Kia soul all wheel drive. KIA Soul NEW (New KIA Soul). Options and prices

New list available configurations Part 2 of the Kia Soul is classified and will become known only in the summer of 2014. This car is designed for family trips outside the city and into nature. Let us remind you that the previous version of the Kia Soul all-wheel drive cost buyers 650,000 rubles.

Kia Soul all-wheel drive price in the USA was 15,000 dollars. This model in the USA is recognized as one of the best of 2013. Many families who had an average income bought this particular car, due to the fact that the cost of servicing the car was minimal.

If we talk about safety and control, then all the brakes on this version remain disc, despite the new modernization in 2014. The old electric power steering helps with steering, this will allow the driver to feel confident on the roads of the American open spaces. If we talk European version, then the Kia Soul full-wheel drive version will be driven by the Germans, French and Italians. These are the first countries that have signed an agreement with the South Korean company on the supply of cars from assembly lines on an ongoing basis.

All-wheel drive with a price of 16 thousand euros of this model can be seen today in Germany.

The spaciousness of the interior is very pleasing to the eye, and not only the eye, but just the whole body; comfort is off the charts in this car, especially if you are taller than 185 centimeters. For a city, a car can be considered one of best models, which was introduced recently. After all, this car showed itself at the level, and you can safely forget all the chatter about low-quality materials or bad suspension, this is not so.

The generation of Souls is so expensive in car dealerships that it is difficult to distinguish them, but despite this, the price between the new and old generations is not much different. This does not attract buyers much, especially if we are talking about the second model, the new 2014 Soul.

However, Soul continues to delight with its highlights, back door began to open as much as 6 centimeters more, the seats began to easily fold forward. The new information system can be seen on an 8-inch screen. The interior of the car can easily be called the new Soul style, and this is another detail that can be included in the highlights of 2014. We hope that in the future this brand and this model will delight us with their cars and future technologies in the automotive industry.

Beginning from the moment the first generation Soul debuted at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, fierce debate began in the expert community about what level of automotive classification this Korean-Californian miracle should be placed on. Actually, they began two years earlier, after the auto show in Detroit, where the Californian design studio Kia, led by Mike Torpey, showed its brainchild called the Kia Soul Concept. Torpey himself explained that when creating the appearance of the car, he was inspired by the image of a wild boar with a backpack. This idea was inspired by a documentary film by Korean filmmakers about the life of wild boars in nature and a story about the place the wild boar occupies in Korean culture and folklore. Well, he saw primarily American yuppies, young urban professionals, as the main target audience.

So, the Koreans themselves called what happened “a compact urban crossover (read: SUV”), some saw it as just a front-wheel drive station wagon, some saw it as a hatchback, and some even decided that what they saw in front of them was minivan. However, as the Russian proverb says, “even if you call it a pot, just don’t put it in the stove”... This very American “Young, Urban, Professional” liked the car quite well, and although the press pecked at it for its “rough ride and plastic interior”, in In the first year, 31,621 Kia Souls were sold in the United States alone. At the same time, in 2009, Soul (to which maestro Peter Schreier had already applied several final touches, including the famous “tiger nose”) came to Russia. The following year, 2010, the number of crossovers sold in the United States increased to 67,110, and by 2012 it reached 115,778!

Puppies growing up

And then it was time for the second generation of the model to be born. One can only applaud the designers of the brand: they coped with the task of creating absolutely new car on a different platform (the first generation Soul was built on the Hyundai-Kia FF platform, and the second - PB), but completely retained the image invented by Mike Torpey. Which one - choose for yourself: a city armored car, a wild boar with a backpack... You can come up with something yourself. Personally, I associate Kia Soul with a St. Bernard puppy: a kind of charming, mischievous and cheerful muscular block. I perceived the first generation in approximately the same way, but “during the journey the dog was able to grow up”: the puppy retained its lively character, while clearly gaining more solidity. The sides were rounded, the sharp stamping that stretched from the rear pillar to the top edge front arch. The shape of the front and rear lighting equipment has changed (although tail lights still occupy the entire height of the rear pillars, from the roof to the level of the arches), bumpers, rear door...

