The Kia Soul is a compact, mini MPV produced in South Korea for the global market. It was designed at Kia's design center in California, and unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Production began in late 2008, with the first vehicles appearing at European dealerships in February 2009 and North American dealerships in March 2009, as a 2010 model. The Soul comes in over 10,000 combinations of engines, colours, styling and accessories.
The North American version of the Soul is initially available with one of two inline four-cylinder gasoline engines. The base model is powered by a 1.6 litre unit producing 122 bhp (91 kW) and mated exclusively with a five-speed manual transmission. Higher trims feature a 2.0 litre unit producing 142 bhp (106 kW) connected to a standard five-speed manual transmission with a four-speed automatic available as a stand-alone option. A 1.6 litre diesel engine producing 128 bhp (95 kW) and 260 N·m (190 lb·ft) torque is offered in European models, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
The interior features two semi-bucket seats in the front. In the rear there are flat-folding seats that can be moved in order to increase storage space.
The Kia Soul will be sold with a four-speaker stereo system that includes a CD player, a USB port and Sirius Satellite Radio. Additional features available for upgrade include additional speakers, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and Bluetooth for hands-free connectivity.
There are many custom upgrades for the Kia Soul. These include 18" alloy wheels, cruise control, leather wrapped steering wheel, racing stripes, "dragon" and "houndstooth" graphics, and LED turn indicators.
Kia Soul earned Euro NCAP maximum five star safety rating. In 2009, According to Euro NCAP, The five star safety rating places Kia Soul among the safest B-segment family cars in the world. The Soul was awarded the maximum five star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). The Kia Soul awarded 'Top Safety Pick' from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the US.