To earn a top safety pick a vehicle must get top ratings in front, side, and rear tests. They must also be equipped with electronic stability control. While none of these things make a car any more fun to drive, they certainly make them more comforting to crash. The Insight and Prius were sort of givens and we're not altogether surprised about the Soul as it competes with the Honda Fit and Scion XB, both of which won the award last year.

The IIHS was kind enough to include some Kia Soul and Honda Insight carnage, which you can view below.

<img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/stills/insight_front_jalopnik.flv.jpg"

The ATHF'd Kia Soul is part of what we'd consider one of the most well thought out and executed marketing strategies we've seen in years. Considering Cartoon Network's late-night Adult Swim programming appeals to mid-twenties/early thirties n'er-do-wells with a sense for the hip and clever, they're hitting the Soul's target audience right in the gut with this ad buy. Of course, considering sales on past box-UV's like the Scion xB they'd be just as well-off purchasing time around Matlock marathons on the Hallmark Channel.

In any case, the little Soul has been properly festooned in urban-chic artwork by an Atlanta-based graffiti artist named Hense and will be given away by some method to be unveiled on June 1st. Not sure if it's as cool as a free Ford Fiesta with a no-limit gas card for six months, but we sure wouldn't turn it down. Details and more video can be found at Adult Swim.com.

Ooooh hahahaha! Look, Kia worked up a HILARIOUS press release and images of a totally outlandish Kia Soul! They are sooooo hip and clever! Everyone, rush out at buy one of their new products because they are so with it. Photoshopping stupid body work onto an otherwise noteworthy, cheap, but utilitarian vehicle is a perfectly good way to spend man hours.

We'll just be in our boxers, standing on the proverbial porch of the internet shaking our fist at those damn kids on our lawn for the next two days.

Silly details below:

[Source: Kia]

Hands-free Bluetooth connectivity, iPod/USB integration, satellite radio, ABS, disc brakes all around, A/C and a full suite of airbags are just some of the features standard on 95% of all Souls going to market.

The $13,300 base Kia Soul gets a 1.6-liter inline-four capable of putting out 122 HP and 115 lb-ft of torque, while the higher-end models get the 2.0-liter inline-four good for 142 HP and 137 lb-ft. All cars come standard with a five-speed manual and have the option of a four-speed automatic. The car's "+" trim adds 16-inch wheels and added control for $14,950, while the Sport and Exclaim go up to $16,950 and add 18-inch alloy wheels, more interior options and a larger six-speaker stereo.

The sportiest model is differentiated by a thicker anti roll bar, imperceptibly mild suspension tune and metal pedals. Even with the larger motor, the Kia Soul isn't about performance. With the five-speed, 2.0-liter fourbanger and a little luck or skill you can achieve a 0-to-60 MPH time in the low eight-second range.

To the average Kia buyer, what's going on inside the car is more important than performance. If space is a key component, the 53.4 cubic feet of interior cargo space with the rear seats down may be an issue (the xB has 69.9 cubic feet, the Cube 58.1), though the under-floor storage is a nice touch. For customers concerned with style and comfort, the Soul may actually win them over with its larger seats, reasonable space and funky-yet-intuitive dash complete with a crystal clear display.

The idea behind the Kia Soul is to separate the brand's future from a past marked by crappy products produced at a low cost. We have no problem claiming this is the best-designed Kia because, for the first time, it looks like someone has actually taken the time to design one. The brainchild of the company's California-based design center, this is one Kia that doesn't feel like a Korean cast-off.

It's hard to stand out in Miami given the abundance of partially undressed woman and white Lamborghinis, yet the Kia garnered a disproportionate amount of attention and not just because we were driving like tourists. It looks different. And for an economy car, with the stick shift and comically oversized 18-inch wheels, it actually drives like something just a little different, offering quicker-than-expected steering and less-than-expected lean when really pushing it.

If you're in the market for a fun compact car you'll love, the Soul isn't your best option. If you're in the market for a cheap Korean compact car you won't hate, the Soul may be your only option.

The Kia Soul'Ster is a nice looking, but ultimately useless concept car based on the well designed and totally functional four-door, segment-bending Kia Soul. Think of it as a smaller, front wheel drive, urban version of the Jeep Wrangler. The Soul'Ster gets the camino-treatment as the rear doors and roof are chopped off and a slanted roll top fabric roof with extremely limited head room. The styling is very common with the Soul, but the characteristics have been stretched or pinched for a more aggressive look with the concept.

