Kia at the Paris motor show 2008

By James Foxall

02 October 2008 16:41

Kia is desperate to prove to the world that it has Soul. And it did so in the most obvious way in Paris with – you guessed it – some soul singers. Seven versions of the new urban crossover Soul were then revealed in production guise and a hybrid version made its debut too.

Tell me more about the Soul

Saying Kia’s new Soul supermini will rival the Mini for desirability is a touch extreme. But this is undoubtedly the most adventurous car the Koreans' have ever made. For something so tall it’s definitely stylish. And the high-mounted seats will help with visibility round town. Build quality is good and there’ll be a choice between 126bhp 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines. It’ll also be well equipped with air-con and a radio/CD player with MP3 connectivity.

What else is new on the Kia stand?

This stand is packed with Paris premieres. In its green zone there’s a petrol-electric hybrid Soul, the Ceed ‘Idle Stop&Go’ and a hybrid Ceed too. The firm also had a 100kW fuel cell electric version of its Sportage SUV.

CAR’s verdict: Kia at the Paris motor show 2008

Kia is definitely a company on the up and it knows it. Since Peter Schreyer took over as head of design a couple of years ago, the firm has become imbued with a new confidence. The interesting concept cars it’s been producing recently show its design is on the right track. Now it’s demonstrating the technology side of its machinery is making strides too.

CAR's Kia stand score: 4/5

Kia goes (dark) green

By Jesse Crosse

23 September 2008 11:00

Kia has unveiled a portfolio of new environmental technologies, including a 1.4-litre Ceed with stop-start (due in the UK in 2009), a Ceed hybrid and the latest version of its fuel cell-powered Sportage.

The Korean manufacturer is investing heavily in research and development and will increase its spend on R&D from £2.2 billion this year to £2.6 billion by 2010, combined with a 40 percent increase in manpower at its research centres around the globe.

What is Kia spending on?

The money is being spent on developing downsized, turbocharged engines, efficiency improvements to conventional engines such as friction reduction and the separation of accessories like water pumps from the engine. The electrification of the drivetrain is also seen as a priority together with stop-start, hybrid and fuel-cell powertrains.

New, low-rolling resistance tyres developed with Michelin are expected to shave 4g/km from the CO2 output of cars they are fitted to. We'll see them first on the Ceed ISG (Idle Stop and Go) in 2009.

Just where is all this R&D taking place?

Kia has R&D centres worldwide. 'At our Mabuk R&D centre in Korea, we have 250 people dedicated to environmental technologies alone,' said David Labrosse, manager for product planning in Europe.

Kia's main focus is on meeting the European Commission’s recommended fleet averages for CO2 of 130g/km for 2012. Beyond that, 'pulling the average down far enough for petrol engines alone will be difficult,' said Labrosse. With a further predicted reduction to 95g/km needed by 2020, Labrosse thinks the electrification of powertrains combined with increased diesel development will be essential.

And fuel cells?

Kia’s fuel cell programme, shared with parent company Hyundai, will move to the next phase when the current 80kW fuel cell stack is replaced by a 100kW (134hp) stack. Hydrogen storage tanks will be upped in pressure from 350bar to 700bar giving a range of up to 375 miles.

Kia Soul: more details and photos

By Tim Pollard

02 September 2008 09:37

Kia has issued some more details and photographs of its new tallboy supermini alternative, the Soul. Kia calls the Soul 'a segment-busting urban crossover' model, but we'd pigeonhole it as an intriguing new rival to the likes of the Honda Jazz and Vauxhall Meriva, with a small dose of Mini charm thrown in for good measure.

So what exactly is segment-busting about the Kia Soul?

Is Kia right to label the Soul its value answer to the Mini? We've seen the Soul concept cars in the metal and they are a refreshing take on the city car, blending the higher driving position of the mini-MPV with a chunky stance of a quasi SUV (Kia claims the ground clearance is 45mm higher than a conventional supermini). We even called the Soul a shrunken Qashqai on first acquaintance.

But at the end of the day, don't get too excited by all this marketing hype. The Soul is a five-door hatchback with a high roofline (at 1610mm), a long wheelbase and oodles of personalisation options (for that Mini/Fiat 500 vibe), but there's little to distinguish the Korean-built Soul mechanically.

The first models land in Europe in spring 2009, following an official debut at the 2008 Paris motor show; UK sales start in March 2009. Kia today confirmed that it will be available with 1.6 twin-cam petrol or diesel engines from the Ceed hatchback range, feeding drive through a choice of manual or auto transmissions.












Kia Soul: the engines in detail

Pick either engine choice and you'll bag a 124bhp motor – just delivered in markedly different styles. The diesel will feel the punchier of the two engines, developing a stout 188lb ft of pull from just 2000rpm.

The all-aluminium petrol engine produces an identical power output, but a more limp-wristed 115lb ft of torque. All Souls are front-wheel drive, so that 4x4 flavour is restricted to the styling. European buyers will be denied the 140bhp 2.0-litre model readied for the US market.

Kia Soul: the design chat

Gregory Guillaume, Kia's European chief designer, said: 'The experience of sitting in the Soul is unique. First impressions will make a big impact. Tall doors and high-mounted seats make for easy access and an airy interior, yet the ‘laid-back’ dashboard design, triple dial instrument cluster and thick-rimmed steering wheel create an unusual combination of spaciousness for passengers and cosiness for the driver generating a very special ambience.'

We'll know if he's right at the Paris motor show, kicking off on Thursday 2 October 2008. That's when we'll see the production Soul in the metal for the first time.