KIA goes all rock ‘n’ roll on us with their bold new Soul – a left field alternative to the usual humdrum hatchback, writes The Wheel Deal.

When you think of cool car companies, KIA is not a manufacturer that springs to mind. For although the Korean firm has been motorizing the masses for eons, their legacy is steeped in some of the most uninspiring automobiles our world has ever seen. In fact, much like those ugly sisters nobody wanted to take to the matric dance, past cars like the Carnival, Pride and Sephia still make you cringe when you search for them on google. It’s therefore shocking for me to admit this to you all, but for the last couple of days I’ve been attracting a considerable amount of attention behind the wheel of KIA’s latest addition. Called the Soul and looking like nothing else on the market today, it’s just what this brand needs to finally put them on the highway of the hip and happening.

Now the secret to its appeal lies in that tall, angular, almost retro architecture that kind of gives a nod to the Californian hotrods of old America. Complemented by beefy wheel-arches, a narrowing glasshouse and those unusually high shoulders, the KIA Soul spits on the jelly mould styling that plagues cars in this class and, in doing so, stands out with the same design energy that’s made the MINI and Fiat 500 so successful. And even though those optional “dragon” decals failed to hit home with my inner Dutchman, the Soul actually proved quite capable of pulling them off.
On the inside things are a lot more sober – almost disappointingly so – with the spacious confines of the cabin surrounded by lots of hard, scratchy grey plastic. Regardless, it all seems pretty well screwed together and is home to some really sweet standard equipment. The audio system was particularly impressive and, hooked up to an AUX/MP3/USB port, will appeal to drivers to whom in-car entertainment matters just as much as the actual engine. But what won’t catch their fancy – or anyone else with even the slightest inkling of taste – is that horrendous see-through gear knob nestling between the front seats. Looking like something you’d find inside the bargain bin of some tuning shop in deepest Lenasia, it feels horrible in the hand and cheapens what’s an otherwise rather competent interior package.

Once you’ve gotten comfortable in the driver’s seat – a simple exercise despite the lack of fore and aft adjustment on the steering wheel – you’ll find this KIA continues to get on the good foot with its surprisingly tidy road manners. Coming across more like Michael McDonald than James Brown, the overly light steering may be lacking in feel but the overall handling is actually not that shabby. It gets a bit wallowy through tight bends due to a fairly high degree of body roll but across gentler kinks in the tarmac, you’re able to carry through a considerable amount of speed before your bottom starts contracting. At the same time, the Soul’s rather lengthy wheelbase and reasonably soft suspension set-up help provide a comfortable ride that’ll soak up most of our rubbish roads with little fuss. And though endowed with as much character as an old Singer sewing machine, the 1.6 engine does a fine job of hustling the Soul along and only ever struggles when you decide to truck up really steep hills or are heavily laden with passengers and gear. A fresh and daring take on the five-door hatchback, the Soul is a convincing machine that should definitely strike a power chord with younger motoring enthusiasts. I never thought I’d say this but, yes, a KIA really can be cool.

KIA Soul 1.6 Fast Facts:

Engine: 1591cc, four-cylinder petrol
Power: 91kW at 6300rpm
Torque: 156Nm at 4200rpm
0-100km/h: 10.4 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 177km/h (claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 6.6l/100km (claimed combined)
Price: R189 995

Black A-pillars and a slanting glasshouse endow the Soul with a whole lot of retro design chic.

A lengthy wheelbase means that the Soul is big on interior space. Boot door rises vertically for easy stowing.

Compared to the exterior, the Soul’s innards are almost depressingly sombre. Overall build quality is marred somewhat by acres of hard, scratchy plastics.

A snazzy USB iPod port comes standard on the Soul. Works well and makes long journeys an absolute pleasure.