2017 Kia Soul Reaches Turbo Level

[William Maley]

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A few months ago, we reported on a Kia ad that sneakily revealed that a turbocharged Soul would be arriving this winter. Now Kia has spilled the beans on the 2017 Soul Turbo before its official debut at the Paris Motor Show next week. 

As was speculated, the Soul Turbo will use the 1.6L turbocharged-four used in the used in the Forte Koup and Forte5 (Cee'd GT and Pro_Cee'd GT in Europe). It produces 201 horsepower and will go through a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. 0-60 mph takes about 7.5 seconds. Outside, the turbo model features new bumpers, slightly tweaked front grille, and a new set of 18-inch aluminum wheels. 

Kia will begin sales of the 2017 Soul Turbo later this year in Europe. Expect Kia to provide details on the U.S.-spec model at the LA Auto Show in November or sometime sooner.

Source: Kia
Press Release is on Page 2

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Kia introduces powerful new Soul 1.6 T-GDI and updates Soul model line-up

• New Soul variant powered by 201 bhp 1.6-litre T-GDI
• Engine paired with fast-shifting seven-speed double-clutch transmission
• Design complements enhanced performance
• New safety features, and Android AutoTM and Apple CarPlayTM integration
• Upgraded Soul and Soul 1.6 T-GDI on sale in UK from late 2016

Kia has announced details of a range of upgrades to the Soul compact SUV, and the introduction of a powerful new 201 bhp 1.6-litre T-GDI engine variant, the most powerful Soul ever engineered by the Korean brand.

The Soul has received a light update to its exterior and interior design, and is now available with new safety and infotainment technologies. The upgraded Soul and Soul 1.6 T-GDI will be available in the UK from late 2016 and will have its public unveiling at the 2016 Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l'Automobile) on 29 September.

Soup for the Soul: Kia launches new 201 bhp Soul 1.6 T-GDI
Kia has introduced a new version of the Soul to the line-up - the new Soul 1.6 T-GDI.

Powered by Kia's 201 bhp 1.6-litre T-GDI (turbo gasoline direct injection) engine from the cee'd GT and pro_cee'd GT, the new Soul 1.6 T-GDI is the most powerful Soul that Kia has produced. With the new engine, the car will accelerate from 0-to-60 mph in 7.5 seconds, with a top speed of 122 mph and produce CO2 emissions of 156 g/km.

The engine transmits its power to the front wheels through Kia's advanced new seven-speed double-clutch transmission (7DCT), providing instant gear changes and decisive acceleration at all speeds. A new Drive Mode Selector - available across the Soul range on models equipped with the 7DCT - lets Soul T-GDI drivers switch between Normal, Eco and Sport modes, each subtly adapting the level of steering assistance available, to allow for normal, light or heavy steering depending on driver preference and driving conditions.

The Soul 1.6 T-GDI is differentiated from conventional models in the Soul range with a series of exterior modifications, including a bolder front bumper and air intake grille design, twin exhaust pipes at the rear, and its own 10-spoke 18-inch aluminium alloy wheel design. Completing the sportier appearance of the T-GDI model are red highlights to the front bumper and side sills.

Kia has also made changes to the interior of the Soul 1.6 T-GDI. The powerful new model features its own distinctive cabin colour scheme, with black cloth and leather upholstery paired with orange stitching. A D-shaped steering wheel and orange highlights throughout the cabin, including orange metal paint on the gearstick, add further purpose to the design of the Soul 1.6 T-GDI's interior.

The Soul 1.6 T-GDI is available with larger brakes than the standard Soul. The car is fitted with 17" ventilated front discs, the solid rear discs remain the same size. The revised brakes reduce the stopping distance of the Turbo model slightly, to 35.3 metres when stopping from 60 mph (down from 35.5 metres), with the changes primarily made to ensure fade-free braking power under consistent use.

Design and technology upgrades to the Kia Soul range
The Kia Soul range has received a series of upgrades to further enhance its appeal among buyers.

These include updates to its exterior appearance, with remodelled front and rear bumpers with a metallic skid plate for a more robust appearance. The Soul's front bumper houses optional bi-function HID (high-intensity discharge) headlights with LED daytime running lights, and an updated finish to Kia's signature ‘tiger-nose' grille. The rear of the car features newly-designed fog lamps and reflectors for greater illumination for following road users.

The ambience of the cabin has also been enhanced with the introduction of new gloss black and metallic highlights and switchgear. In addition, new exterior features emphasise the car's compact SUV credential with a gloss black finish to front and rear wheel arches, and a body kit for front and rear bumpers and side sills on selected models.

