Official debut: Making it’s European premiere, the 2010 Soul was displayed at Paris Motor Show in October, while it’s US premiere happened at Los Angeles auto show in November.
Pricing information: The 2010 Kia Soul starts at $13,995. Find more about US Kia Soul pricing.
Production: Kia began trial production in July 2008. Soul is produced at Kia’s modern manufacturing plant in Gwangju city in S. Korea.
It’s larger than B-segment Rio hatch, but shorter than C-segmen Spectra hatch.You can find Soul’s dimensions and other official information here.
Kia Soul is available with 11 attractive body colors.
Spy reports:
Interior image: Kia Soul2
Video: 2009 Kia Soul
Prior to Soul’s official debut, we have seen dozens of spy shots. The funky little crossover has been heavily camouflaged and a very well hidden secret. Here are a few Soul spy shots:
Click image to enlarge!
If you want to know more about the 2010 Kia Soul, check out the link here. KIA-WORLD blog has exclusive archives with more than 80 Soul related articles! The 2010 Kia Soul archives.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
O at last! well, I’ll start reading.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
this vehicle loooks better everytime I see it. Those tires look like low profiles. too bad there are no Xenons or LEDs. Its made in the same plant as sportage and so they’re using its headlights. I wonder is those side vents are real…
April 15th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Actually the headlights are slightly different than the Sportage. I noticed yesterday when I was trying to find the mystery Sorento in the back of that Soul image. The lower part of the lights (turn signals?) are not flush with the upper part (low and high beam, possibly also the parking/ position lamp?). I wonder if that’ll increase it’s wind resistance and cause NVH problems? I imagine when they test the mules they consider this, so hopefull it won’t be a problem. And I’m sad to see that it’s only available with an automatic trans. And to know that the 1.6L diesel is probably not coming to the USA (at least for a few years). And, I’m with Boris. It’s too bad they don’t keep more of the concept features, like the LED lighting. And bi-xenon would be a nice feature, though I don’t know that they’d put it on the Soul, since it’s a Rio-SUV. I think they should put it at least on the Amanti/ Opirus. I saw on Kia Canada’s site that it is available up there. And as Himi said in another post, there’s LED lighting in some of the Korean models. I know the Optima/ Magentis/ Lotze has LED taillights, and we (in the USA) can order them through aftermarket importers, but they’re pretty expensive. I think it was around $600, not including transportation fee.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Even Hyundai’s got LEDs on their cars [azera]. it took Kia a while to catch up with the AUX and USB ports so it will take some time to get on with LEDs and stuff. although it shouldnt because these have been around before the AUX and USB tech. we should see these lights in 2009.5 or 2010 models hpoefully.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I have another example of what should be in the Kia vehicles: auto up/down power windows. The Amanti in the USA has it, so it’s obviously able to be done. I just wish they’d put it in the other vehicles as well. I know it’d cost more, but since the price keeps going up with the new model years, why not improve their convenience features as well. Point proven on the Azera, the USA market even gets LEDs from Hyundai, so we need Kia to catch up.
April 15th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
sportage also has that feature but its only auto down. not both ways. mazda and lots of other non-luxury brands are already using that std on their cars.
April 15th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
The USA Sportage only has auto down for driver window, and actually everything but the Amanti has that (provided it has power/ electric windows). I was looking at Kia.co.uk and the pro_cee’d has auto up/down windows, as well as a lot of other great features we in the USA don’t see on our Kia models, even the Amanti.
April 15th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Optima’s windows are auto up/down. All of them are. The moonroof also is auto open close. I hope not to offend, but I am not the kind of person to buy Xenon lights, because I don’t want other drivers to be blinded and get into accidents. That almost happened to us once, so now I hate them! Niether me or mom could see, and we almost got into an accident! Why are manufacturers so ignorant??
April 15th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
drivers are ignorant about those lights. they dont have to use high beem. I’m going to do some research on Xenon lights now and check if Bi-xenons are better. you seem to have one of the best cars Kia has to offer. Its got projector lights, auto moonroof and windows…. did you get it specially ordered or something with those auto functions on all windows?
