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Kia ups Uts image bbaring UtiSu By Jim Robinson Kia describes the overaîl desig Carguide Magazine ,. . ,."~ ~ - , as "tough flot rough." It looks ver Metroland Newspapers. urban, very "now" [rom any angl< For instance, tise rear taillights ai Ketowna: It's bip ro be square.' set high but they prorrude ot Canadians to, think about the 2010 Soul five-door now in deatersbips across the country Kia sees Soul as not just a new offering, but an image changer. Soul is one of the new breed of vehicles that are higb on content, high on style, Iow on price and, wetl, square. It's basically a small box for the engine and drivetrain attached to a bigger box for people. But what a box! Inside the cabin can be found Bluetootb connectivity, seat inserts that gtow in the dark and illumi- nated speakers that pulse witb the music. Equipped with everything avail- able like power roof, ABS with sta- bility control, outrageous "Burner" interior trim and spider-spoke alloy wbeels, you can't pay more than $22,195. In fact, pricing starts at $15,495. The box on wheels is not new. Ail cars of the 1920s were slab- sided. Post WWVII technology that allowed large metal panels to be sbaped and stamped took over except for generations of panel trucks which is what the Soul essentially is. The first time 1 noticed a return to, packing as many people and techno goodies into one compact, TORt Kia sees the square sided 2010 Soul as getting consumers bo start thinking outside the box about their image of the Korean carmaker. Common automotive practice in the 1 920s, the box remains the most eff i- cient way 10 combine versatility and utility. BOTTOM: The rear of the 2010 is very stylish with taillights set high and ai large liftgate that reveals a cargo area of 546 litres (19.3 cu ft) with the back seats upright and 1, 511 litres (53.4 cu ft> with them folded.ï square-sided package was at the Scion, a division of Toyota 1999 Tokyo Motor Show witb the that bas been selting the xB in the Honda Fuya-jo concept designed U.S. for years and is coming to for 'urban nigbt cruising" and thse Canada in 2009. Expected next is Neukom as a multi-purpose com- tbe Nissan Cube whicb describes it muter concept tbat morpbed into. perfectly. tbe Honda Element. Kia does not see Soul as a niche The first to capitalize on this product like Nissan and Toyota do concept of people moving was witb Scion and Cube. For years their economy cars could bc best described as cbeap and cheerful, not the image any car company wants in these hyper competitive rimes. Thus Soul is not jusr aimed at a broader customer base but is designed to show Kias can stitt be affordable but now bave sizzle. n y e. 't slightly trom the body instead of being flush like a Mazda5 or a Volvo wagon. The grille is what Kia catis its "tiger miouth" design, but 1 sc it as more pug-nosed with attitude. The wheels have truly been pushed out to the four corners, \lio- Pacific Rinm cars these days arc narross and tai to maximize interior volume. This is true of the Soul, but the boxy shape bides this well. its on> [rom dead astern that this is discernable. Power is eithcr a 1.6-litre DOHC inline four cytinder found on the hase version onty producing 122 hp and 115 lb/ft hooked up to a five-speed manual. The other tbree trim tevels get a 2.0-litre, DOHC, mInle four-cytinder mak- ing 142 hp and 137 tb/ft of torque with the five-specd manual or an optional four-speed automatic. Soul is a front-driver, atl-wheel- drive flot being offered. Fuel economy on the 1.6-litre is 7.7/6.3L1100 km (37/45 mpg) city/higbway For the 2.0-litre manual it is 8.6/6.5UI00 km (33/43 mpg) city/highway and for the automatic, 8.5/6.6L/100 km (33/43 mpg) city/bigbway. Suspension is MacStruts at the front and a twist beam axie at the rear. see KIA SOUL on page B14 ~Iw(Llnabian QEbamnpton SUPPLEMENT TO THE CANADIAN CHAMPION FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2009