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rKia appeals to your 'Soul' with its new 2010 hatchback Bv LORNE DRURY M ETROLAND NEwsPAPERS CARGUIDE M AGAZINE Tbey say to succeed in business you have to, think'outside tbe box'. That may be true, but many auto- motive manufacturers seem to think being inside the box is the way to go tbese days. J ust take a look at the new breed of urban vebicles that are driving tbe boxy, square automotive design t0 entirely new levels. One of the most recent is Kia's 2010 Soul, the first Korean car to win a prestigious 'red dot' design award. Kia cais; the Soul an'urban passen- ger vebicle' but it really is a new take on the five-door hatchback or what is now referred to as a crossover vebicie- a wagon or sport utility-type body design on a car rather than truck- based platform. My colleague Jim -Robinson, 1 think described it best in bis first drive repoîrt tif the Soil, calling it 'basicalîx a small box for tbe engine and drive- train attached to a bigger box for peo- pie." He said the Soul is "one of the new breed of vehicles tbat are bigb on content, bigb on style, iow on price, and, well, square." The Soul, however, bas an all-new platform. witb a wbeelbase of 2,550 mm (100.4 in) and an overall lcngtb of 4,105 mm (161.6. in). It offers front- wheei drive and a fully independent front suspension witb MacPherson struts, coul springs. gas shock absorbers and stabilizer bar. At the back is a transverse torsion beam axIe witb trailing arms, coul spning sand gas sbock absorbers. [bis is ail aîmed at providing steer- ing stabiliîy, responsive bandling and passenger comfort. If you move up [rom the base level, somne models fea- turc a speirt-tuned suspension with firmer sprîngs, re-tuned sbock absorbers and a large front stabilizer bar for a sportier nide. Among the other 'boxy'designs out there are Nissan's new Cube along witb tbe Honda Element and tbe Scion xB, a Toyota brand tbat bas been sold in tbe U.S. for years but is finally cm ing to Canada for 2009. Designed by Kia's Soutbern California design tean, tbe Soul is meant to stand out from tbe crowd ABOVE: Kia is thinking inside the box with its new 2010 Soul five-dloor hatchback, one of the new breed of boxy small cars. Prices start aI $1 5,495, climbing to $22.195 for this 4u Burner mnode!. Right: The interior of the 2010 Kia Soul 4u Burner edition, featurîng a red/bîack colour combînation. There are four basic interior trîm combinations wîth the Burner beîng the topline. witb its edgy, angular look, unlike previotis Nia products tbat bave tended to blend in \vitb tbe comipettton. Tbe Soul bas a low, wîde stance wîîbh an angled fine around tbe windows and a rotndcd nose ,vitb Ilareel bead- lamps tbat seem to create an illusion ofi eyes and cyebrows at tbe front corners. Meanwbile Nia catis its grille a 'tiger moutb" dlesign and it adds tu tbe distinctive look. Priced from $15.495 tbe Soul is inteîîeed toi belli cbanîge tbe staid image of Nia's jîroducis, wh'ile ai tic saine lilhie offering valuie, îecbnology anel safets leaiucîrs iiîday's ciii- sumers are demanding. My recent tester was a top-îîl-tbe-lîne Socnl 2.0 4u Beirner mîîdel, prîcecl ai $22.195 anel Ieaiuriiîg a Iticr-specel autil matie transmissioin, power stioi, 18inteh ilîtx x tel and a funky "Beirner" intertot %vitb a sport reel/llac k iliieri- oîr ci)liur scbemei on tbe clasb, sîeerîng xxb-eel, diuir niietle ings and scats. Base etîgine is a I .6-litre 1)01 l itîlitie oicsllr making 122 bl) atîci1 IlV it oiI torquce inateci xxiii a li\s e speed inanual. "I-be resi tif lthe irim levels gel lte 2.0-litre DOI-C Imle locir-cvlinder tuait was iii my test vebte le. ti preiduces 142 b1î and 137 lb/lt of1 torquce \&itli eiîber a lîvce speed mianual tir futur sîîeed autonatic. The Seul got a gtiid xxirkiîtt iii a drive nirîli of lTrointo lu cottage coiuntry to visit lric'ncs. My wtveicl I 1sserc' able to get ail i)cr gear in tbe back witb one of tbe recir scats 0ld- ed fiat. lin neu sure boss niueb cargo vs uime ibat gavx Lics, but spees peut il ai 546 litres (19.3 cci h) xxitl tîte scats up and 1,511 litres (53.4 cu ft) witb tbenî foleled. Eveti \itb tbe larger 2.0-litre enigine, tlie Sot sittities striiggles in tbe po\sser categlîry particeilarx il a litîle extra .