The 2014 Kia Soul is all-new, but keeps its recognizable “box” shape and even takes some styling cues from the Track’ster concept that was unveiled last year.
The Kia Soul is one of the most popular models in the Kia lineup and for the 2014 model year Kia has completely redone the Soul. The 2014 Kia Soul is all-new, but keeps its recognizable “box” shape and even takes some styling cues from the Track’ster concept that was unveiled last year.
The 2014 Soul rides on a new chassis that is stiffer, longer and wider, giving it more passenger and cargo room while reducing NVH levels. The upright stance, squared shoulders and distinctive fender flares are instantly recognizable as Soul. It gets a longer 101.2-inch wheelbase (up 0.8 inches), overall width has increased to 70.9 inches (increased by 0.6 inches) and the same overall height of 63.4 inches. “The all-new Soul was one of the more difficult assignments we’ve taken on,” said Kearns. “Striking the right balance between the wonderful design of the current car with the audacious proportions and stance of the Track’ster was daunting. It proved to be a truly collaborative effort with guidance from Peter Schreyer in Frankfurt and assistance from our studio in Korea. In the end, we’ve kept the essence of Soul while infusing it with more presence inside and out.”
The Base Soul is powered by a 130-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 118 lb.-ft. of torque. The Plus and Exclaim models get the more powerful 2.0-liter engine that is rated at 164 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines have been tuned to provide more low-end torque (nine percent more torque at 1,500 rpm on the 2.0-liter; five percent more on 1.6-liter) for an improved around-town driving experience. The 1.6-liter engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic. The Plus model may be equipped with either transmission while the Exclaim is available exclusively with the six-speed automatic.
Other upgrades include an all-new chassis that is nearly 29 percent stiffer than before, an upgraded suspension, which should significantly improve the Soul’s driving dynamics.
“When the first Soul was introduced in 2009, everyone at Kia believed we had a hit on our hands, but we didn’t realize how big that hit was going to be,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of marketing and communications at Kia Motors America (KMA). “The Soul moved the needle significantly from a sales and marketing perspective, becoming one of our top-selling cars and inspiring the now-legendary hamster commercials. It was important that the all-new Soul remain true to the original iconic design while infusing it with improved driving dynamics and desirable features that add appeal, sophistication and value.”
The 2014 Kia Soul will arrive in the third quarter of this year.