The dimensions have also increased, albeit very slightly: length and wheelbase increased by 20 mm, width - by 15, height - only by 5. But this turned out to be enough to make the cabin significantly more spacious, and the trunk volume increased from a ridiculous 222 to a completely acceptable 354 liters. Roughly speaking, if earlier you could stuff a sports bag with clothes for fitness and a “diplomat” with which you will go to work from the gym into the luggage compartment, now a young family can safely go on a short trip, loading everything they need into a couple of suitcases . At the same time, what’s nice is that for all the little things you need on the road (rags, brushes, wires for lighting, a compressor and a set of car cosmetics) there is a place in the organizer under the trunk floor. Naturally, in order to get to the spare tire in the event of a puncture, the organizer will have to be removed. Naturally, there is also a handle that allows you to close the fifth door without getting your hands dirty, and access to the lock of this door from the inside. And you never know what the situation will be...

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Squaring a circle

The main design feature of the Soul since the first generation has been the contrast between external “cubism” and internal roundness. It must be said that the harmonious combination of square and round has always been a difficult task, and it is no coincidence that master machine operators and virtuosos of artistic chainsaw carving prove their skills by making a “ball in a cube” in front of an admiring audience.

So, the main tool when designing the Soul’s interior was clearly a compass, a ruler, and a huge set of patterns for drawing ideal connections between straight lines and circles.

Look at the plastic of the front panel, at the elegant oval niche in which the automatic transmission selector sits (with a knob in the form of a sports “ball”), at the round blocks of control keys on the steering wheel spokes, at the shape of the stampings on the lining of the inner surfaces of the door. The round grilles of the audio system speakers (the ones in the doors have built-in light and music rings, and those located under the windshield are crowned with peculiar round turrets, the walls of which are fan grilles). Take a look and you will agree that this is great.

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Cute, comfortable and practical

But the Soul's interior is not only attractive, it's also comfortable and practical. Ergonomics are excellent; with my height of 182 cm, I got comfortable behind the wheel without any problems, and there was still room for the rear passengers. The interior space can be perceived in any way, but not as “plastic”: firstly, there are a lot of soft elements in the cabin, and secondly, even the hard ones are made of very high-quality plastic.

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Automatic windows are installed on both the left and right doors, driver's seat equipped with electric drives, and it has 10 degrees of freedom. This, of course, applies to the Premium package, which we tested, but you will find among compact crossovers at least one model for which, at a price of 1,361,000 rubles, a similar set of life amenities would be offered, including a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, a full range of “warm options” (including heated steering wheel, front and rear seats, windshield in the parking area for brushes, side mirrors and windshield washer nozzles), as well as a slightly stripped-down set electronic assistants: there is a system of assistance when leaving the parking lot in reverse RCTA (the young ladies will love it), there is blind spot monitoring, but where logically there could be a lane control system, there is a plug.

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Chocolate for homo gadgeticus

From the point of view of the modern “homo gadgeticus” (which, without a doubt, is the vast majority of young urban professionals these days), everything also looks quite chocolatey. The JBL media system is distinguished not only by quite decent sound and the possibility of unobtrusive light and music accompaniment, a large 8-inch touch screen and built-in navigation, but also by the availability of packages Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

As you know, the integration of smartphones with a media system using these packages requires a double connection mobile devices- via Bluetooth and using a USB cable. Manufacturers often hide USB slots in some hard-to-reach niches, in a box armrest, or somewhere else... But in the Soul, the slot is placed on the center console and is available at any time. Well, for recharging there is a whole set of sockets: there is an socket in the trunk (where else to connect the car refrigerator if you are going to go on a picnic with barbecue), there are additional “charging” connectors that will be convenient for rear passengers to use - they are located inside on the rear wall armrest box. In general, “no one leaves uncharged”...

Soul by Jimmy Hammond

But now you approach the car, open the door (at your disposal is the Smart Key keyless entry system and push-button engine start), your hands rest on the steering wheel, covered with excellent leather... Soul is not trying to pretend to be a super athlete, but the steering wheel is really very comfortable and literally “ gets stuck" in your hands. Now turn on the music. By the way, which station should I choose? Rock is too hard, symphonic classics are not the topic at all, but “Radio Jazz” is just what you need, especially if they play something from soul-jazz with its African spirituality, rapidly twisting melodies and repeating rhythmic samples . Say Jimmy "Hammond" Smith or Ron Levy. Oh, Jimmy Hammond's Shifting Gears is one hundred percent on point! The automatic selector is in “drive” - let’s go, let him switch...

