Autoblog

Woman gets Kia Soul after passing drive test on 960th try

Zach Bowman — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Hatchback, Kia, Humor, South Korea

Kia Soul - click above for high-res image gallery

We like to think of ourselves as pretty determined folk here the United States. After all, our forebearers forged our country out of a wild and unsettling terrain, fought off tyrants, cooked up some of the most amazing inventions of the last century and helped populate a symbol of diversity and freedom renowned the world over. That doesn't mean that we'd willingly subject ourselves to the DMV 960 times, however. Yet that's exactly what a Korean woman, Cha Sa-soon, did on her quest to obtain her driver's license. Despite copious studying, the 69-year-old Cha just couldn't manage to get past the written portion of the exam.

In April 2005, she began taking the 50-minute, 40-question test once a day, five days week, failing each time. Eventually her pace slowed to taking the test twice a week, but on the 960th try, she managed to get enough of the questions right to pass.

Local news outlets ran with the story, and it wasn't long before the tale caught the ear of Hyundai-Kia. The company asked people to post congratulatory messages online, and after an overwhelming response, Kia handed her the keys to a brand-new Soul.

We like her style.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Kia Soul

Photos Copyright (C)2010 John Neff / AOL

[Source: The New York Times]

Woman gets Kia Soul after passing drive test on 960th try originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA reportedly opens Kia Soul investigation after steering shaft failure

Zach Bowman — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Safety, Hatchback, Kia

2010 Kia Soul - Click above for high-res image gallery

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has opened an investigation into a potential problem with the Kia Soul. According to the Los Angeles Times, the government safety watchdog is looking into an incident where the steering shaft in one vehicle separated from the steering wheel and then blocked the brake mechanism. The problem resulted in a total loss of control. It's unclear as to whether or not anyone was harmed in the incident from the LAT report. Typically, the federal government doesn't investigate single incidents, but in the case of the Soul, the problem presented itself on a fairly new vehicle and was so serious that NHTSA has elected to investigate. The hatch in question is a 2010 model and had just 4,300 miles on the clock when the problem occurred.

Kia hasn't commented on the situation other than saying that it is waiting for NHTSA's findings. The 2010 Kia Soul has been one of the Korean automaker's best-selling vehicles, with over 37,000 of the boxy econocars sold so far.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Kia Soul

Photos by John Neff / Copyright (C)2010 AOL
[Source: Los Angeles Times]

NHTSA reportedly opens Kia Soul investigation after steering shaft failure originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Economy kills Kia Soul'ster

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:27:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Kia

Kia Soul'ster concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you've been crossing your fingers for a production version of the Kia Soul'ster concept from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, prepare to be disappointed. According to a report from Ward's Auto, Kia says that expanding the Soul lineup beyond the current five-door hatch would prove to be more difficult than you might think. Earlier reports stated that Kia was keen to the idea of building an open-top Soul, but changing economic times seem to have crushed those plans.

The Soul has done extremely well for itself since going on sale in early 2009, but since this is a niche vehicle that would only appeal to a very narrow segment of the market, the business case for building new variants doesn't make sense at this time. Kia's director of product planning, Orth Hendrick, tells Ward's that the Soul'ster, specifically, would have to be developed as an all-new model, due to its vast structural differences from the standard Soul.

Come 2012, the Soul will undergo its mid-cycle refresh, and we're expected to see more upscale content, as well as slight changes to both the front and rear fascias. In the meantime, those of you who are super hot for a Soul'ster will just have to scan the local used car lot for a soft-top Isuzu Amigo, instead.

Gallery: Kia Soul'ster Concept

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Report: Economy kills Kia Soul'ster originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hamsters FTW! Kia Soul ad wins top Nielsen Auto Ad award [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Kia

Kia wins Nielsen's top auto ad award - Click above to watch the video after the break

Those painfully trendy hamsters and their brand-new Kia Soul managed to nab Nielson's Most Effective Automotive Ad Award. Of all the car ads out there, the 2.5 million TV viewers polled by Nielsen remembered the most about the clever spot from Kia. And why not? The adorable anthropomorphic animals and good tunes featured in the ad manage to make a solid impression. It beat out Cadillac's commercial featuring Kate Walsh and an ad for the Chevrolet Silverado starring Howie Long.

