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"Kia Canada is pleased to announce that due to the overwhelmingly positive response regarding the 2010MY Soul Special Edition, this vehicle will now become a regular addition to the Kia line-up, badged as the Soul 4u SX.
The Soul 4u SX adds the following features to the Soul 2.0L 4u:
- body kit (body coloured)
- sport spoiler (body coloured)
- headlamp eyeliner (glossy)
- PIAA H4 Xtreme White Plus Bulbs
- LED side repeater
- high gloss tusk bumper
- 18" black machine-finished wheels
- sporty metal pedals
- centre console armrest
- rear view camera
- SX badge
MSRP base price - $21,895, with std 5 spd manual or available automatic. Only available in three colours: Onyx (pearl) +$200, Polar or Molten (n/c).
2011 Kia Soul Sport 5-speed
2011 Kia Soul Sport 5-speed
I had a suzuki many years ago, sidekick, and it was very reliable and versitile. Haven't had experience with Kia, but the rep is growing..seems like the Hyundia when they entered the market.
ANYWAYS, I'm torn between the 2, and they both come out to the same price range and options...any suggestions? :confuse:
2011 Kia Soul Sport 5-speed
Suggestions?
- The Soul has two engines (1.6L and 2.0L). The Elantra has the 2.0L. Where does the 1.6L engine come from? Are the chassis from the 1.6 and 2.0 the same? What about the 1.6L manual transmission? (Guess which model I'm looking at
- I've read about paint chipping/rusting problems. How widespread are these?
- I've also read several complaints about the Kia timing belts breaking and damaging the engine. Is this a prevalent issue?
- Do Kia's go 200K+?
The platform for all Soul models is supposedly a widened version of the Rio, though I don't know how thoroughly modified it is--I do know that the Soul has much better crash test ratings than the Rio. I think the suspension calibrations are the same for both the 1.6 and 2.0, though the wheels and tires are different--so there would be some difference in ride & handling. I've heard about some of the paint problems as well as a few issues with easily damaged interior surfaces on early production models--not sure if they're still there.
Kia's quality has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, as has Hyundai's. Whether any particular car will go 200k is highly dependent on how well it's maintained, but Kia built the very inexpensive (and frequently neglected) Ford Festiva and Aspire for the US market in the '80s and early '90s, and there are still some of them on the road.
Soul+:
smoother and quieter ride
more hiproom and shoulder room
nicer interior quality
much better equipped (better stereo, bluetooth, etc.)
Fit Sport:
better handling (more agile)
more versatile cargo area
no timing belt replacement
better resale value due to the Honda name
Like I said, I bought the Fit, but the Soul is a very nice vehicle. I posted my review of the Soul+ here and my reasons for purchasing the Fit instead here.
http://kia-buzz.com/?p=4208
I like this car as it is. However, if the factory would install the larger, 2.4 liter engine and a 6-speed automatic trans. with paddle shifters, the Soul could become an icon and take its place alongside the Mini Cooper S, the Mazdaspeed 3, and the Volkswagen GTI. It has enormous potential, with its small footprint accompanied by lots of room inside (for a car only 161 inches long). I've driven all the Civics and the small Scions, the small Mazdas, and none of them made an impression on me. Then I drove a Soul and bought one the next week. Bear in mind, I didn't need another car - we had three for the two of us - but I got the Soul only because I enjoyed driving it more than the others: Tacoma, Accord, and VW GTI.
2010 Kia Soul Recognized on 'Coolest New Cars Under $18,000' List by Kelley Blue Book's Kbb.com
[Trading Markets (CA) (Online), 6/23/2009]
Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced the all-new 2010 Soul urban passenger vehicle was named to the 2009 Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 list by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information. The Soul joined Kia Motors' ever-expanding lineup in March and was lauded for being cool, affordable ride with a growing emphasis on personality, versatility and technology. "Soul's personality really has made an impact with consumers and the media, who are realizing you don't have to spend a lot of money to make a statement," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. "We are pleased that Soul is being recognized for its playfulness and versatility but also that it is appreciated for its economical attributes that affect real world purchase decisions." Soul stands out from the crowd with modern, unique styling aimed toward the young and young-at-heart and offers a unique combination of style, value and personalization options. An available Audio Upgrade Package includes speaker lights that can pulse to the beat of the music or add mood lighting to the interior cabin, enhancing the overall personal lounge feeling. The Soul+ offers funky black cloth seats with "glowing" Soul logo inserts while the Soul! trim comes with a distinctive sand-black interior with houndstooth-patterned inserts, and the Soul sport presents a bold red-black interior trim with red-trimmed cloth seats and metal-finish interior accents.
