest automotive designs in the past decade," opines Senior Editor, Paul Williams.  Ranging in price from $15,495 to $20,995, the Soul is available with two four-cylinder engines, and goes on sale this month.
 More: View the photos | All the First Drives

[vdk]

This car is so.. funky! I think I like it!

[Railton]

Sure doesn't look like Ontario. 
Who's 206 in the background?
Railton

[rrocket]

Well..I really like this car.  I'm a bit of a sucker for the boxy little run-abouts.  I don't mind the Honda Element or the Scion Xb either.  And I'm looking forward to the Nissan Cube.  The styling is NOT for everyone.  You'll either like it..or like to hate it.   And no amount of convincing will make you feel otherwise!  But me?  I like the styling.  I really dig the modern, cuby looking shapes.  The interesting lay out of the controls (sometimes quirky).  The different types of materials and effects used in these.  The headroom in these are insane.  They just appeal to me as a cheap, fun, basic transportation.  If you're looking for a highest quality benchmark, you might have to look elsewhere..though recent Kia's are holding up nicely.  The way I look at these, if you enjoy the styling (like me) then you can have a very well equipped econo-car for not alot of bread.  But what it has over similar priced cars is plenty of character, quirkiness, uniqueness...what ever you want to call it.  So given 2 cars of mostly equal price, equipment and quality, I'll take the bonus of the funky character with these boxy cars.

I could definitely see one of these boxy cars replacing my Toyota Echo when that time comes.

[vdk]

Sure doesn't look like Ontario. 
Who's 206 in the background?
Railton

It was in BC.

[PJungnitsch]

I can add a few photos. A red 2u showed up at the dealer here Sat. Couldn't drive it (plastic wasn't even off) but quite impressed.

Has basically all I'm looking for. Tasteful black interior (no fake chrome/painted plastic), clear gauges, standard ABS/ESP with off switch, heated seats, 6 airbags. Sit nice and high, rear seats fold flat. Engine access looks good, quite serviceable. Roof racks to throw stuff on. Ground clearance a decent 6", undercarriage looks fairly well shielded.

Lots of nice 'bonus features'. Dual powerpoints in the front, plus one in the back for a cooler, aux in for the mp3, lighted steering wheel controls for sound and cruise. Nice tint on the glass. Surprising amount of room for back seat passengers, even with the seat all the way back. Plus it feels quite solid, doors close with a thud.

[Juke1]

Never thought I'd say about a Kia, but I'm Soul-d.  This and the new little sedan are great looking vehicles.

[airbalancer]

PJungnitsch
What is your height and of the guy in the front seat?

[Rupert]

This is very nice! I don't know about kids liking this...I think it will have broad appeal and will seriously have to consider this when trade-in time comes for the Accent. Hmm...I like my Hyundai dealer though...hmmm. I like what seems to be a larger well designed speedo with highway limit right at the top...tach an afterthought...great. Don't need the radio flashing light gizmo...I presume it can be turned off. This seems to be a different 1.6 engine with higher HP...might be a bit of a peak rev thing. Anyway there is a 2.0. Will just have to try it. It does not have to be a tearaway. I like a flat folding rear seat but in spite of what is said this seat back seems to fold down to an incline. Hopefully the back is hard. Folding flat from a hinge position that is at the junction with the seat cushion is impossible with reasonable padding possibly. So why not fold from a hinge point that is a little higher. This would give a horizontal seat back with a little step to it but I think this would be better than an incline and the step would act as a stop for articles carried behind. A bright spot in a cruel and worrying winter. Please don't doom a vehicle with the eccono lable. It is small and not costing big bucks...not cheap.

[PJungnitsch]

PJungnitsch
What is your height and of the guy in the front seat?

I'm 5'10. Not sure how tall the guy in the front was (6 something), but he (the salesman) pushed the seat back to the stops, just to show what kind of room there was back there. Still lots of clearance and if I was driving I'd have the seat further ahead. Surprisingly roomy.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Nifty vehicle! Very nice inside and out, and seems to be about the right size.

