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Vehicle Overview
Kia showcased its Soul crossover utility vehicle at 2006 North American International Autoshow. VehicleVoice (http://www.vehiclevoice.com) and AutoPacific (http://www.autopacific.com) correspondents were there to get the scoop.
Development was a collaborative effort between Kia’s design studios in California and Korea with styling building on last year’s Mesa concept. The vehicle’s name is a homophone and originates from Kia Motors corporate headquarters located in Seoul, South Korea.
There is a quote from the movie , Planes, Trains and Automobiles , “she’s little, but she’s strong.” The Soul sits on a small car-based platform, but its exterior has an athletic appearance flexing its muscles through large wheel arches posing on a wide-track wheelbase. The Soul has a big interior with reconfigurable cargo space designed to be flexible in function to meet active and diverse lifestyles. Front passengers sit in two semi-bucket seats, with flat folding seats in the second row. The Soul concept is front-wheel drive, powered by a 2.0L inline four-cylinder gasoline engine, equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission and manual shift capability.
The Soul roofline has an integrated roof rack and a panoramic sun/moon roof. The front section slides backward and fits over the rear section, allowing unobstructed views for both front and rear occupants. Safety was part of the Soul’s design and it is strong enough to allow the passenger doors to be mounted on rear hinges, which, when opened reveals the absence of a B pillar. This design is more convenient for rear passengers to enter and exit the vehicle.
In-vehicle technology is a major theme for auto and consumer electronic shows for 2006 and the Kia Soul does not disappoint in this area. The ambience of the Soul’s interior is all about technology, and was inspired by high-quality audio equipment. The dash area was designed around the front audio speakers and is equipped with a multimedia entertainment center, showcasing a notebook computer and multi-purpose video game monitor housed in the glove compartment area. The notebook computer sits on a tray that swings outward and becomes accessible to either the passenger or driver.
The multimedia system is also equipped with Bluetooth and MP3 technology as well as multiple USB ports, Wi-Fi and telematics. The Soul concept also has video monitors that fold up and out, similar to the way airline trays function, which are found on the back of an aircraft’s passenger seats. Lighting which surrounds the panoramic sun/moon roof illuminates the cabin. Another technology is adaptive cruise control for active driver control and convenience.

Will life be breathed into the Kia Soul?
Kia is exploring the future of their SUV lineup and its design philosophy. Where last year’s larger Mesa concept explored styling of a potential truck-based utility, the Soul demonstrates how Kia might take this design language into smaller products. Whether Kia moves in this direction will depend in part upon consumer responses to these concepts.
Kia Has Ambitious Growth Plans for the USA
Kia wants to increase their annual sales to 560,000 within five years with no plans for building or adding new dealerships. Part of Kia’s sales strategy is targeting consumers in middle America and individuals who might not be considering a new car because of credit problems. Overall Kia’s current and future product line up offers an ideal fit to this approach. Kia already has a diverse group of small cars and SUV’s including the redesigned Sportage to meet a diverse group of consumer needs and activities. So how and where the Soul might fit into Kia’s product lineup remains uncertain. However with the popularity and perception of crossover utility vehicles on the rise, Kia could position the Soul (or a vehicle similar to it) as their response to the increasing growth and interest in these small car-based vehicles.