2010 Kia Soul

First, Kia set out to make the Soul appear to be something more than just another box, so the Korean automaker's designers created a greenhouse with an eye-catching reverse-wedge shape, pushed the wheels out to the corners, and wrapped them in wide rubber. Out front, the 2010 Kia Soul's big, round nose and tiny grille has become known as Kia's new "bulldog styling" cue. If you're having trouble placing the Soul in the market, you're not alone. Kia not only recognizes this but embraces it, saying the Soul "defies categorization." It's not as boxy as the xB or the Nissan Cube -- the other new box on the block -- nor is at as sporty as a hatchback like the Mazda3 or Volkswagen Golf. The Kia Soul seems to exist somewhere in the middle.

Even with the top-shelf 2.0L underhood, the Kia took a somewhat leisurely 8.7 sec to reach 60 mph and passed the quarter-mile mark in 16.7 sec at 81.2 mph. We didn't have a car equipped with the 122-hp, 1.6L engine on hand to test, but it's safe to say it will be even slower. The 2010 Kia Soul's saving grace is its surprisingly low 2875-lb curb weight, which could help it generate some more impressive numbers with a bump in power. Still, its performance is just behind the xB and ahead of the Cube. Kia has looked into an all wheel-drive unit, but found it too heavy, too big, and too expensive to work on the Soul. No plans have been made yet for a hybrid version, either.

What it lacks in autocross ability, though, the 2010 Kia Soul makes up for in customizability. Buyers will pick from colors with names like "Alien" (pictured) and "Java" and from a profusion of dealer add-ons: wheels, decals, and assorted shiny bits. Beyond some mildly eccentric cabin decor options, including a bold red-on-black color scheme and disco-riffic glow-in-the-dark seat fabric, the 2010 Soul's fairly spacious interior doesn't fall too far from the Kia tree: glossy and hard but functional and inoffensive.

It would be easy to attribute the 2010 Soul's distinctive styling to Kia's design chief, Peter Schreyer, but the fact is that he has only been on the job for a couple of years, so he could have done nothing more than minor retouching to the Soul. But the Kia Soul is a tribute to the fact that there clearly are some talented designers within Kia, aside from Schreyer. And since Schreyer is a veteran of the Volkswagen and Audi design studios, we can expect to see even more good stuff from him and his team.

Solid A for effort. Stunning design makes it the unanimous undergraduate pick. More powertrain refinement and a couple of tweaks will easily put this at the head of the class.

Inside, the 2010 Kia Soul gets high remarks for its sound system and slick two-tone dash. "Nice use of color," Gurr notes. On the road, the reception is warm as well, but without the same level of enthusiasm as the Cube and xB garner. Before sending our collegiate panel back to their classes and jobs, we ask them which of these players they'd like to own. Without pause, each picks the Kia Soul on the strength of its exterior design. Interesting.

As the 2010 Kia Soul -- the next hip cube -- prepares to hit dealer lots, pricing info on the Soul has leaked out in the form of a memo to Kia Dealers. The verdict? Kia has come out swinging, loading the 2010 Soul up with standard options and starting pricing at just $13,995 including destination charges.

North American buyers will have a choice of engines: a 2.0L four at launch and a 122-hp, 1.6L later on. The larger I-4 comes with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, the smaller is only offered with a manual. The front-drive 2010 Kia Soul will be available with four trim levels: Soul, Soul +, Soul ! (exclaim), and Soul sport, and though pricing hasn't been announced (expect that at the Los Angeles auto show later this month), Kia hinted the MSRP will be highly competitive. When the Kia Soul goes on sale in North America in March 2009 as a 2010 model, we expect pricing to start around $15,000-$16,000 and top out at $20,000.

Alongside the production 2010 Kia Soul, Kia will show off a hybrid concept versions of both the Soul and the cee'd. Both will receive Kia's Gamma 1.6L gasoline engine which gets mated to a 15kW electric motor. Kia's CVT transmission, ISG (Idle Stop & Go), and regenerative braking will be featured on both models. The Soul Hybrid Concept will also receive a few styling tweaks, including a panoramic power-folding fabric roof and a transparent engine hood and floor so the hybrid powertrain is visible to onlookers.

Kia says it will build up to 136,000 Souls annually at its Gwangju plant in Korea. As far as total production figures annually, 59,000 units are slated for North American sale, 36,000 will stay in Korea, 30,000 will head to Europe, and 20,000 for other markets. China will receive 40,000 Souls annually, all of which will be produced in China starting in 2009.

It was way back at the 2006 Detroit auto show when Kia first pulled the wraps of its SOUL concept. Designed jointly by Kia's California and Korea design studios, the SOUL was a four-door, four-seat, boxy, and youthful-looking entry-level vehicle that seemed poised to take on market players like the Scion xB, should its day ever come.