New Kia Soul unveiled

The all-new Kia Soul has a completely new chassis and a fresh design. The current Soul has been on sale in the UK since 2009 and, while it hasn’t really been a hit with UK buyers, the model has proved hugely successful in the US. Kia aims to address the deficit with a more upmarket product, a sleeker design and a more refined ride.

On the outside, the distinctive shape of the Soul remains, but adds a new distinctive front air intake, revised grille and a new, more stylish bootlid.

Inside, the new Soul gets lots of soft-touch materials as well as gloss black trim highlights throughout. The circular dials, controls and gear lever look classy, while the slightly increased wheelbase should improve legroom both in the front and the back.

Increased sound insulation will make the new Soul more refined, and improved suspension should make it better to drive over Britain’s increasingly rutted roads. Engines are yet to be confirmed, but expect the current range to be carried over to the new car, with a new 1.6-litre diesel engine to replace the thirsty 2.0-litre petrol car.

Prices will be announced closer to the car’s UK launch, which is due early next year. However, with the current car starting just under £12,000, we expect the revised model to carry a slightly higher premium.

To view the full Kia range, see the CarBuyer Kia reviews page.