Autoblog

While it could be argued that Volkswagen was really the company that started the box-that-it-came-in styling trend with its old vans, vehicles like the Honda Element and Scion xB made it popular again. Besides being a rolling fashion statement, this shape of vehicle also happens to be extremely practical and allows for much more interior space than more streamlined bodywork, so we're happy to hear that Kia is planning on offering its upcoming Soul small car in the U.S. in addition to the Chinese market. We have seen what appears to be production-ready pictures of the vehicle already, and the production Soul should retain most of what we've seen in the concepts, minus the crazy paint jobs. The Soul is certainly a bold step for Kia, which has so far erred on the safe side when it comes to vehicle styling. Automotive News reports that the front-wheel-drive Soul will be equipped with a 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine and should arrive in both China and the States next March. Hopefully a production version of the KOUP Concept will be right on its tail.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd.]

Click the Kia SOUL Burner concept to enlarge

Part of the selling point of Toyota's Scion brand has been offering a very limited number of factory configurations and an almost endless list of customization options. Likewise, Scion ads often highlight the many ways that owners have made their cars unique. Kia now looks like it wants to follow a similar strategy for the production version of the new SOUL compact CUV. At the Geneva show in a couple of weeks, it'll be showing a trio of SOUL concepts that highlight the personalization options for the new car. The first teaser shot of the one Kia calls the SOUL Burner has just been released showing off its matte paint finish, tattoos and fancy wheels.


[Source: Kia]

Click the Soul for high-res images

Earlier this year, Kia confirmed that the Soul crossover introduced at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show would be going into production. A camo laden example of the production version has been spotted in the Detroit area not far from the Hyundai-Kia Tech Center. The production version looks like it sticks pretty close to the concept on the outside. The main visual differences are the rear suicide doors being replaced with conventional types and frames around the side glass. The shape of the vehicle with the slight downward sloping roof-line and the boxy front remains true to form. We'll probably see this one make its public debut during the coming auto show season, perhaps as soon as the Detroit Auto Show in January.