Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs, Kia, Misc. Auto Shows
More Kia Soul images revealed in London
Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Kia Soul
While the production Kia Soul won't be revealed until later this year at the Paris Motor Show, the opening of the London show brings the release of more official images from the automaker. One thing's certain: it'll be hip to be square in 2009, when both the Soul and the Nissan Cube arrive to give the Scion xB some company. Kia also officially announced that the car will be offered exclusively in a front-engine/front drive layout and that it's 4,105 mm (161 in) long, 1,785 mm (70 in) wide, 1,610 mm (63 in) tall, and has a 2,550 mm (100 in) wheelbase. In case you were wondering, compared to the xB, it's got a shorter wheelbase and overall length, but is a hair wider and taller. The engine selection in Europe will consist of 1.6L gasoline and diesel four-cylinders. As you can see, the photos show a neat package that'll probably have plenty of folks embracing their inner geeks when it arrives in U.S. showrooms next April.
Gallery: 2009 Kia Soul
[Sources: Kia]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Torrent 9:41AM (7/16/2008)
I liked it when it had no plastic. I hope they have a lot of options like Scion, and have an option to get the soul Burner. Because i love that one.
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Kumail 9:42AM (7/16/2008)
i really like it so far but i would really like to see a rear 3/4 pic of the soul
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Blake Luttrell 9:57AM (7/16/2008)
Boxy done right. Taut, interesting, and even sporty (as much as a box can be, anyway) this is worlds better than the disgusting bloatmobile that is the Scion xB. Assuming this gets over 30 mpg, it's going to be on the top of my shopping list in a couple of years.
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James 8:36PM (7/16/2008)
I don't know...
everyone's saying how this is so much better than the fattened xB, but if this thing is really WIDER and TALLER than the current gen xB, I'm skeptical the EPA would rate it at over 30mpg...
I want a REAL small car!
Menice 10:10AM (7/16/2008)
much smoother.cleaner, and better looking then the rest, but those black door gaurd bumper things have to go.
it would look better w/out those.
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Gregg 10:15AM (7/16/2008)
This is the update the Xb should have had, rather than growing into the long, heavy, fat and relatively thirsty thing it has become.
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Xcountryflyer 2:12PM (7/16/2008)
Completely agree. The xB succumbed to the bigger, fatter, heavier, less fuel efficient disease that seems to affect most redesigns.
Crackberry Addict 10:32AM (7/16/2008)
this most likely the one that was on Kia-world.net, i like it to bad its the europe version. i can tell by the plates
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Crackberry Addict 10:35AM (7/16/2008)
meaning we'll most likely get the dis-contented version
Adam 10:43AM (7/16/2008)
Hey that new xB is great...
... WTF A KIA?!
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azzo45 10:46AM (7/16/2008)
This might as well be called the Kia XB. Just like the Chevy HHR was a modernized PT Cruiser or a direct rip from the very nice PT California Cruiser concept car
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jsjs 1:41PM (7/16/2008)
Uhh, in that case the Scion xB should have been called the Scion Cube - since the xB was a "rip-off" of the Nissan Cube.
And let's not forget the Honda Cube, er Element.
just25 10:57AM (7/16/2008)
The Soul has some crazy appeal. Amazing how function and style, when married, make people forget the badge; care not about the horsepower; and write off previous iterations of the type. I say bring on the Roomster. (http://goodcarbadcar.blogspot.com/2008/05/kia-soul-competitors.html) Wicked boxes.
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:05AM (7/16/2008)
This is pretty good looking. Not quite as good as the original xB, but far better than the new xB in styling and presumably economy too.
It's too bad it won't be coming to this country. Oh wait, sorry, got my wires crossed, thought it was a new GM small car for a second.
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Declan Moran 11:47AM (7/16/2008)
It looks like a baby first gen Rav 4 mated to a running shoe.
I like it, it looks useful, but it needs to be fun to drive.
From the side it looks like a kind of shooting brake. Quite elegant in a sporty way.
It looks like the Saab 9-1x concept designers used some of the same shapes (in a more restrained design). Its a good shape.
Me Likey
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Nightcrawler 12:47PM (7/16/2008)
I like the look fine. Not exciting, but should be functional and good on gas. What has me worried is it being based on the Kia Rio platform. The Rio isn't known to be that great of a car from what I've read, though I've never driven one.
The Rio gets 25 city/35 highway with an automatic. Considering the Soul is a little bigger, maybe something like 24/33? That would be good enough to interest buyers.
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Rick 12:50PM (7/16/2008)
Semi circles with ruler drawn straight lines? It's an eye sore.
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bill jackman 1:18PM (7/16/2008)
The "relatively thirsty" moniker that everyone keeps applying to the new xB is total rubbish. I've owned mine for 8 months (5 spd), and I average (city and hwy) 30 mpg. And it doesn't have an anemic 1.6L, and it looks better than that 1st generation golf cart! This Kia is exactly what the Koreans do well: copy others with stuff that isn't as good. This is to the new xB what the Sonata is to the Camry. Some will like it, but those are the folks upgrading from a Suzuki.
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why not the LS2LS7? 1:54PM (7/16/2008)
The old engine was sufficient because the vehicle was so much lighter.
You get 30mpg in the new one? You'd have likely gotten 33mpg then in the old one, because it was rated for 10% better mpg. You say 30 is sufficient, but are you saying 33 isn't better?
jsjs 3:22PM (7/16/2008)
Gee, like the 2009 Sonata didn't beat out the Camry or Accord in a comparison of 4-bangers by Motor Trend.
Btw, Hyundais, overall, have better handling than the soft, bloated rides of Toyotas (Hyundais don't handle like Hondas, but they aren't nearly as boring as Toyotas).
And btw, so much for Toyota's originality, since the xB is a rip-off of the Nissan Cube (duh!).