[The Tribune (TX) (Online), 6/22/2009]
By Wilson Calvert
What it is: If you’ve watched much TV in the last month or two, then you’ve probably seen Kia’s ad campaign to help launch the brand new Kia Soul. It features hamsters running in hamster wheels on roads all across a city when a shiny red Kia Soul pulls up playing some loud hip-hop music. The tag line in the commercial is “A new way to roll,” and Kia has definitely aimed a car at the youth market. With the great success of Scion’s xB (the one that looks like a toaster), boxy is definitely in vogue If you feel the need to find “a new way to roll” then the Kia Soul should definitely be on your test drive list. Kia also provides a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty which proves Kia is going to back up their product. Compared to its competitors, the Soul offers the best all-around package when factoring in fun-factor, usefulness and price. The Soul should prove accessible to all demographics just as the Scion xB has (Who will be driving the next xB that you see, a backwards-hat teenager or his grandmother?) and is already proving to be an early hit for Kia.
Kia Soul 4U Retro review: Little box full of big surprises
[Kia World (Blog) (Online), 6/23/2009]
I’ve had my Kia Soul for over a month now and I thought I’d share my experiences with the prospective/future Soul buyers in hopes of answering most of the questions and easing some of the doubts they might have Kia Soul was exactly what I was hoping to see here. Yes, finally we got a great, modern, funky looking car on our hands. And it was available now, not in some distant future. My Mazda3 hatch needed a new owner and my Plymouth Voyager was long ready to go, so to the nearest Kia dealer I went, hoping to fall in love with the Soul as soon as I meet it in person. And love at first sight it was! I honestly thought the car looked awesome in real life. And so much bigger than what I expected. Short test drive followed and the second one a few days later, once my excitement cooled off. I always do this. Just in case. I was sold. I fell in love with a Dune/Vanilla color and two-tone charcoal/cream interior with hounds tooth accents. I loved everything about it, but if I had to describe it with just one word, I would have to exclaim that finally I was buying a car that was DIFFERENT!...
Kia Motors America announced the North American debut of the Soul at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Soul, a once concept vehicle, was projected to arrive as early as 2010. To the publics’ pleasure, it debuted as a 2009 model. Following the addition of the midsize SUV, the Borrego, to the Kia line-up, the Soul offers even more options to savvy consumers.
While other dealer’s are struggling, Car Pros Kia continues to flourish primarily with the sales and service of new and certified pre-owned imports. The family owned and involved dealer continues to offers low-cost sales and service without sacrificing customer care. While Car Pros remains committed to ongoing customer satisfaction, savvy buyers are naturally receptiveness to the Kia brand. Consumers lean towards Kia as their import favorite as Kia offers chic new designs, fuel efficiency, minimal initial investment and low ongoing cost of ownership. For additional information about Car Pros Kia of Tacoma visit http://www.kiatacoma.carpros.com/
The Soul playfully conforms to the edgy styling of the modern Kia, while offering even more options for those looking to personalize their vehicle and ownership experience. There are more external and internal styling and package options than any Kia ever offered before. “The Soul is for those who love individuality but don’t like to be categorized by finding the next best thing,” said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. The Soul is attracting the adventurer at heart, especially those who have a good handle on their pocket books and want custom styling and a low cost of ownership at the same time.
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With the base model. there is no remote entry-I have to use the key. Unfortunately, there is only one keyhole in the entire car, so I always have to go back to the driver's door if I want to lock the car. ugh. Have a toddler that requires loading and unloading, don't like this.
EVERYTHING else is golden. Love my Kia!
http://www.kia.com/#/soul/explore/360-views-and-colors-exterior/