îoompbýh is t)eedcd foîr passitg oîr uti hlîtls counîtry' ruîacs iii cotitage cittinirs. I iîixx exr, tt)ust Sotils xxtIlI ltkcly sîtentie liete days i urban locales and îiox er xxvott be an issule. il'lic large exlîanse of glass iii ii so< ni eails excellent sisibilts Iruin aios auiltI angles- a real luts i cis\ clrtsng. 11e ltgli seatitg poisiitio ii xll licx \Ncl(ile e b\ tiatî cîrix ers. \\ hile tlie SoI i, iliiiible andîclas\ Ioi iliatiiciire ii thbe tiglu îtiar- tels loittte ii parkinîg lots. ()n ilie bigbx as., onece ais"l thie car is stablle atie fair- ly quit. I latielitig is cleceni lite sc1 a tilI x elic le ande ilîcre ix tille litii roll tit liard cortrt)tîg. xx Inhi svtit aictît likels iii clIo liii titeti in a cal like ibis aiN xx as. \V\Iliere it sîitîes is iii ibe itertiti eeîat ttuîei I liele' sý lots oii leg atî ceadeîoîîî, iotb Iflotît aîîd tear xxii b rîuîîm for fixe acîttts. Flie' titc'riir citaliti s a sicli alîeacl liiic eKit branci and thbe \sociig and)t s u tîî i tatt xx iii los e tilt lite aging. lieritilarix tbc' Breir elittion xxiii) itsrei ak colotir cotflhitt),titii. (ue tlîîeg nissing mx a l)îlsscinget cet)- ire armirest. xxiîiclî ili x tvic ltitie oliiti ti- trciii ntîcili -Filc driver gets a paddecl, Il1 lîxîarniresi, bossex-er. liczîcd sca,ît arýiesanodd on ail trou i levels, because as Kia says, 'this is Canada, baby!' [he dasbboard leatures a thee- gauge instrument cluster I-CD illumni- nation and a lloating centre stack with access to the AM/FM/( D/MP3 audio systern with Sirius satellite radio capa- bility. Among the standard features arc air conditioning, tilt steering wbeel, m power windows/door locks. and exter- > nial temrperature display The i1.6L Soul cornes only with the 0 z fix'e-speed manual and basic black ie rior. On the 2.0L, entry level is the 2u model, priced at $17,995 ($19.195 wîtb automatie) and featurîng the Soul logo) in the patternied clotb seats. Tbe 4u model adds i8-inch alloys, power tilt and sliding sunroof, premîum audio system and the sport-tuned suspension for $19,995 ($21,195 for automatîc). Tbe Retro model gives a beige/black interior combination at $20,695 ($21,895 for automatie), wbite the 4u Burner is prîced ai $20,995 ($22,195 for autoinatie) scrnmp on tbe Soul as six airbags are standard witb front, sîde and sîde aîrbags on ail trimi lexels pîlus front-seat anti-\wbiplasb beadiresis A,\B traction control and electronte stabitîti control cone on aIl mnodels excepi tbe entes- level 1.61 0I course. Nia's standard lise s ear, 100,000 kmi comprebensive \varrant\ ibat c overs virtualîs ex ersv tbîng on tbe vebicle cornes xxtb tbe Sotil along vot the peace of mmid of lise years of roitcl assistance tbrougbot Nortb \tnerca. O.ne ne.ît feaîurc tbat xxiii be a bit xx t the s ociniger set are tbe 1-1-1) iiioc speakers in tbe 4uî miolel ibat putise to the beat of tbhe iustc or add mioocl ltgliting to tbe cabin. Not ni\, st\lle.lut sur- to appeal bo tbc bîilpîeî croNcl. A nîttuiber ol clealer installel e\tras aic olletel xitt 1 allo\\- sou to exprcess sont Soti xx ith featres sttch as a rcar ssoiler. Iront skt pae klage. sîcle and rcar skirts. 18-imcl allos xhel andl the fieadligbit e iethat adds a sts le ac ccnt 10 tlit lîeaclgtgi design. A total ofl(60 accessories are available, iticlute- iitg chliotiiecces iocîs clccals andt ltpgtaclel geai slilt kiioli hi ail acîcs ttlio an eti ctting nie\s piac kage tîtat Nia bopes x ill lie itie st.trt of a x\ liole tit55. l)illc ittg lort ile Koreati atinaker.