2014 Kia Soul Video
2014 Kia Soul: Up Close
The original Soul was nothing less than the first product that suggested Kia was more than just a clone of parent brand Hyundai. (Unfortunately, it might have been the last, too.) Its first redesign, for 2014, maintains the Soul's defining characteristic — its profile. Many car designers claim they styled their vehicles to look as if they're in motion even when they're standing still. With a roofline that slopes downward from the front to the rear, a stationary Soul also looks like it's in motion — backward. Whatever the case, I've always liked that aspect.
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However, once I walked in any other direction around the vehicle, I wasn't sure Kia had done much to keep the model distinctive — at least not in a positive way. Something about the more prominent headlight clusters says Mini Countryman to me. Around back, I love the now-Kia-signature taillights, which have a diffuse neon-looking glow formerly seen only on concept cars. I'm less wild about the gloss black finish that surrounds the taillights and rear window and traverses the liftgate. It's overdone, busy. Perhaps trim levels lower than the two Exclaim models at the show will be more modest.
2014 Kia Soul: Photo Gallery
With break-dancing hamsters on the scene, Kia revealed its newly redesigned 2014 Soul at this year's New York International Auto Show.
More 2013 New York Auto Show CoverageOne of Kia's top-selling models, the Soul is all-new with a restyled bumper and front end, and neat, flush taillights that look like they're borrowed from the Track'ster Concept that bowed at last year's 2012 Chicago Auto Show. Overall vehicle length and width have grown, while interior cabin space and cargo volume are also up a notch. The new 2014 Soul becomes Kia's first model to offer an Android-based UVO multimedia system, which complements an 8-inch touch-screen display.
Check out the photo gallery of Kia's redesigned Soul below. Cars.com photos by Evan Sears.
2014 Kia Soul at the 2013 New York Auto Show
- Competes with: Nissan Cube, Scion xB
- Looks like: A rounder, cuddlier version of the 2013 Soul
- Drivetrain: 130-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder or 164-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder both with six-speed manual or automatic transmission
- Hits dealerships: Fall 2013
Commercials with hamsters, funky looks and a rock-bottom price have helped catapult the Soul close to the top of Kia's sales since it debuted in 2009. Today, the company unveiled a redesigned Soul that may look similar to the current model but is bigger — slightly — inside and out.
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Styling is based on last year's Track'ster concept, which was a two-door we thought would make an interesting alternative to the Mini Cooper. Instead, Kia applied the look to the Soul and its broader audience.
2013 Kia Soul: Car Seat Check
Kids — and hamsters — may love the way Kia's compact, quirky Soul looks, but parents won't be impressed with the boxy hatchback's backseat. Stiff seat cushions obstruct its Latch anchors, and the car's tight confines complicated child-seat installation.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.
Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Kia Soul
Although popular culture has many convinced that the Kia Soul is only for the younger crowd and hip-hop hamsters, Cars.com reviewer Kristen Varela says the five-seat wagon's 2013 version has just about everything a family with children could want. The Soul's boxy shape translates to ample headroom, and that spaciousness extends to rear-passenger legroom. The Soul is zippy on the highway and maneuverable in tight spaces, making it great for running errands. Still, surprisingly limited cargo space and rough bump absorption at higher speeds are drawbacks. "Party Rock Anthem" playing on repeat is optional.
Kia to Unveil Crossover Concept, Superman Car at 2013 Chicago Auto Show
Kia's showing in Chicago next week will be a mix of concept, in the Kia Cross GT, and just plain conceptual, in its Superman-inspired Optima Hybrid. Both cars are set to be unveiled at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, which runs Feb. 9-18 at McCormick Place.
Kia released a sneak peak of the Cross GT concept this morning. The photo shows what appears to be a seven-seat crossover larger than the 2014 Kia Sorento. Kia describes the Cross GT concept as "inspired by nature, driven by technology" and stated that it "hints at the future of Kia’s design language in the form of a premium Crossover Utility Vehicle." We’ll have full coverage of the concept next week from the show.
Car Talk: What's the Ugliest Car?
Just as a person's beauty is only skin deep, a car's is in the eye of the pink-slip holder. Still, there's just no denying that some have a face only an owner could love. Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk" radio show, solicited input online to determine the ugliest automobile currently in production.
Based on the nominations received, the field was narrowed to 10: Chevrolet Spark, Fiat Multipla, Infiniti QX56, Kia Soul, Lincoln MKT, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Cube, Nissan Juke (photo above), Toyota Prius v and the Smart ForTwo. At last check, the Multipla was trouncing the uncomely competition with nearly 39% of the vote. Its nearest opponent is the Juke with nearly 26%; the balance of the nominees' vote tallies were in the single digits.
Is the Multipla being unfairly maligned in the face of an uglier opponent? Or perhaps you wish to contribute to the pile-on? Click here to cast your vote.
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December's Fastest- and Slowest-Selling Cars
Automakers won't report December sales results until later today, but we have data on the month's fastest and slowest sellers. The redesigned Toyota Avalon hit dealerships in the first week of December, and it stormed the fastest-selling list, with regular and hybrid versions averaging just eight days apiece on dealer lots. Shoppers moved toward the Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup truck, too. That’s likely a result of an improved construction market; November housing starts hit their second highest rate since mid-2008.
The redesigned Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, which hit dealerships in September, spent its third month among the fastest sellers; the new-for-2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek also marked its third month on the list. Of the 18 fastest-selling cars, 10 were repeat performers, with such regulars as the redesigned Subaru Impreza and new Scion FR-S. The Kia Soul's severe mileage downgrade doesn't seem to have sapped demand, and neither has the popular hatchback's age. It debuted way back in early 2009, but in December it placed among the fastest sellers for the third month in a row.
Black Friday: Best Cars for Serious Shoppers
A successful Black Friday shopping trip is all in the planning. Bargain hunters study store ads and websites as though they're cramming for a test, and now they have less time to do so as several major chains — Sears, Wal-Mart, Target and Toys R Us — will open their doors on Thanksgiving evening instead of 4 or 5 a.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving.
There's one thing that Black Friday shoppers can plan before the deal-laden store circulars arrive: which car to take.
Black Friday shoppers might think bigger is better — big SUVs, minivans — when it comes to picking a car for hauling all their bargains. They're not wrong, especially if they're hoping to bag a gigantic flat-screen TV at a low price. But nimble, small cars in busy parking lots shouldn't be left out of the Black Friday fun. Here are our top picks for Black Friday haulers.
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