It does get a set of rear seats which are cantilevered from the center console and a funky-fresh interior treatment the interior kids will like. It comes complete with all of todays expected in-car distractions like A set of beefier tires mounted on fancy one-off wheels finishes things off and squarely puts it into the California scenester target demo. They served us fish tacos and Corona after the press event was over, if that's any indication of where this concept is aimed at. Despite all that, what we have here is essentially a shrunken version of your friends old Ford Bronco with less space and none of the capabilities.

KIA MOTORS AMERICA SHOWCASES THE SOUL’STER CONCEPT AT
2009 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
Open-Air Concept Heats Up the Show

Distinctive design portrays style, practicality and efficiency
Kia Motors America design team delivers another high-style concept

DETROIT, Jan. 11, 2009 – Bringing a sunny beach feeling into Cobo Center on a cold day in January, Kia Motors America (KMA) arrives at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit with the Soul’ster open-air concept, a variation of the highly anticipated Soul, arriving at Kia Motors retailers this spring. With young buyers’ budgets in mind, the Soul’ster is an efficient front-drive car based on the production model Soul, recently introduced at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.
“Soul’ster delivers something new, intriguing and relevant to today’s buyers – a fun, affordable convertible for active people who like to share good times with friends,” said Tom Kearns, chief designer, KMA. “Defying categorization and providing utility and practicality, the Soul’ster exhibits distinctive design cues and satisfies multiple consumer needs.”

Stylin’ Soul’r Yellow Design
A two-door concept with roadster roots, the brightly colored Soul’r yellow Soul’ster projects a hip industrial look with screw borders, reminiscent of a rivet design found on a fighter jet. The windshield is shortened for a sportier and hunkered down appearance. A two-piece top enables passengers to expose the front and back seating areas independently, using elbow-grease technology. The roll bar serves a dual purpose and includes a place for the slider tracks, while providing protection not found in traditional convertibles.

With a unique face, Soul’ster has a tough but refined character. The toughness is expressed through details like the anodized skid-pad insert, which matches the fender vents, roll bar header and wheels.

-more-

Soul’ster’s attitude incorporates lighting that shines through with an amber glow under the headlamps. The side vents, side-mirror turn signals, unique LED headlamps, fog and tail lamps incorporate blue shades.

The energetic, distinctive look carries from front to rear with dual chrome exhaust and polished aluminum exhaust tips featuring carbon-fiber interior sleeves. The large 19-inch, five-spoke aluminum alloy wheels perfect the Soul’ster’s appearance. Regardless of Soul’ster being viewed from front, back or side, it offers innovative perspectives derived from the original Soul.

Inside Out
Once inside, Soul’ster takes even more progressive variations from Soul beginning with the new four-passenger seating design, a diversion from Soul’s five-passenger arrangement, lending spacious versatility for long summer weekends. The surprisingly flexible Soul’ster provides real seating for two in the front with comfortable seating for two more adults in the back. Fold-flat passenger and rear seats combined with ample headroom make this the perfect car for social outings outdoors and on the beach with friends. Making basic features hot, its crank-up windows are a purposefully key interior design element as are the dashboard-integrated audio speakers.

Adding to the edgy design scheme, the non-floor-mounted cantilevered seats project the illusion of being suspended in space when viewed from the side allowing for increased rear legroom. Storage compartments below each of the fold-flat rear seats, offer room for myriad cargo needs. In addition to the spacious cargo area, dual storage compartments also can be found in the rear and underneath the cargo hold area.

All Revved Up
With young buyers in mind, Soul’ster offers an agile, smooth and spirited ride. As with its Soul cousin, Soul’ster’s can be made available with a myriad of engine choices depending upon each market’s needs. A 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which produces approximately 120 horsepower. 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, producing approximately 140 horsepower. Fuel economy for both engines is estimated at 30 or more miles per gallon. Other markets might choose the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 124 horsepower or a 1.6-liter turbodiesel.
-more-

2009 Product Line
Kia Motors America offers a dynamic and diverse product line of 11 vehicles to meet the needs of all lifestyles. The 2009 vehicle line features the functional Rondo CUV and award-winning Sedona minivan along with a wide variety of popular passenger cars, including the refined Amanti full size sedan, purposeful Optima mid size sedan, versatile and compact Spectra and Spectra5, and sporty yet fuel efficient Rio and Rio5 subcompacts. The vehicle line also features the all-new and affordably luxurious Borrego, rugged Sorento and value-packed Sportage SUVs. The Soul will further complement the lineup when it arrives in dealerships this spring.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 640 dealers throughout the United States. For 2008, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of increased U.S. marketshare. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline “The Power to Surprise.”