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Average fuel consumption per 100 km

On the move, the Soul lives up to its name and appearance. It drives quite cheerfully, although, it seems, 10.2 seconds to a hundred is not God knows what. The combination of a fairly high-torque (of course, for a petrol four) engine, a large wheelbase, a short body and classic hydromechanics allows you to drive very actively and energetically, without switching to “Sport” or trying to change gears manually. It must be said that after Albert Biermann, who worked for a long time as chief engineer, joined the concern sports division BMW M, new suspension Kia models and Hyundai has become much more collected. The power steering is also well tuned, and the steering wheel itself is quite sharp, only 2.85 turns from lock to lock, with a clear and understandable “zero”. The situation with feedback is somewhat worse, but in difficult situations systems come into play active safety: ABS (well, this system is not currently available except on Malay jeepneys and Thai tuk-tuks), ESC (which can, in principle, be turned off), assistance system emergency braking(BAS) and integrated system active control(VSM).

Well, what kind of crossover are you?

However, the ideal balance of handling, comfort and energy consumption is still far away, especially if the car is on low-profile tires with 18-inch wheels... In any case, when driving over speed bumps rear axle Soul bucks pretty hard. For the same reason, you need to be very careful when driving onto a dirt road or grader. Again, all-wheel drive Soul does not and, as company representatives say, will not have one. Plus, the model can be considered a crossover only nominally: yes, it has bumpers and side skirts plastic protection, yes, the Soul has small overhangs, which means decent approach and departure angles. But the arches are not protected by anything, and ground clearance in the second generation it decreased from 164 to 153 mm, and this is less than some passenger cars that in no way pretend to be “crossover”.

KIA Soul- a unique car, which, due to its design and dimensional features, does not have a clear classification.

For example, in Russia part automotive experts classifies the Soul as a hatchback, others consider it a compact B-class SUV, and some even see in it the features of a minivan.

Overseas, it is customary to classify the KIA Soul as a mini-SUV or call it a compact station wagon.

KIA Soul is exclusively a front-wheel drive car. But it can boast of a roomy (for its size) five-seater interior and an interesting design (worked on by the German specialist Peter Schreyer, who once designed the Audi TT and VW Golf IV generation).

Debut, recognition, awards

The Soul was first shown to the public in the fall of 2008 during the Paris Motor Show, where the attractive new product immediately attracted increased attention.

Already in November of the same year, sales of “Soul” started in South Korea, then (in February 2009) it was Europe’s turn, but the Korean reached the North American market, where Soul “shot” especially successfully, only in April 2009.

The start of work on the Soul became known in 2005, when designer Mike Torpey, who had recently joined the California design department of the Korean auto giant, went on a business trip to Seoul to brainstorm ideas for a new car. It was he who suggested taking inspiration from wild boars, which have important cultural significance for Korea, and drew the first cartoon sketch, which formed the basis for the future design of Soul, which was later brought to marketable form by Peter Schreyer, who joined the company.

At the same time, the developers did not limit themselves to one concept:

in 2006, the KIA Soul Concept (partially inspired by another concept car, the KIA Mesa) was introduced in Detroit.
in the spring of 2008 in Geneva, the public was shown three options at once: Soul Burner, Soul Diva and Soul Searcher.

The millionth KIA Soul was sold in 2015, with the Soul's main market being the USA, where more than 100,000 cars of this model have been sold annually since 2011.

The name Soul literally means “soul”, but in it you can also hear a modified pronunciation of the name of the capital South Korea- Seoul.

And yet, most likely, the basis was the first version of the origin of the name, since it most closely correlates with Schreyer’s desire to bring new KIA cars more emotionality, sincerity and national traits of Korean culture.

1st generation (2009-2013)

The first generation of Soul is built on the Hyundai-Kia PB platform (which is also used on Hyundai cars i20, Hyundai ix20, KIA Venga, KIA Rio III generation).

In Russia, sales of the KIA Soul started in March 2009 and the Korean new product had to compete with a fairly large list of cars: Suzuki SX4, Nissan Note, Fiat Sedici and even Citroen C3 Picasso. At the same time, Soul had a very important advantage over all key rivals - excellent geometric cross-country ability (due to short front and rear overhangs).