New technologies will further enhance the appeal of the Soul, with buyers able to choose from Kia's latest 5.0-, 7.0- or 8.0-inch colour touchscreen infotainment HMI (human-machine interface). The new HMI systems provide smartphone-style touchscreen control over the audio-visual navigation system, and is available with Apple CarPlayTM (for iPhone 5 or newer) and Android AutoTM (for Android 5.0 Lollipop or newer) for full smartphone integration. The new HMI systems also house a rear-view parking camera, and a new USB port has been added to the rear of the cabin, allowing back-seat passengers to charge mobile devices on the move. The front passenger seat is also now available with eight-way power adjustment, and drivers can benefit from new rain-sensing windscreen wipers and, in models equipped with 7DCT, the new Drive Mode Selector.

Safety is also improved in the Soul with the adoption of Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) for the first time, giving drivers better all-round visibility on motorways and during low-speed parking manoeuvres.

2017 Kia Soul and Soul 1.6 T-GDI on sale in UK from late 2016
The upgraded Kia Soul and the new Soul 1.6 T-GDI will be available from Kia's UK dealer network in late 2016 following its unveiling in Paris. Full UK specification and pricing will be released at launch.

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[Frisky Dingo]

Nice. These are really quite good little cars that are overlooked by a lot of people.

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Frisky Dingo said:

Nice. These are really quite good little cars that are overlooked by a lot of people.

Quite good little cars but not really my cup of tea.

[David]

Should appeal to a nice set of Millennials.

 

[Frisky Dingo]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Quite good little cars but not really my cup of tea.

Nor mine, but these things are very affordable, have a ton of room, drive pretty well, are economical, and can be had with luxury car-level equipment. They really have a lot of value.

[surreal1272]

27 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

Nor mine, but these things are very affordable, have a ton of room, drive pretty well, are economical, and can be had with luxury car-level equipment. They really have a lot of value.

I can attest to that. Test drove one for my wife about a year ago and I actually liked it for the very reasons you mentioned. My wife still wants one to this day but alas, we have to wait for now. 

[Frisky Dingo]

They're like the 2nd Gen xB that Scion didn't build.

[surreal1272]

29 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

They're like the 2nd Gen xB that Scion didn't build.

Yeah Scion dropped the ball with the 2nd gen xB. It added to much weight and killed the look that made the first one a hit with the young crowd. 

[A Horse With No Name]

40 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

Yeah Scion dropped the ball with the 2nd gen xB. It added to much weight and killed the look that made the first one a hit with the young crowd. 

I had a first gen we bought new.  262,351 miles later that scion saved my sons life when a crazy lady in a Hyundai ran into him and pushed him off of a highway overpass and into a ravine.

Did I mention that crumple zones work real damn well in modern cars?

Would love to have a modern Variant of that car, but none exist.  The Kia is a nice piece, but it lacks the nimbleness of the Scion.

[surreal1272]

19 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I had a first gen we bought new.  262,351 miles later that scion saved my sons life when a crazy lady in a Hyundai ran into him and pushed him off of a highway overpass and into a ravine.

Did I mention that crumple zones work real damn well in modern cars?

Would love to have a modern Variant of that car, but none exist.  The Kia is a nice piece, but it lacks the nimbleness of the Scion.

Well it is a little bigger than the Scion so it makes sense. 

[ocnblu]

Every time I visit my mother and we go driving, she mentions how much she misses her Kia Soul.  She's 72.  These box cars missed the mark with young ppl, but the older folks love them because they can slide their butts in horizontally and get back out easily... they are small and easy to see out of and park, plus they have beaucoup amounts of room since they're so vertical.

Edited September 24, 2016 by ocnblu

[daves87rs]

These are growing on me.....

[Frisky Dingo]

13 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I had a first gen we bought new.  262,351 miles later that scion saved my sons life when a crazy lady in a Hyundai ran into him and pushed him off of a highway overpass and into a ravine.

Did I mention that crumple zones work real damn well in modern cars?

Would love to have a modern Variant of that car, but none exist.  The Kia is a nice piece, but it lacks the nimbleness of the Scion.

 

 

I still have my '05. Drove it to work this morning. 136K miles. 

[A Horse With No Name]

9 hours ago, Frisky Dingo said:

 

 

I still have my '05. Drove it to work this morning. 136K miles. 

Neat little car...miss my scion!

18 hours ago, daves87rs said:

These are growing on me.....

Fungus...

Will also grow on you...

[daves87rs]

6 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Neat little car...miss my scion!

Fungus...

Will also grow on you...

True....lol!

Wife does like them though! Granted, I am more of a fan of the second gen Xb....

[regfootball]

GMC Granite, anyone?  ( i don't want KIA)

 

[ocnblu]

regfootball - that is still so wicked cool.  Loved the pickup, too!

[Frisky Dingo]

GMC so should have made that. It'd sell like crazy.

[A Horse With No Name]

57 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

GMC so should have made that. It'd sell like crazy.

Oh hell yes...i would have one in my driveway!