Kia Motors America is the “Official Automotive Partner of the NBA.” Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

The Kia Soul'ster Concept is based on the new 2009 Kia Soul and features a small rear cargo bed in place of the two rear doors and rear hatch of the production model. The Soul'ster concept delightfully reminds of us the days of Geo Trackers and Suzuki Samurais, but in a much funkier package. Typical of concepts, the production car's standard lighting package has been replaced with much nicer LED units and the ride height has been dramatically altered. Dubbed an urban lifestyle vehicle, the two-door Kia Soul'ster could eventually make it to production given the right amount of positive feedback.

[via automarket.ro]

The Kia Soulster concept we're expecting to see at next week's show is presumably a two-door version of the 2009 Kia Soul. No other information exists besides these glowing teasers.

We've already seen the four-door Kia Soul revealed in its entirety and, by the numbers, should offer competent value for your Financiapocalypse-strained dollars. Locked into most honorable battle with the niche-popular Scion xB, we'll soon see which crossover micro box toaster thing wins. Check back early next week for our live coverage of the 2009 North American International Auto Show.

The compact crossover SUV/tall wagon gets quite a range of build options, with mix and match engines and transmissions. The $13,995 base price is for a Soul equipped with the lowly 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission. The cheapest vehicle equipped with Kia's new 2.0-liter fourbanger is the $15,645 Soul + with the manual transmission. As with most small cars, the automatic transmission requires extra change. In this case, a comparably-equipped Soul costs $950 more if chosen with a slushbox.

The (+) is apparently intended to be read as the Soul Plus trim level and the (!) is supposedly the Soul Exclaim trim. We're also fairly sure Sport means the sportier trim. Just using "Sport" when the other trims get symbols just seems lazy. We would have gone with the interrobang. All but the base Soul seem to share the same engine and transmissions, meaning the differences involve options and, likely, body trim.

[TheKiaSoul via Motive]

In terms of power, the the Kia will get a 2.0-liter in-line four that will put out a not-so-anemic 142 horsepower. The Soul will go on sale here around April 2009 with a first-year sales goal of 50,000 for North America, a number we think also includes Canada. The Kia Borrego may be an example of awful timing, but the Soul might just fit the bill. [Kia World]

While we don't expect to get the diesel engine when the Soul bows here in April of next year, it would be interesting to see if the smaller engine will be offered as a way to entice drivers in with the promise of even higher mileage. Either way, we're enjoying the 14th inning of the All Star Game too much to risk Uggla-ing it with rampant speculation. [Kia World]

Well, Kia is trying to double sales in the non-KDM (that's Korean Domestic Market) world by 2010, so the Soul is one of the new models designed to help meet that goal. The other upcoming offering from Kia will likely be an updated Sportage SUV in July, with the Soul coming soon after. In addition, we're expecting to see two new sedans sometime after that. The Soul will be cranked off the production lines in both South Korea and China, although the company's first American plant is set to open in Georgia next year, production of the Soul there is not expected. As for technical specs, not much is certain yet, but we expect a 2.0-liter engine driving the front wheels which should allow for the ability to lug around up to five adults. Hopefully.
[Kia via MotorAuthority]

Three SOUL concepts to reveal 'fun' side of Kia

Defying traditional automotive classification, three new SOUL concept cars to be unveiled by Kia at the Geneva Show on 4 March, will reveal a whole new individual and fun direction for the Korean brand.

The trio of concepts are closely related to an upcoming production model that doesn't fit into the usual motor industry brackets and will encourage a whole new breed of Kia customers to build an emotional bond with their new car and with the brand.

The SOUL concepts will introduce 'a world of possibilities' for customising and personalisation to future Kia customers that will be delivered by the new model with its special appeal to the young-at-heart - whatever their age!

The SOUL Burner (shown here) is the 'bad boy' of the concept trio complete with satin black finish and gloss dragon tattoos...

- ENDS -

Car blog All Cars All the Time brings us pre-Detroit pics of Kia's Soul concept, a small SUV that looks like the modernmost point on whatever design trajectory the International Scout (from the 1960s and '70s) would have taken. Since the Scout didn't survive International's retooling in the 1980s, we'll never know. Oh wait, maybe we will.

Kia Soul Concept [All Cars All the Time]

Related:
Hyunda, Kia Release Images of Detroit Concepts [internal]

Hyundai released two sketches of Detroit-destined concepts, guaranteed to blow your mind (or not so much). Hyundai proper will show off its HCD-9 Talus, a two-door crossover concept that looks quite a bit like Chevrolet's T2X concept (maybe it's a Korean thing). Corporate child Kia let slip a sketch of its Soul (Seoul? Oh, we get it) concept, which looks like one of those boxy, stylized crossovers that some automakers built for Gen-Y kids, but it turned out 50-year-olds bought them all (now what was its name again?).

Related:
Chevrolet Introduces T2X Concept to Europe [internal]