2020 Kia Soul Revealed with Sporty and Rugged Versions [UPDATE]

Kia brings Soul’s quirky design to life.

The second-generation soul has been on the market for five years and is now ready to go. Kia calls it an all-new model. The 2020MY retains some of the funky design elements that made the original models so popular. It features slimmer upper lights and chunkier clusters lower on the bumper. To give the crossover an imposing appearance, the front grille has been increased in size.

Kia has blacked out the rear section of the rear column, where you will see the “Soul” lettering embedded as a body graphic. According to the South Korean marque, the rear pillar is designed to look like an airplane’s wings. The vertical lights on the derriere are kept the same as the predecessors. To give the 2020 Soul a unique look, the rear clusters have been shaped like a boomerang. They meet at the top to create an interesting shape.

Kia understands that variety is the best thing in life. For this reason, the new generation will be available in the GT-Line and X-Line trims. These styling tweaks are already available on company’s European models and provide a variety of styling options for a sportier exterior for the GT-Line (red vehicle), and a rugged crossover-esque theme to the X-Line .
The new Soul is the same size as its predecessor, with a slight increase in length of 2.2 inches (nearly 5 centimeters). It now measures 165.2 inches (4.19 m) in length and a portion of that stretch has been added to the wheelbase. The new Soul now measures 102.4 inches (2.26 m) or 1.2 inch (3 cm) longer than before.

Front legroom has increased by 0.25 inches (0.5cm), but passengers in the back will be disappointed to learn that legroom has decreased by 0.3 inches (0.75 cm). Front headroom has decreased by 0.2 inches (0.5cm), while rear headroom and shoulder room for front and rear passengers have remained the same.

The third-gen Soul is a great companion for longer trips, thanks to its larger cargo space of 23.8 cubic feet (or 5 cu. This is a significant increase in length. The liftgate is wider and lower than before, making it easier to move luggage.

You’ll find a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft (179 Newton-meters of torque) or a turbocharged 1.6 liter with 201 hp (264 Nm) and 195 lbft (264 Nm). The turbo engine can be connected to either a 6-speed manual transmission or an optional continuously variable transmission, while the former is only linked to a 7-speed dual-clutch auto.

The all-new platform promises Kia that it will improve handling and comfort, as well as reducing noise, vibration and harshness levels (NVH). The upper-spec cars have a 10.25-inch touchscreen that controls the infotainment system. It also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The interior also features an 8-inch head-up screen and a Harman Kardon 10-speaker sound system, which produces 640 watts, twice the output of the Soul.

The mood lighting system is the interior’s main party piece. It will adjust the settings according to the selected mood. Yo!, Cafe and Midnight City.

The revamped Soul made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It will be available in the U.S. in half of 2019, when Kia will also launch the zero-emissions SoulEV.