Nielsen's been handing out the awards at the New York Auto Show for four years now. Last year, Ford took top honors with a commercial that featured real-life women test-driving the Ford Focus for the first time. Hit the jump to see Kia's winning rodents.

[Source: Nielsen]

Continue reading Hamsters FTW! Kia Soul ad wins top Nielsen Auto Ad award [w/video]

Hamsters FTW! Kia Soul ad wins top Nielsen Auto Ad award [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2010: Kia channels its inner tattoo artist with limited-edition Shadow Dragon Soul

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Detroit Auto Show, Budget, Crossover, Hatchback, Kia, Design/Style

2010 Kia Shadow Dragon Soul - Click above for high-res image gallery

Is the third time really the charm? We'll leave that up to you as Kia has unveiled its third special edition Soul at the Detroit Auto Show, this time featuring automotive tattoos. The 2010 Kia Shadow Dragon Soul is available now and follows in the footsteps of the Denim and Ignition specials. As the name implies, the Shadow Dragon is done up in a special black color scheme, and it also features a Soul-first leather-trimmed interior and crowd-sourced black dragon graphics (the Korean automaker trolled the Kia forums to determine what type of ink the Soul should wear).

Besides the matte-on-gloss black graphics, the Shadow Dragon sports blacked-out 18-inch wheels like the ones on the Ignition, glossy accents in the front and rear bumpers, and a unique rear wing. Like the other two Soul specials, the Shadow Dragon starts out as a Soul+ model, so it's stuffed to the gills with options. It includes the Audio Upgrade Package with its center speaker, subwoofer, external amp and those trick speaker lights that pulse to the beat of the music. There's also an iPod connector, carpeted floor mats, moonroof, foglights and fender vents with encapsulated side markers.

On top of that, the Shadow Dragon Soul adds keyless entry, limo tint on the cargo area windows, body-color door handles and power mirrors. That's in addition to the steering wheel-mounted cruise control, Bluetooth, dual power ports, separate tweeters and usual array of cubbies and lights to make living inside the Dragon a little more hospitable. All of that for just $18,195 with a manual transmission. That strikes us as a modest price but also makes it the most expensive special Soul so far, some $695 dearer than the Ignition. Check out the press release after the jump for even more details.

Gallery: 2010 Kia Shadow Dragon Soul

[Source: Kia Motors]

Continue reading Detroit 2010: Kia channels its inner tattoo artist with limited-edition Shadow Dragon Soul

Detroit 2010: Kia channels its inner tattoo artist with limited-edition Shadow Dragon Soul originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Kia Ignition Soul brings out the tire-shredder in everyone

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Kia

Kia Ignition Soul donuts commercial -- Click above to watch video

The Kia Ignition Soul is out to reset every perception of what a Korean car can be and who it can be for. That's why you get commercials like this one, for Jeff Wyler Kia in Ohio. We won't spoil the surprise, but having spent a few years around Eastgate, Ohio (shoutout to Williamsburg!) we can say that if the Ignition Soul gets Jeff Wyler to make commercials like this, then it is indeed a car to change the game - and no, there isn't a hamster behind the wheel.

Follow the jump for the vid, which has more than a little bit in common with R Kelly's Ignition Remix: "It's the remix to ignition, hot and fresh out the kitchen, mama rollin' that body..." Hat tip to Mike!

Gallery: 2010 Kia Ignition Soul

[Source: Jeff Wyler Kia via Kia World]

Continue reading VIDEO: Kia Ignition Soul brings out the tire-shredder in everyone

VIDEO: Kia Ignition Soul brings out the tire-shredder in everyone originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia Soul gets fired up with limited-edition Ignition

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hatchback, Kia

Special edition 2010 Kia Ignition Soul -- Click above for high-res image gallery

Kia wants you to consider its 2010 Soul a template ripe for customization, and if you can't think of funky things to do with it, Kia will be glad to help you. This is the Kia Ignition Soul - the second special edition after the 1,200 Denim Souls released earlier this year - in "scorching" Ignition Orange, with offset black striping and blacked-out 18-inch rims, an alloy gas cap, and a rear spoiler.

