Filed under: Budget, Crossover, Hatchback, Kia, New Car Reviews
Proving "Base" Means Anything But These Days 
The
Soul is an unqualified hit. Sales of this playful econobox have increased year-over-year since it was introduced in 2009 as a 2010 model, with over 100,000 people bringing one home last year alone. In fact, the Soul was Kia's second-best-selling model in 2011 behind the
Sorento, beating out the critically acclaimed
Optima, gorgeous
Sportage and entry-level
Forte.
Not only is the Soul outperforming products in its own portfolio, it's also slaughtering what little competition there is out there that lines up straight against it. One could argue that the Soul competes with any sub-$20K five-door hatchback on the market, but most agree that buyers considering a Soul are also likely to check out the
Scion xB and
Nissan Cube. These three vehicles make up a tiny selection of boxy alternatives for people who shun the norm, but in just a few short years, the Soul has run away with the segment, accounting for 76-percent of its sales last year alone.
There are a number of reasons for the Soul's success, not the least of which is an award-winning marketing campaign that stars a
peace-keeping troop of intergalactic breakdancing hamsters. Aside from rhythmically inclined rodents, the Soul has achieved what the xB and Cube haven't because its unorthodoxy ends long before alienation sets in. A lot of people just find it charming, and it covers the basics of A-to-B transportation as well as any other vehicle with a starting price below $14,000.
But the Soul wasn't perfect, as evidenced by the
number of upgrades it received for the 2012 model year. With new styling tweaks inside and out, new and updated engines and transmissions along with additional features, the 2012 Kia Soul is a lot newer than one would expect of a vehicle just three years old. And while normally automakers are prone to sending out loaded models to review, Kia was confident enough to deliver us this Base 1.6L model for a week-long test.
Continue reading 2012 Kia Soul 1.6L Eco
2012 Kia Soul 1.6L Eco originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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