April 15th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Hey, what about the Soul? What do you think of these spy pics? I really can’t wait to see the production version without the camo!
Did you notice there’s no H-shaped grille…
April 15th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
yeah. thats sad. dunno where they’ll use it. even the new optima doesnt have it. these pics are pretty good but to be honest, its what we see everytime. like you I am also despirately waiting for a soul without camos covers on it.
. thanks for putting these up though
April 15th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
am I correct in assuming that the Soul will also be available in Canada and the US? If so, how will it differ from its European counterparts?
Himi’s right, you guys are talking about everything except what the article is stating, stick to the thread! That stuff should be talked about somewhere else. By the way my Rondo has auto down on the drivers window.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
hope soul will have auto up and down. I know its a very small detail but when you know that other cars have it you cant help thinking why Kia doesnt have it…
April 15th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Thanks for the support conwelpic!…
The main difference between European version and US or Canadian Souls will be the availability of diesel engines. Other than that, it’s too early to say…
April 15th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
and US will also get better warranty. himi I just noticed that in the article text, in the engines part: it says that the 1.6L diesel will get 90hp and 115hp. does this mean that you havent got its output ratings and just guessing what the hp will be or is that a typo?
April 15th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
You’re right about the warranty Boris! it will most probbably be 10years (US) against 5 or 7 years in Europe.
Engines will be the same as in cee’d and cee’d is avaliable with low or high output 1.6L diesel engine. Low hp engine produces 90hp, and high output has 115hp. I see no reason why Kia wouldn’t offer both of these versions as only difference between the two is the “computer” set-up.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
hmm. good. they should use the 115hp engine then… if they can understand the need for it. the soul is larger afterall.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I wish the tail lights were all red and not showing the yellow turn signals. Oh well.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
are they happy with that cheap looking styling on the tail lamps? if not LEDs, atleast coloured bulbs, but they just directly gave the housing the colours. but, it should be fine.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
I think those will be avaliable as an aftermarket option…
April 15th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Sorry to get everyone off topic! As for this vehicle: I’m curious about these 18 inch wheels! That’s a pretty big wheel. Will it have heated mirrors? Do you have any info for it’s trim levels? Leather seating, etc.? I hope it’ll get the 2.0L engine, since that 1.6L isn’t much for even the Rio, and this’ll have more weight to carry and a bigger profile to push against the wind. As for the pics: The one with the shot of the tire and rim is hopefully what we’ll get for the production vehicle. Those look like the low profile tires, like what the Optima gets with the Appearance Package (in the USA).
April 16th, 2008 at 12:42 am
We wouldn’t have bought the Optima without alloys and low profiles. The tires are REALLY wide, and you can tell in icy weather. There is no way we could have driven it this winter without ESC and TCS. The ESC saved us from rolling over the other day. Someone tried running a red light, and we had to swerve around them, and mom WAY oversteered, and the ESC handled it very well. About the Soul: it will have running lights in Canada, an appearance package, fold-flat seats, a plastic underfloor storage area, and a 2.0 option in the USA and Canada.{SOURCE: Williams Kia} Those spy pics are hardly different than those already seen. Why can’t we get some different angles. I WANT MORE INTERIOR PICS!!! Why can’t Kia release the specs, features, and options?!?!
April 16th, 2008 at 8:11 am
its too early. the motorshow is in october so the specs should be reeased just before it in a press release. the soul is pretty aerodynamic. the nose is curved and A pillars are also rounded. this should reduce drag and alow the little engine to get some better performance.
April 17th, 2008 at 12:28 am
When’s the South Korean Auto Show?
April 17th, 2008 at 12:52 am
JTZ- I just did a web search and all I could find is this site saying it’s next April (2009). Wikipedia says it’s a biennial (every 2 years). http://seoulmotorshow.auto-fairs.com/
April 21st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I think Kia is going to release the Soul right after it debuts, just like they did with Rondo.
December 6th, 2008 at 12:20 am
I would pay money to know what the *%$*&%$ curb weight on this car is. The estimates and guesses are all over the map.