One thing about the article:

Monotone:

Main Entry: 1mono·tone 
Pronunciation: \ˈmä-nə-ˌtōn\
Function: noun
Etymology: Greek monotonos monotonous
Date: 1644
1 : a succession of syllables, words, or sentences in one unvaried key or pitch
2 : a single unvaried musical tone
3 : a tedious sameness or reiteration
4 : a person unable to produce or to distinguish between musical intervals


Monochrome

Main Entry: 1mono·chrome 
Pronunciation: \ˈmä-nə-ˌkrōm\
Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin monochroma, from Latin, feminine of monochromos of one color, from Greek monochrōmos, from mon- + -chrōmos -chrome
Date: 1662
: a painting, drawing, or photograph in a single hue
— mono·chro·mic  \ˌmä-nə-ˈkrō-mik\ adjective
— mono·chrom·ist  \ˈmä-nə-ˌkrō-mist\ noun


/Captain Pedant to the rescue.

[ovr50]

This car is so.. funky! I think I like it!

+1 exactly.

[Railton]

Sure doesn't look like Ontario. 
Who's 206 in the background?
Railton

It was in BC.

Yeah, I know. I figured that given the high tide markings at the dock. Still, that soul is a long way from home. They must send them out there on rail. You would've thought that it would have been registered in BC though.
Neat car.
Railton

[ovr50]

Sure doesn't look like Ontario. 
Who's 206 in the background?
Railton

It was in BC.

Yeah, I know. I figured that given the high tide markings at the dock. Still, that soul is a long way from home. They must send them out there on rail. You would've thought that it would have been registered in BC though.
Neat car.
Railton

Nice try, Railton, but unless Lake Okanagan has turned to salt water, and added tides; it is unlikely there is a tide line. A high water line more likely.  Just nit-pickin' ya. 

The story is bylined here, Kelowna, and I know where some of the shots are taken. KIAs Canadian HO must be in Ontario, thus the ON plate.

Neat little vehicle, might be worth a look some day, should sell into this economy well.

[Honda Owner]

The Picture was taken from the heights above Kewlona.

[ovr50]

The Picture was taken from the heights above Kewlona.

Actually, NO, they were taken right beside the Lake in the general area of the Grand Hotel and Waterfront Park. 

For what it matters.....

[Railton]

Sure doesn't look like Ontario. 
Who's 206 in the background?
Railton

It was in BC.

Yeah, I know. I figured that given the high tide markings at the dock. Still, that soul is a long way from home. They must send them out there on rail. You would've thought that it would have been registered in BC though.
Neat car.
Railton

Nice try, Railton, but unless Lake Okanagan has turned to salt water, and added tides; it is unlikely there is a tide line. A high water line more likely.  Just nit-pickin' ya. 

The story is bylined here, Kelowna, and I know where some of the shots are taken. KIAs Canadian HO must be in Ontario, thus the ON plate.

Neat little vehicle, might be worth a look some day, should sell into this economy well.

Fresh water eh? Does that lake freeze? Interesting that they pull that 206 out of the water, you would almost think the owner is trying to protect the aluminum floats from salt water.
Railton

[ovr50]

Sure doesn't look like Ontario. 
Who's 206 in the background?
Railton

It was in BC.

Yeah, I know. I figured that given the high tide markings at the dock. Still, that soul is a long way from home. They must send them out there on rail. You would've thought that it would have been registered in BC though.
Neat car.
Railton

Nice try, Railton, but unless Lake Okanagan has turned to salt water, and added tides; it is unlikely there is a tide line. A high water line more likely.  Just nit-pickin' ya. 

The story is bylined here, Kelowna, and I know where some of the shots are taken. KIAs Canadian HO must be in Ontario, thus the ON plate.

Neat little vehicle, might be worth a look some day, should sell into this economy well.

Fresh water eh? Does that lake freeze? Interesting that they pull that 206 out of the water, you would almost think the owner is trying to protect the aluminum floats from salt water.
Railton

Some winters it will freeze along the shore line, thus, many owners take out their boats as a precaution. Old timers around here did tell me once that the lake froze completely over in winter 1949 but never since.

And it's definitely fresh water, we drink it......

Daresay we have kidnapped this thread long enough....

[Schmengie]

Wow, talk about the right car at the right time. I hope the bozos at GM and Chrysler are simmering in a stew of jealousy and angst that they couldn't come up with a car like the Soul themselves. The styling, the size, the price, the practicality, I could go on and on - without actually seeing one, everything about this car seems as close to perfect as a small car can get. I think the Soul is going to be a huge hit for Kia.    Can't wait to see one in the metal.

[rrocket]

^^The Cube too.  It's on the Versa platform.  Though I don't think it's a cool as the Soul.