Kia Soul: first look

Kia Soul

You can’t help but form an initial opinion of a car based on seeing it for the first time. And the Kia Soul made a positive first impression on me at its UK launch this week.

As its name suggests this is the first Kia we’ve driven with a real depth to its character.

It’s aimed to appeal to the same sort of people who fall in love with other quirky cars including the Mini and Fiat 500.

We drove both the 1.6-litre 122bhp petrol and 1.6-litre 126bhp turbocharged diesel models.

We also took a spin in a Soul Shaker. It sounds painful, but really it’s just a special edition model with cream paintwork, 18-inch wheels and a colour-coded interior.

Both engines are lively enough, if a bit loud, and the handling has been set up to make the Soul feel agile and engaging.

Look out for the full review soon. In the meantime, congratulations to Kia for taking its design in a brave new direction.

What do you think of the Kia Soul?