While America is discussing the 2014 Kia Soul in New York, the Koreans are looking at a brand new hatchback concept called the Kia CUB at the Seoul Auto Show with no B-pillar and a mustache.
Unlike the Soul, the CUB was designed in Korea under the watchful eyes of Peter Schreyer. This four-door concept is less than 13 feet long, and features a four-seat cabin with suicide doors for easier access. The roofline dips into the windshield, while the grille incorporates the turbocharger’s air intake. The bumper also directs cool air to the brakes. Those shark fins on the door? They call them ‘turning-vanes.’ The concept has LED lights all around, while the rearview mirrors got replaced by minimum-drag units to further improve aerodynamics.
The CUB is just as yellow on the inside as on the outside. Everything is trimmed in black leather with yellow accents all around, while the instrument cluster is supposed to remind you of the eyes of a wild animal. There are touch sensors for easy operation, while the steering wheel rim can monitor the driver’s biorhythms, just in case. There's also a footrest in the front passenger footwell in case you floor it.
And you're supposed to, because the CUB has the same direct-injection 1.6 turbo as what you get in the c'eed and pro_cee'd GTs. That means 204 horsepower and 195 ft-lb linked to a six-speed manual transmission. Zero to 62 mph in 7.7 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph in a city car with crazy doors. I like it a lot, even with the VAG lamps.