I DIDN’T quite “get” the original Soul. I mean, what was it supposed to be? Did Kia intend for us to buy a Soul in preference to an off-roader, a people carrier or a crossover? Or maybe it was just the oddest-looking hatchback since the Nissan Cube (the one that came with a pointless piece of shag-pile carpet for the dash and no one bought).
The Soul dispensed with the Nissan’s rug-in-the-freakin-cabin trick, but its rounded, upright contours still reminded me of a four-wheel marshmallow on stilts. Drivers had to suffer the brickbats of other drivers, like me, who didn't quite see what all the fuss was about.
The other night I drove home behind the new second generation Soul and, all of a sudden, I got it. The Soul isn’t a 4x4, an MPV, an awkwardly-styled hatch or even a crossover – it simply goes its own way. And, with prices from just £12,600, it’s an affordable choice for non-conformists everywhere.
The new one delivers even more dramatic style, greater space in a revitalised and higher-quality cabin, enhanced safety and sharper driving dynamics, thanks to a new chassis based on that of the Kia cee'd.
Kia says the original Soul went on to “become a top five car in its class” but no one seems quite sure which class that would be. Nevertheless, it sold very well in the US and China – the world’s largest car markets.
In 2012, he last full year the original model was in production, Kia sold almost 165,000 units, despite the arrival of several newer competitors.
The new model is positioned as a crossover so as to take advantage of the new Qashqai-inspired zeitgeist. Annual sales of this type of car in Western Europe are forecast to rise from around 380,000 in 2013 to more than 600,000 by 2015. Just over a quarter of buyers are British.
All versions are front-wheel-drive five-door crossovers - Kia research has shown that while buyers desire the appearance, semi-elevated driving position and perceived safety advantages of a 4x4, they do not want the higher fuel consumption and taxation that four-wheel drive entails when a decent set of winter tyres can do the job just as well.
As with the previous model, the new Soul offers buyers a choice of efficient 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol and turbodiesel engines tuned for flexibility. The diesel Soul has CO2 emissions as low as 132g/km and fuel economy as high as 56.5mpg.
Kia has already announced that towards the end of 2014 there will be a fully-electric version of the car, called Soul EV - the company's first global commercial EV - with zero tailpipe emissions. So, if you want the ultimate expression of individuality, it’s probably a good idea to wait for the battery-powered Soul.
Bigger, better-looking and cheaper to drive – I think I might just be sold on Kia’s crazy crossover. Just don’t tell a Soul.
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