2011 KIA Soul Concept Uniques Modern Dynamic Compact CUV Car
Aimed squarely at and designed specifically for the young and young-at-heart, the 2011 Kia Soul continues to make a statement for the brand with its distinctive styling, a plethora of safety options and tremendous value. Soul still stands out from the crowd with modern, unique styling and for 2011 will offer consumers more personalization options than ever before. A true game-changer for the Kia brand, the Soul was the first vehicle launched under Kia Motors America’s (KMA) ongoing design-led transformation and the most aggressive new vehicle launch cycle in the automotive industry, which continues through 2011.
Soul has earned a trophy case full of prestigious awards and accolades since its launch, including earning a 2009 and 2010 “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), being a recipient of the “Best Family Cars for 2010” designation by Edmunds.com and Parents Magazine, recognized as “Best Hatchback of 2010” by Cars.com, achieving 2009 “Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000” status from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, being named to the 2010 Ward’s AutoWorld “Interior of the Year” list, being named one of the “Most Exciting Cars of 2010” by TIME.com. and recognition as the “Best Value” by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) for its combination of attractive pricing, long list of accessories and standard safety features.
2011 KIA Soul |
Available in four trims, Soul, Soul, Soul! (exclaim) and 2011 KIA Soul sport, pricing for the dynamic compact CUV begins at $13,300 for the base trim, offering standard convenience features, including air conditioning, power windows, door locks and mirrors, SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service and MP3 connectivity. The versatile five-door’s low, wide stance is paired with an angled window line, rounded nose and large flared-back headlamps, giving it a playful and youthful appearance. With a friendly face and exuberant personality, Soul is perfect for coastline drives or cruising downtown city streets, embodying the mantra “a new way to roll.”
The beltline rises from the front wheel arch to create a gentle wedge shape and continues under and around the rear side window. The rear is dominated by the vertical combination tail lamps set into the body color panel with clear outer lenses. The body and wheel arch crease line extends around the bumper for a tough, not rough, style matching the look of the front. Offering plenty of standard features, the Soul trim offers a chrome-accented grille, clear lens autooff headlamps, solar glass, black door handles and side mirrors, grip exterior door handles, black bodyside molding, rear wiper/washer, variable intermittent windshield wipers and 15-inch steel wheels fitted with P195/65R tires.
2011 KIA Soul |
Upgrading to the 2011 KIA Soul+ adds keyless remote entry with flip key, Bluetooth wireless technology,
privacy glass on the rear and rear side windows, body-color door handles and dual body-color power side
mirrors along with 16-inch alloy wheels with P205/55R tires. Soul+ also comes with optional front fog
lamps and a power sunroof. The Soul! adds as standard equipment a power sunroof, fog lamps and 18-inch alloy wheels paired with P225/45R tires. The dynamic 2011 KIA Soul sport builds off of the Soul+ features and adds unique body color front and rear fascias, side sills, rear spoiler, 18-inch alloy wheels and fog lamps, wholly personifying the athletic, urban look Soul embodies. Heated outside mirrors also are standard on the Soul! and Soul sport models.
Recipient of the Ward’s AutoWorld “Grooviest Interior” award for 2010, inside the cabin is where Soul really shows its power to surprise. For those who want a personal lounge on wheels or an efficient cargo carrier with 14 storage zones, Soul has it covered. While Soul offers a relatively small exterior, it offers a surprisingly spacious interior. Passengers will find comfort in the roomy cabin that offers 40.2/39.6 inches of headroom (front/rear), shoulder room of 55.2/55.1 inches, 42.1/39.0 inches of legroom and a passenger volume of 102.3 cubic feet. All five adult passengers will find ingress and egress simple and effortless, credited to tall doors and a high seating position, and each Soul has its own personality credited to multiple options for
interiors with different colors, fabrics and audio system packages available for selection.
2011 KIA Soul |
The New 2011 KIA Soul interior design is decidedly influenced by the car’s highly specified audio system. An uncluttered dashboard with a three-dial instrument cluster, LCD illumination and floating center stack
design is the key visual feature and offers enticing access to the AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted
with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities and three months complimentary service. Standard USB and
auxiliary input jacks also are in the center console with full iPod and MP3 controllability via the audio
head unit and steering wheel controls achieved with an optional accessory iPod cable. Improving the Soul’s interior look and feel, Soul features metal-finish accents that appear on the steering wheel, shift lever surround, air vents and speakers. The interior door panels also are enhanced with soft-touch perforated panels and padded door armrests.
Additional standard interior features that make the Soul stand out from the rest include air conditioning, tilt steering column, power door locks, illuminated window switches, power windows with driver’s side auto-down, external temperature display and digital clock in the radio, an upper storage bin, dual-level glove box, 12-volt power outlet, rear window defroster, cargo area light and a dome light with delay out. Soul is stylishly appointed with black cloth seats, adding to its comfortable interior. A 60/40 split-folding rear seat with headrest height adjustment offers multiple seating and cargo arrangements depending on driver and passenger needs. Soul+ offers additional standard features, including cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, hands-free Bluetooth wireless technology connectivity, dual 12-volt power outlets and tweeter speakers, all enhancing creature comforts on the road. Also standard on the Soul+ is a covered upper
storage bin, dual visor vanity mirrors with covers and dual map lights, while black cloth seats are adorned
with Soul logo inserts, further personalizing the cabin.
2011 KIA Soul is different, right down to its platform. With its own distinguished style, Soul features frontwheel drive, a high roofline and a wide, distinctive stance. Built with a wheelbase of 100.4 inches, an overall length of 161.6 inches, an overall width of 70.3 inches and overall height of 63.4 inches, the Soul offers a comfortable interior with roomy seating for up to five passengers. Constructed with more than 70 percent high-tensile-strength steel to enhance structural strength without adding a lot of weight, the Kiaengineered body achieves high torsional stiffness, benefiting handling, ride quality and refinement.
The New 2011 KIA Soul offers a smooth and spirited ride. Its 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which produces 122 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque. For those looking for a little more power, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is available with either the five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The latter engine produces 142 horsepower with 137 pound-feet of
torque, and is standard on Soul+, Soul! and Soul sport models. Fuel economy for the 1.6-liter manual
comes in at an impressive 26/31 mpg (city/highway) while the 2.0-liter offers a thrifty, fuel-sipping 24/30
mpg for both the automatic and manual transmissions.
Standard Kia Safety Features
All Soul models continue to offer the same high level of standard safety equipment as all Kia vehicles, offering a comprehensive list of safety features, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags8. An Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) also are standard, as are front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, impact-absorbing steering column and a Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system.
2011 KIA SOUL Prices MSRP $13,300 - $18,495