What do you sell to Americans who are accustomed to the space and high seating position of SUVs but need the fuel economy and frugal sticker price of small cars? Asian automakers have apparently all arrived at the same answer - little boxes on wheels. A day after the inventively-named Nissan Cube little-box-on-wheels made its debut, Korea's Kia has brought us another one. The 2010 Kia Soul crossover/wagon/small car/small SUV is just as hard to categorize. And like the Cube, it actually seems like a versatile, inexpensive car that might make sense for an awful lot of people. At least, those who don't already own a Scion xB or a Honda Element.
Autoblog reports, "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." The Soul (and before you ask, yes, it's built in Seoul) is a bit more curvaceous than the Cube, with a "rising beltline [that] starts lower in the front and gradually sweeps skyward at the rear, adding a unique look to the little crossover."
Kicking Tires describes the cabin, saying "The dash has fairly traditional shapes: The center controls face skyward, the shifter goes on the floor and the gauges sit behind the steering wheel. At first blush, overall quality is a step above the aging Kia Spectra's, if not quite to Hyundai Elantra levels. The backlit instruments look upscale, and dials for the A/C and stereo feel reasonably high-quality." Nice small touches abound. "There's a dedicated spot to stow your sunglasses, the pivoting sun visors extend all the way to the B-pillars, and the rear center seat belt mounts in the seatback - not the ceiling - to keep rear-window visibility clear. Gold star, Kia."
The Los Angeles Times reports that the car is "is front-wheel-drive, seats five and offers two four-cylinder engines, rated at 122 or 142 hp. It rides on a front-strut suspension with a torsion bar in the rear. Fuel economy specs were not included in the news conference info. Transmission choices are a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic." Pricing was not formally announced, but Kia Vice President of Sales Tom Loveless said the price will be "in the teens."
The teens - that's precisely the issue with this car. The boxy form has been tried plenty of times, and has earned a reputation as a trendy car for the young. Motor Trend wonders "Are there enough hip youngsters and young hipsters to drive all of these boxes?"
But they might have missed the point. The Los Angeles Times notes, "It fits right in with those models marketed to youngsters but often purchased by an older crowd that actually finds the cavernous, boxy interiors useful for hauling children, pets and their bulky accouterments." If Kia can convince U.S. consumers that the Soul will hold up over time (must...resist....immortal...soul...jokes...) they may have a winner with an older crowd.
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