Affectionately called a “toaster on wheels” the Kia Soul has developed a loyal following. The 2011 model will no doubt continue the trend. The 2011 Kia Soul is an ingeniously designed compact that looks small on the outside but is actually spacious inside. The front of the vehicle has a chrome grille and on the rear end it has large vertical tail lamps with a hatch like that of a minivan. The beltline goes upward as it progresses to the rear forming a wedge-like appearance. The tall windshield and the box-like shape of the 2011 Soul makes it look tall and wide.
The mechanical features of the 2011 Kia Soul include front-wheel drive with independent form suspension in addition to a beam axle rear. The base model is equipped with a 1.6-liter four cylinder engine with 122-horsepower and a five-speed manual transmission. Other models of the soul are Soul+, Soul! and the Soul Sport. These three models have a 2.0 liter engine with 140-horsepower and a choice between a 5-speed manual transmission and a 4-speed automatic transmission. All models except the base model have anti-lock brakes with rear discs and anti-skid system.
The basic features of the Kia Soul are power locks, power windows, wiper for the rear window, tilt steering wheel and a 60/40 foldable rear seat. Safety features include side airbags for the front seats and curtain side airbags for head protection. The Kia Soul also comes with a free three-month subscription to Sirius satellite radio. It is also fitted with input jacks for auxiliary and USB connection. The head unit and steering wheel also have controls for easy navigation of a connected iPod. The Soul! and Soul Sport have an upgraded audio system with subwoofer, center speaker and 315 watts external amplifier. Standard features for the Soul+ and higher models are cruise control, power mirrors, air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry and leather-covered shift knob and steering wheel. Optional features for the Soul+ are fog lamps and power moon roof. The base model has 15-inch steel wheels, the Soul+ has 16-inch alloy wheels and the Soul! and Soul Sport have 18-inch alloy wheels.
The expected fuel economy of the Kia Soul with 1.6-liter engine is somewhere around 26 miles per gallon for city driving and 31 mpg for open roads. The 2.0-liter engine has a fuel economy of 24 mpg for city driving and 30 mpg for open roads.