It starts at $17,500 for the manual, making it $200 more than the Denim. But you won't complain about equipment: upgraded stereo, moon roof, keyless remote entry, tinted windows, cruise control, Bluetooth, and then some. Kia hasn't indicated yet if the Ignition Soul will be limited in number like the Denim was. You can get all the details in the press release after the jump, and check out all that orangeness in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Kia Ignition Soul

[Source: Kia]

Continue reading Kia Soul gets fired up with limited-edition Ignition

Kia Soul gets fired up with limited-edition Ignition originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Kia Soul Denim to be limited to 1,200 units, start at $17,300

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:34:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Crossover, Hatchback, Kia, Specialty

Kia Denim Soul - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Kia-World.net, pricing for the Korean automaker's new Soul Denim, which we inadvertently stumbled upon in the land of coffee while testing the equally new Forte, will begin at $17,300 with a standard five-speed manual transmission and $18,250 with the optional slushbox. Production will reportedly be limited to 1,200 units, though we'd expect more special editions in the future.

For that sum, the buyer will get the custom Denim Blue paint scheme with offset white striping, white side mirrors and white 18-inch alloy rims as seen in our gallery below. Exterior mods continue with a new rear spoiler and fender-mounted turn signal indicator lamps.

Despite its name, the Kia Soul Denim will not feature an interior sewn up to match your favorite pair of jeans. Instead, black fabric with 'Soul' logo inserts will reportedly cover the seats. Based on the Soul+ model, the Denim will also get the uprated audio and moonroof packages, fogs lights, floor mats and an iPod cable as standard equipment.

Gallery: Kia Denim Soul

[Source: Kia-World.net]

REPORT: Kia Soul Denim to be limited to 1,200 units, start at $17,300 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Soul Train: Stunt time with Kia down at the docks

Chris Shunk — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Videos, Hatchback, Kia

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Do you remember those Transformers fan videos in which fanboys with a lot of time and not a lot of friends made stop-frame action sequences with their toys? The creative types at Kia must have liked the idea, because they assembled a several dozen Kia Souls to make a video of their own. The end result is something pretty damn cool.

Hit the jump to watch "Kia Soul Rock!" The 1:29 video starts off with the prerequisite car stunts and power slides, and then it surprises with synchronized stop-motion goodness that includes nearly 100 Souls working together to make a rolling self effigy. Talk about your high-effort productions. At the end, the Soul Sport models all head into the cargo ship for transport, but Kia wants to stress that the vehicles used for stunt duty will not be shipped to customers. Thanks for the tip, ConceptVBS!

Gallery: 2010 Kia Soul

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Soul Train: Stunt time with Kia down at the docks

VIDEO: Soul Train: Stunt time with Kia down at the docks originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Kia Soul deserves to be breakout hit for brand

Dan Roth — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Budget, Crossover, Hatchback, Kia, New Car Reviews

2010 Kia Soul - Click above for high-res image gallery

Greeting the Kia Soul with low expectations didn't make sense. Perhaps the details of the funkwagon's story seemed overly familiar at first blush - Kia wants, nay, needs to be more than just the bargain-basement Hyundai store. Differentiating product lines with the help of bold design has been tried before, and the results have been disastrous more often than they've been wildly successful. Finding out that the Soul's styling inspiration was a wild boar sent the cynical mind of this autowriter reeling, preparing to suffer with a bore of a swine-inspired car. But Kia's been on a roll lately with aggressively priced product that's well equipped and imbued with performance that's often more inspired than the sum of its parts. If any brand stands a chance of melding its design studio's hit parade with tuning that lives up to the looks, it's Kia... right?

Gallery: Review: 2010 Kia Soul

Continue reading Review: 2010 Kia Soul deserves to be breakout hit for brand

Review: 2010 Kia Soul deserves to be breakout hit for brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2010 Kia Soul Sport makes the scene in Miami

Chris Paukert — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Wagon, Hatchback, Kia, First Drives

2010 Kia Soul Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery

As far back as 2005, Kia tasked itself with becoming Korea's sporty automaker, leaving parent Hyundai to become a more affordable luxury brand. Then-chief operating officer Len Hunt admitted that while Kia's value proposition was clear, its products largely failed to connect with buyers on an emotional level - the company's models were purchased based on price, warranty and little else.

