Kia, Korea's sporty automaker, has released a new Soul. In 2011 Kia decided to release a fresh and innovative car into their lineup. This fresh and innovative car has hit the streets and is making an impression on consumers.
With the Kia Soul debut in 2010, Kia wanted to keep attention of buyers by keeping the price low, trendy interior, and sport trim. The Kia Soul has also been receiving awards from "Top Safety Pick, to the Popular Mechanics award of Automotive Excellence.
The Kia Soul has kept a technological edge by having auxiliary and USB input so drivers may bring their MP3's or music files for the ride. Also, when the driver has music blasting, lights within the interior of the car light up along with the tempo and beat of the song playing.
The vehicle has many customizable features. It has very easy controls, lots of space, and includes a warranty that is in the purchaser's best interests. However the Soul, which is targeted to younger audiences, does not provide the greatest performance on the road. But the Soul is incredibly stylish and provides a great emotional connection with the user.
The Soul also has good sporty handling, but once at highway speeds, the Soul is a little rougher of an experience for the driver. It comes equipped with disc brakes on each wheel, showing that safety was in mind when Kia engineers put this great vehicle together.
The base model has 1.6 Liter 4 cylinder engine, and the purchase[r] may choose manual or auto transmission. With 26mpg in the city and 31mpg on the highway, the Soul gets solid mileage for being positioned in between the SUV and Hatchback class. Installed with Satellite SIRIUS radio, Side/Curtain airbags, stability control, and traction control, drivers can blast their great speakers that come by proxy with the Soul and be comfortable with solid safety features that will protect them on drunken nights of partying.
Some optional features are a bigger engine, 16 or 18 inch alloy wheels, cruise control, keyless entry, power adjustable outside mirrors, steering wheel audio mounted controls, a height-adjustable driver seat, interior trim, tinted rear windows, and Bluetooth. Also two additional speakers can also be added.
If a buyer chooses the premium package, they have the options to add leather interior, the keyless ignition and heated front seats to stay warm when on the road. Some other options are an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, cargo cover, and a body kit.
Safety features come with the 4-disc antilock brakes, stability control, front side airbags, traction control, brake assist, active front head restraints, and the side curtain airbags. The Soul got the highest rating of Good by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The impression the Soul left when I drove the vehicle was that the 18-inch alloy wheels did make highway riding a louder experience. With less performance, and with more of an attitude of the street sport vehicle, the Soul is one of the better offerings if this is your style and choice. Also, the 10 year / 100,000 mile warranty is one of the better available in its class.
Other picks available in this class are the Scion xB, the Nissan Cube, and the Honda Fit. The Scion xB has worse fuel economy but more space in the trunk. Some users even report that the Nissan Cube's handling and control is better than the Soul but it will cost some extra cash. Lastly the Honda Fit has the most storage space out of its class.
All about looks and style, the Kia Soul would be a solid car for any driver looking to break some necks when driving around town.
