Kia Offers More Info, Images of Soul

Pigeonholed as a value carmaker, Kia is trying to break into people's car consciousness in a new way with the upcoming Soul, a boxy SUV that will compete with the Nissan Cube and Scion xB.

Kia has released more images of the Soul as well as some specifications in preparation for its coming-out party at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Kia said the Soul will be available in a front-engine, front-drive layout. At 161 inches long and 70 inches wide, it's shorter but wider than the xB, and standing 63 inches off the ground it's a bit taller as well. Its 100-inch wheelbase is also shorter than the xB's. No word on pricing yet. Unfortunately, car geeks will have to wait until April before it hits U.S. showrooms.

More pictures after the jump.

First Look: Kia's New Soul

Kia has released the first image of its production Soul. The compact hatchback will battle the Scion xB and Nissan Cube – which is also supposed to come to the U.S. next year. The Soul will be officially unveiled at the Paris auto show in October, but we finally got official confirmation that Kia is going to put it on sale.

This is a big deal for Kia. The company has been known as a value option for some time, but has offered little in terms of design or style to set it apart. Even if the Soul is just an average performer in the segment, its looks will still draw people into showrooms. There’s no word on when the Soul will go on sale in the U.S., or how much it will cost.

What do you think? Will Kia’s xB-fighter do well or fall flat? For more scrutiny check out a larger image of the production Soul in red below.