The compact "urban crossover" Kia Soul of the second generation (someone calls it a hatchback, and someone even sees it as a compact van) celebrated its world premiere in March 2013 - at a car show in New York, and in the fall of the same year his European bride - at the Frankfurt exhibition.
Having retained the recognizable proportions, the car, in comparison with its predecessor, has noticeably changed in appearance, has grown in size and "overgrown" with modern equipment.
In the summer of 2015, the Kia company carried out a small update of the SUV - making minor changes to its exterior.
In addition, “Soul” was raised above the ground by an additional 10 mm, a new gasoline unit was “prescribed” under its hood (while removing the turbodiesel), and the list of equipment was replenished with new options.
The characteristic and extraordinary appearance of "Soul" makes it instantly recognizable - the car looks stylish, perky and aggressive. The exterior of the crossover is distinguished by such fashionable attributes as LED "garlands" in the front and rear lighting technology, a branded "mouth of a tiger" and embossed bumpers with integrated "round" fog lights.
The Kia Soul of the 2nd generation has “the same cubic body”, which is endowed with “inflated” wheel arches and is decorated with chrome, and it can be individualized due to two-tone paintwork and four types of rims with a diameter from 16 to 18 inches.
The length of the 2nd generation model is 4140 mm, its width fits into 1800 mm, and its height is 1593 mm (including the roof rails - 1605 mm). The wheelbase of the crossover is 2570 mm, and the ground clearance (clearance) is 160 mm.
When loaded, the "Korean" weighs a minimum from 1282 to 1406 kg (depending on the modification).
The interior of the second generation "Soul" is made in accordance with the "family" style of the brand, which is reminiscent of other models of "Kia", although the original solutions are still interspersed into it. Directly in front of the driver - a large "steering wheel" with a scattering of control elements, and in the "top" versions also with heating. The combination of devices can be of two types: in the "junior" trim levels, the scales are hidden in separate "wells", in the "senior" ones there is a Supervision panel with strict dials and a 4.3-inch "scoreboard".
The center console looks fresh and attractive, and a certain merit in this belongs to the "lacquered" design. It houses a standard audio system with a small screen (in expensive versions it is replaced by an 8-inch "TV") and an original climate system unit with a round monochrome "window".
The interior is made mainly of soft plastics, diluted with silver and glossy decor, and the seats are offered with fabric or natural leather trim.
In the arsenal of the "second" Kia Soul - comfortable front seats with elastic lateral support, dense filling and sufficient adjustment intervals. The rear sofa is implicitly molded for two passengers, but the margin of space on all fronts allows three to easily sit down.
The trunk of "Soul" is small - only 354 liters in the stowed state. Under the floor there is a 14-liter organizer with three compartments, and only under it is a compact spare wheel and the necessary set of tools. The back of the "gallery" is folded in unequal parts (60/40), as a result of which the volume increases to 1367 liters, but a completely flat platform is not obtained.
On the Russian market, the second generation Kia Soul is offered with two gasoline power plants (the "pre-reform" car is also equipped with a diesel unit).
- As a basic version, the crossover is equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline "aspirated" with a distributed fuel supply and a 16-valve DOHC timing belt, which generates 124 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 152 Nm of torque at 4850 rpm. It has 6-speed gearboxes in tandem - "mechanics" and "automatic", giving all the moment to the front wheels. From zero to the first hundred, the "Korean" accelerates in 11.3-12.5 seconds, its "maximum" is 177-182 km / h, and the fuel "appetite" in mixed mode ranges from 7.3 to 7.9 liters per 100 km.
- This is followed by a 1.6-liter gasoline atmospheric "four" GDI, which, unlike the "younger" engine, is equipped with direct fuel injection into the combustion chamber. Its output is 132 "horses" at 6300 rpm and 161 Nm of torque, which is realized from 4850 rpm. Only the automatic transmission works together with it, as a result of which the Soulou conquered 100 km / h after 11.7 seconds and a top speed of 180 km / h. In the combined cycle, the car consumes 7.6 liters of gasoline per “hundred”.
- And the "top" (since June 2017) is a 2.0-liter gasoline "aspirated" with a capacity of 150 hp. (at 6200 rpm) and a torque of 192 Nm (at 4000 rpm), which is paired with a six-speed "automatic" and provides "Soul" reaching a speed of 100 km / h in 10.2 seconds.
- Under the hood of the SUV 2014-2015 model year, you can also find a 1.6-liter diesel engine with four cylinders, 16-valve timing, turbocharging and direct injection. It develops 128 horsepower at 4000 rpm and 260 Nm of peak thrust in the range from 1900 to 2750 rpm, and is combined exclusively with automatic transmission. From a standstill to 100 km / h, the diesel "Soul" rushes in 12.2 seconds, forcing the mark of 177 km / h. Consumption of diesel fuel in the combined cycle - 6 liters per 100 kilometers.
"Soul" of the second generation is based on the elongated platform of the current generation Kia cee'd. A spring suspension with McPherson struts is installed at the front, a torsion bar and hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers at the rear. All versions of the crossover rely on electric power steering with three modes of operation. The car is equipped with disc brakes front and rear (in the first case there is ventilation), supplemented by ABS with emergency braking assistant (BAS).
In Russia, the 2018 Kia Soul is sold in five equipment levels - Classic, Comfort, Luxe, Prestige and Premium.
The initial equipment of the "Korean" is estimated at a minimum of 916,900 rubles, and the list of its equipment includes: front airbags, ABS and BAS, exchange rate stability system, electric power steering, lift-off assistance technology, a multifunctional steering wheel, an audio system with 6 speakers and air conditioning.
As a standard, the crossover is equipped with the "Warm Options" package, which includes heated front seats, heated outside mirrors and a windshield window in the parking area of the "wipers". An additional 70,000 rubles will have to be paid for an automatic transmission.
The maximum performance of "Soul" is available at a price of 1,366,900 rubles. It "flaunts", among other things; 18-inch wheels with black inserts, climate control, "cruise", keyless entry function, xenon frontal optics, panoramic roof with electric drive, parking sensors, multimedia center with 8-inch monitor and other equipment.
