The Kia Soul concept quietly rolled on the stage at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. But it strode off in the spotlight with a bewitching smile and a parting wave. The Soul is Kia’s surprising protege, and the upcoming 2012 model will be imbued with the same pep and zip as the original Soul.
Model History
Officially entering the production world in 2009, the Kia Soul promised consumers a unique fusion of fun, pizazz, and quirkiness. And it has delivered. The Soul’s recipe has remained mostly the same in the years since. Pros include funky and styling and a high level of feature customization. However, some pundits call performance ‘lackluster’ and ‘pep-less;’ in polite deference, others term power ‘zippy’ and ‘scoot-ish.’
The Soul has developed a cult following amongst automotive enthusiasts and manufacturers alike. A slew of Soul concepts have arisen, including the Soul Hybrid, Soul’ster, Burner, Diva, Searcher, and Denim. So far, none have been put in production.
Release Details
The 2012 Kia Soul is set to debut during the late summer of 2011 for the 2012 automotive year. MSRP is estimated at $13,700 (base). Kia has squished most specifications about the forthcoming design, but its corporate blog has released several juicy details. Due to a mid-cycle refresh, the Soul will receive a slight external touch-up with slight changes to both the front and rear fascia.
The interior will likely receive upgraded materials as well. Kia has also announced that the new Soul will receive two new transmissions: a six-speed automatic and a six-speed manual. Kia has kept all other design details on the low.
Safety Features
While exact safety specifications are not available for the 2012 model year, equipment will likely be similar to the preceding 2011 model year, as will the ratings. And the ratings are phenomenal. The IIHS awarded the Kia Soul with a ‘Top Safety Pick’ accolade and NHTSA gave a commendable overall four out of five stars.
Competition to the 2012 Kia Soul
But the Kia Soul is not the only stylish affordable compact car. Similar quirky vehicles include the Nissan Cube, Ford Flex and Scion XB. More economical alternatives include the Toyota Corolla and Yaris, Ford Focus, and Smart ForTwo. The Mazda3 and Mini Cooper are more sporty challengers, and of course, class-leading vehicles like the Ford Fiesta and Honda Civic should not be ignored.