Exterior

The first generation KIA Soul received a recognizable appearance with large head optics, a sharply “chopped off” stern and glazing narrowed towards the rear.

The car was positioned, first of all, as a youth car - therefore, its design initially contained enormous opportunities for individualization:

11 color options,
optional chrome body trims,
a wide selection of factory designer stickers and designs for airbrushing,
quite a large list of stamped and light alloy rims sizes 15, 16 and 18 inches.

Dimensional KIA dimensions Soul I are very compact:

Length – 4106 mm
Width – 1786 mm
Height – 1610 mm (1660 mm including roof rails)
Wheelbase – 2550 mm
Wheel track – 1570 mm front and 1575 mm rear
Loading height - 780 mm

Curb weight of the vehicle is ≈1240 kg (±50 kg, depending on the version and equipment). Acceptable gross weight is ≈1700 kg.

In April 2011, the KIA Soul underwent restyling, as part of which it received updated bumpers, a straightened radiator grille, redrawn optics, LED DRLs and new taillights.

As a result of these updates, the overall length of the Soul has grown to 4120 mm (+15 mm), and the minimum curb weight of the version for the Russian market has increased from 1170 kg to 1245 kg.

Interior

Initially, the first generation KIA Soul had three basic interior trim options, which could be supplemented with many small gadgets to customize the individual appearance, including various mood lighting options.

And after restyling in 2011, the list significantly expanded color ranges painting of interior elements, it became possible to order upholstery in Clean Touch dirt-repellent fabric, and new equipment options were added to increase the comfort and safety of the interior.

The rear axle of the KIA Soul shifted back allowed the developers to increase the free legroom for passengers in the second row of seats, but this on the one hand, a plus at the same time turned into a minus: the useful volume of the trunk was significantly reduced, amounting to only 222 liters without taking into account the niche for the spare wheel. With the rear seat folded down, luggage volume increases to 700 liters.

Specifications

IN Russia KIA The first generation Soul was sold with two powertrain options:

During the restyling, both engines were slightly modernized, in particular by changing the fuel supply system, and supplemented with new gearboxes, as a result of which some performance characteristics changed:

It is worth adding that in other markets, different engines were used under the hood of the KIA Soul. In particular, the Gamma i4 (1.6 liters / 122 hp) and Beta II i4 (2.0 liters / 142 hp) petrol units, later replaced by more economical Gamma GDI engines (with 138 hp output). s.) and Nu i4 (power 164 hp).

Speed and dynamics

Depending on the engine, the first generation KIA Soul demonstrated different speed capabilities:

Design features

The first generation KIA Soul is equipped with a front independent suspension based on MacPherson struts and a rear semi-independent suspension with a torsion beam.

In the “base”, the front axle wheels have ventilated disc brakes, and the rear wheels are equipped with drum brakes (which could optionally be replaced with disc brakes).

Rack and pinion steering KIA management Soul is equipped with an electric booster.

Safety

The first generation of KIA Soul, at one time, was recognized as one of the safest cars in the compact class.

In Euro NCAP crash tests in 2009, the “first Soul” received the highest rating of five stars.
This car also earned high marks in the Australian ANCAP crash tests.
Also according to the American Institute road safety(IIHS) received a high rating - “Top Safety Pick”.

Flaws

On Russian versions Experts and owners named the first generation KIA Soul as key disadvantages:

low quality of paintwork on body panels,
very poor level of cabin sound insulation,
poor basic equipment (compared to its closest competitors),
very stiff suspension settings.

Special versions

The first generation of Soul, in addition to production versions, was also produced in several versions with limited production volumes. All of them were sold in 2009–2010, mainly in the USA.

The modification received thematic airbrushing throughout the body, 18-inch wheels of a special design and other minor exterior improvements.

Interesting fact: In the wake of general interest in the first generation KIA Soul, various third-party proposals periodically appeared for the further development of the Soul family. One of the most popular options was the KIA Soul Drop Top Convertible, which went viral on the Internet in 2012.

Despite the rather nice appearance and attractive idea, KIA did not hear the prayers of Soul fans and did not release the convertible.

