Kia Soul on show in NYC

New Soul maintains familiar boxy shape New York - Arabstoday The Big Apple, perhaps America’s most iconic metropolis, has played host to the global unveiling of Kia Motors’ most iconic people mover, the all-new 2014 Soul urban utility vehicle, at the 113th New York International Auto Show. The signature Soul design is instantly recognisable yet thoroughly fresh, with more than a passing nod to the hot Track’ster concept that was unveiled last year. Riding on a new chassis that is stiffer, longer and wider, the all-new Soul has grown up without losing its edge, allowing for more passenger and cargo room while reducing NVH levels. Increased torque and signi?cant suspension upgrades make the 2014 Soul a nimble and agile companion in congested urban environments. Honouring Soul owners’ ?erce individualism, three unique trim levels will be available when US sales are expected to begin in the third quarter of this year: Base, Plus and Exclaim. Pricing will be announced closer to the Soul’s launch date. “When the ?rst Soul was introduced in 2009, everyone at Kia believed we had a hit on our hands, but we didn’t realize how big that hit was going to be,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice-president of marketing and communications at Kia Motors America (KMA). “The Soul moved the needle signi?cantly from a sales and marketing perspective, becoming one of our top-selling cars and inspiring the now-legendary hamster commercials. It was important that the all-new Soul remain true to the original iconic design while infusing it with improved driving dynamics and desirable features that add appeal, sophistication and value.” Keeping what made the current Soul special while addressing areas for improvement was no easy task. As the design team at Kia’s California studio began putting virtual pen to virtual paper, engineers in the US and Korea focused on making Soul a joy to drive. Starting with a solid foundation was a key factor, and the new body enjoys a 28.7 percent increase in torsional rigidity over the current Soul. With the hard points set, the all-new Soul was boiled down to three focus areas: Maintaining the iconic design while adding modern cues; providing premium features and content; and improving driving dynamics that would make the 2014 Soul more desirable than ever.