A vehicle designed for urban traffic, the Kia Soul was unveiled to the public in 2008 at the Paris Auto Show and started selling in 2009.
The concept car was presented earlier in 2006 at the North American Internation Auto Show in Detroit.

With its unusual boxy design, the Kia Soul could’ve been either loved or hated, no in-between.

Based on the Hyundai i20’s platform, the Kia Soul was a lot taller and more rigid, offering a tough ride. While within city limits the small crossover did well, motorways were not its favorite place to be.

Offered with a choice of two engines both developing 126 hp, the Diesel was the most desired option, as the gasoline engine was a little lazy. A 5-speed manual transmission was standard, with the 1.6-liter diesel powerplant could be mated with an optional automatic gearbox.

The 5-door hatchback was available with a front-wheel drive system only and it offered great passenger space due to an unusual long wheelbase. While most vehicles in its class did not offer great storage capacity, the Soul’s trunk had a capacity of 340 liters, the same as the Kia C’eed.

Safety wise, the standard Kia Soul was equipped with optional electronic stability program, traction control, brake assistance, ABS, EBD and even a rear parking assist system.