Options in Russia

Initially basic KIA equipment Soul in Russia had a “Comfort” version, which included:

16-inch alloy wheels with tires 205/55 R16
Fog lights
Electric drive and heated front mirrors
Adjustable steering column
Fabric interior
Height-adjustable driver's seat
Electric windows
Heated front seats
Front airbags
ABS+EBD systems
Air conditioner
Multimedia with CD player and 6 speakers
On-board computer
Immobilizer
Spare wheel on stamped steel disc

After restyling, a less equipped “Classic” version appeared, which took the place of the initial one. In it, the Koreans replaced alloy wheels with stamped ones measuring 15 inches, and also removed the front foglights and height adjustment of the driver’s seat.

In the top-end “Luxe” version, the first generation KIA Soul was additionally equipped with:

Central lock
Side airbags and curtain airbags
Active headrest
Parktronic
ESP and HAC systems
Automatic door lock when driving
Climate control
Self-dimming rear view mirror

2nd generation (2014-2019)

The second generation of the KIA Soul was completely declassified in September 2013 (at the Frankfurt Motor Show), while the first piece of information about the European version of the car appeared online on the 20th of August.

KIA Soul II in the “North American” version is slightly different from the “European” version: redesigned optics, minor changes in the design of the bumpers and the level of equipment of the trim levels.

Sales in Europe started at the beginning of 2014. The production of the “second Soul” for the Russian market was organized at the Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad.

The second generation KIA Soul is based on a trolley from hatchback KIA Cee’d, which made it possible to increase both external dimensions car, and increase the amount of free space inside the cabin.

At the same time, Soul retained the key advantage of its predecessor over numerous competitors - excellent geometric cross-country ability.

Exterior

The appearance of the 2nd generation KIA Soul was modified based on the KIA Track’ster concept car, shown in February 2012. The contours of the bumpers, the location of the foglights and air intakes were inherited from the 2nd generation Soul show car. In general, the design (on which Peter Schreyer also worked) has evolved, retaining the recognizable features of its predecessor, but at the same time becoming even more youthful and stylish.

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There are also extensive opportunities for individualization. Already at the start of sales, the second Soul received four wheel designs and a variety of body paint colors, including particularly attractive two-tone options.

Like its predecessor, the 2nd generation KIA Soul received the prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2014, and also received the iF Product Design Award in 2014 and 2016.

The transition to a new generation was reflected in the dimensions of the “Soul”, which, albeit slightly, have grown:

Length – 4141 mm (+35 mm)
Width – 1800 mm (+14 mm)
Height – 1615 mm (+5 mm)
Wheelbase – 2570 mm (+20 mm)
Wheel track – 1570 mm front (+4 mm) and 1588 mm rear (+13 mm)
Ground clearance (clearance) – 164 mm
Loading height – 780 mm

Legroom, 1/2 row mm – 1040/994
Distance from ceiling to seat, 1/2 row mm – 1006/1003
Width at shoulder level, 1/2 row mm – 1410/1390

The curb weight of the second generation model is ≈1350 kg (±70 kg, depending on the equipment option). Maximum permissible weight≈1485 kg (±60 kg).

In February 2017, a restyled version of the second generation KIA Soul entered the Russian market.

The dimensions have also changed slightly:

Interior

Like the exterior, the interior of the second generation Soul retained the same concept, but became noticeably more modern and technologically advanced.

The design of the front panel is still dominated by roundness and smooth lines, but its content has become noticeably more ergonomic and thoughtful. However, the main advantage of the interior of the 2nd KIA Soul over its predecessor is the increased amount of free space. For example, in the second row, passengers were given more freedom in their legs, above their heads and even in their shoulders, which, of course, had a positive effect on comfort, especially on long trips.

The Koreans took into account the mistakes of the past and noticeably improved the build quality, at the same time introducing more soft plastic and other modern materials, as well as replacing the harsh seat filler.

Another important change is improved visibility (due to adjustments to the driver's seating angle, modernization of windshield wipers, thin windshield pillars and large side mirrors).

As for the trunk, its useful volume in the second generation increased to 354 liters.

An organizer with three compartments is located under the floor, and a removable flashlight appears on the side wall.

Specifications

Initially in Russia, the second generation KIA Soul was offered with two petrol and one diesel engines(known from the first generation, but received a number of modifications in order to increase efficiency).

As part of the 2017 restyling, the little-demanded diesel engine was removed from the list of power units, but it was replenished with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine and a 1.6-liter turbo engine (designed for the KIA Soul GT version).