Since that time, Kia has steadily introduced a slew of greatly improved products, but nothing remotely "sporty" has hit showroom floors. Sure, there have been a few promising-looking concepts, 2007's Kee and Kue, along with 2008's Koup... but while the company has been creating one-off showcars, Hyundai has grabbed eyeballs, market share, and more than a few magazine covers by delivering both upmarket and sporty vehicles, namely the Genesis Sedan and Coupe.

And yet, here we find ourselves in Miami, ready to drive Kia's latest and greatest, the 2010 Soul. Is this where the "sporty" kicks in? At first blush, things aren't promising - the Soul is front-drive, modestly powered, tallish, and squared-off in an economy-car-tall-wagon-crossover-looking sort of way. None of which is pushing any "sporty" buttons for us. Did we miss a new, possibly ironic meaning for the word?

Follow the jump to find out...

Gallery: 2010 Kia Soul - First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.

Our travel and lodging for this media event was provided by the manufacturer.

Continue reading First Drive: 2010 Kia Soul Sport makes the scene in Miami

First Drive: 2010 Kia Soul Sport makes the scene in Miami originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leakage: 2010 Kia Soul starting at $13,995

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Crossover, Kia

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Kia Soul

A little birdie sent us a memo addressed to Kia dealers outlining the prices and specifications for the 2010 Kia Soul, due to hit dealers this April. The base model, equipped with the 122 hp, 1.6-liter inline-four and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox will be sold at an introductory price of $13,995 (including destination charge), and includes six airbags, ABS, ESC, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, an AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with three months of free Sirius satellite radio, along with USB and auxiliary inputs. For the money, the plain-old Soul is a stonkin' good deal and could cause first-gen Scion xB owners to avoid a repeat trip to the ToMoCo dealer.

The Soul + gets a bump in displacement and output, with a 142 hp 2.0-liter four, 16-inch wheels, rear disc brakes, tinted glass, body matched door handles, power mirrors, Bluetooth integration, keyless entry and cruise control. The Soul + will start at $14,950 with a five-speed manual and rise to $15,900 when equipped with the four-speed automatic.

Both the Soul! and Soul sport get the same 2.0-liter mill, but benefit from 18-inch rollers, fog lamps, an upgraded stereo, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and metal interior trim. The Soul! can be equipped with a sunroof and sand/black seats, while the sport model gets unique front and rear fascias, side sills, rear spoiler, a "sport-tuned" suspension, red/black interior scheme and metal pedals. Both models start at $16,950 with a manual or $17,900 with the four-speed auto 'box.

Kia claims that the Soul will have "the most comprehensive list of accessories ever developed for Kia vehicle" ranging from body kits, to wheels, to interior lighting packages and performance upgrades. We're looking forward to getting behind the wheel to see if the Soul can pick up where the second-gen. xB went astray. Hit the jump to read the memo.

Gallery: 2010 Kia Soul

Continue reading Leakage: 2010 Kia Soul starting at $13,995

Leakage: 2010 Kia Soul starting at $13,995 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2008: Kia's Soul-ful debut

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Crossover, Kia

Click above for more live shots of the Kia Soul in LA

Kia put on quite a show today, prancing out a slew of new Souls at the LA Auto Show. Expected to drop as an early 2010 model in late '09, the new boxy Soul will go head-to-head with the equally-new Nissan Cube for the affections of ex-xB buyers here in the States. While the Cube really goes after the square-edged look, Kia has softened the Soul. The box's rising beltline starts lower in the front and gradually sweeps skyward at the rear, adding a unique look to the little crossover. A standard 1.6L four banger pushes roughly 120 horses through a five-speed manual tranny and an optional 2.0L unit with about 140 horsepower can be mated with either the stick or a four-speed automatic on uplevel models. Each should exceed 30 mpg on the highway.

The Korean automaker promises that there will be an abundant number of customization possibilities for its new Soul and there will be three separate Soul models in addition to the base kit, including the Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport. We think that they may be trying a bit too hard to be young and hip with these odd model designations, but standard auxiliary and USB input jacks in the center console with full iPod control through the steering wheel audio controls strike us as an excellent idea for its target demographic. Details on what each model gets are in the press release pasted after the break.

Gallery: LA 2008: Kia Soul Live Debut

Gallery: 2010 Kia Soul

Continue reading LA 2008: Kia's Soul-ful debut

LA 2008: Kia's Soul-ful debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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