AutoWeek reports, "Toyota's youth-oriented Scion brand will get some competition from Kia when the Korean automaker brings its Soul small car to the United States next spring." Kia has provided the press with photos, but not performance details. AutoWeek says "the front-driver is believed to be powered by a 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine."
To the delight of cynical, pun-loving automotive journalists everywhere, the company from Seoul kept the name of the Soul concept that debuted in Paris two years ago. Commence James Brown-themed marketing campaign now!
Top Gear says "Kia is majoring on the, erm, unclassifiability of the Soul, which, it stresses, is not a replacement for any existing vehicle in the line-up." Kia says "the Soul will be easy to personalize," perhaps setting it up for very direct competition with Toyota's Scion line.
Jalopnik says "Think of it as the Korean alternative to the Scion xB," adding, "For an econo-box, it doesn't look all too shabby."
Car and Driver adds, "The Soul will compete with other small newcomers including the Ford Fiesta due in 2010. A direct competitor is likely to be the equally boxy Nissan Cube that will go on sale in North America in the spring of 2009 as a 2010 model."
Pricing has not been announced, but given Kia's strategy of undercutting competitors, we'd hope to see it priced below the xB's $15,650 introductory price.
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