2011 Kia Soul Plus

The Kia Soul, who shares its chassis with the Kia Rio, is Kia's entry into the "cool" economy car market. Entering the same market with such models as the Scion Xb and the Nissan Cube, it follows their formula of taking an economy car chassis and wrapping it in a cooler exterior, which has proven more desirable to younger buyers. This new styling was done under the supervisor of Peter Schreyer, who designed the Audi TT and is now Kia's Design Chief.

Both engines available on the Soul are very fuel efficient options. The base engine is a 1.6 liter four cylinder rated at 122 Hp with the upgrade engine making 142 HP from its 2.0 liter four cylinder. Transmission choices are a 5 speed stick or 4 speed auto, regardless of which engine is selected.

The Soul has many of the modern expected features such as standard traction control, stability control, and six airbags. Some of the features are themselves designed to lure the younger crowd, such as a hounds tooth interior and lights on the speakers which pulse to the beat of the music.