Attempt on fashion / KIA test drives

Korean cars have long won the sympathy of buyers around the world — they are valued for their affordability and reliability. However, apparently, the era of cheap "Koreans" for the people is coming to an end. KIA is launching a large-scale rebranding, the goal of which is to prove that their cars are no worse than Skoda, Toyota or Nissan. The first step in this direction was the European premiere of the compact crossover Soul. Such a model has not yet appeared in the KIA lineup. In the press photos, the new product looked like a real SUV: massive, angular, with minimal overhangs. Therefore, when a column of fresh cars was waiting for us at the airport of Spanish Valencia, I did not immediately realize that these were the very cars for the test.

In reality, it turned out that the new KIA is not that big, and its ground clearance is like that of an ordinary European golf-class hatchback — only 165 mm. The whole effect is achieved due to the fact that the Soul body is 160 mm higher than usual. Although reality diverged from expectations, the first acquaintance with the car did not disappoint. On the contrary, Soul attracts the eye instantly and for a long time. But the point here is not the originality of the design, but rather its recognizability. It seems that the newcomer looks like its own in the parking lot of any European metropolis. Unlike the Honda Civic or Jeep Compass, Soul is a successful compilation of quotes from cute models: Skoda Roomster, Nissan Cube and Toyota BB.

The presentation turned out to be straightforward, like a samurai sword strike. KIA Europe head Kwan Ho Nam began by happily telling journalists that the American auto industry was dying. Right there on the screen, under the logos of the "dying" Big Three, optimistic figures appeared: KIA sales in Europe for 10 months of 2008 grew by 5%. Forecasts for the current year are even more rosy, despite the crisis. And this is despite the fact that the KIA model range is facing serious changes: the company is targeting a "young energetic buyer leading an active lifestyle."

I think old Freud would have deciphered the new product's advertising slogan — "Soul has no color" — as follows: "It doesn't matter where the car is made, the main thing is what kind of soul it has. We are no worse than Europeans, Americans or Japanese." The soul of the Soul is truly worldwide. The concept of the model was developed by KIA design studios in California and Korea jointly. They plan to sell it in Europe, the USA, Asia and even Africa. Well, a newcomer with such ambitions should be judged by the highest standards. Flaws that were previously attributed to an attractive price will now not be forgiven so easily. However, at first inspection, there are few reasons for frustration. Except that the absence of steering column reach adjustment was surprising. And the glove box has neither lighting nor a nozzle for the automatic climate control system. So you can't refresh yourself with cold kvass there in the summer.

The main trump card of the interior is spaciousness. The distance from the top of the head of an average-height driver to the ceiling is especially impressive. And the seating position is almost vertical. The seats with lateral support at first glance seem very comfortable. There is a height adjustment and an adjustable lumbar support. But they are not suitable for dynamic driving: in high-speed corners, to stay in place, I had to brace my left foot against the floor several times.

First I got a version with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a five-speed manual. A brisk start from a standstill was encouraging. But on the highway it turned out: to avoid crawling at the tail of the traffic flow, you need to constantly keep the revs in the zone of maximum torque (4200 rpm). I try to accelerate sharply in fourth gear from 3000 rpm and suffer a fiasco. In response to a sharp press of the gas pedal, the engine responds with an energetic roar and strained slow acceleration. It feels like the clutch is slipping. Otherwise, driving the Soul on good Spanish roads was a pleasure. The car holds the straight line clearly and practically does not notice ruts. The steering wheel pleasantly surprised with its sharpness and informativeness. The brakes also feel good. However, the braking distance figures from 100 km/h claimed by the Koreans are very confusing. Modern European classmates stop 6–8 m earlier.

I turn onto a slightly broken country road and immediately realize that the Soul is a car exclusively for asphalt. The suspension does not pamper with smoothness, but on the contrary reports the smallest details of the surface. Yes, indeed — a city crossover. As it turned out later, not all colleagues paid attention to the word "city." As a result, a funny incident occurred. One of the route points from the airport to the hotel, proposed by the organizers for shooting, turned out to be a deserted sandy beach. The sign prohibited approaching the water, but how not to take a risk for an effective shot? The photo shoot really turned out beautiful, but not for publication: against the background of the setting sun, the orange, like an orange, Soul splashes in the waves of the sea surf. It's good that the Spanish lifeguards arrived in time...

I myself almost fell for this marketing bait: like, a crossover, big ground clearance and all that. But, getting out of the car and looking at the smooth highway tires, I did not risk driving off the solid ground. When later KIA representatives were asked whether, in light of the embarrassment that happened, they would think about all-wheel drive, they once again explained that the Soul is a purely asphalt type, which does not need all-wheel drive even as an option. And for trips to the beach, there are other models. What they really forgot about was the trunk. To say that 222 liters is little is like giving the car a compliment. Especially considering that five people can fit in the cabin without losing their own dignity. It turns out that they made such a sacrifice consciously to give more "air" to passengers. And yet it is hard to imagine how five "young people leading an active lifestyle," because it is for them that the Soul is made, will rejoice at the lack of space for luggage.

Soul is a find for those who like to buy removable panels for cell phones. For Europe, as many as 15 variations are provided, tailored to individual tastes. In addition to 11 colors and three interior trim options, you can, for example, order an infernally red radiator grille or simple airbrushing. Currently, several cars similar in philosophy and consumer properties are officially sold in Russia. For example, Ford Fusion or Nissan Note. Soon the Toyota Urban Cruiser will also appear. According to preliminary information, the Soul in basic configuration will cost 500 euros more in Europe than the Ceed. But that's in Europe. In our country, this gap may turn out to be much more impressive. After all, in Russia, a city crossover is primarily a fashionable toy, a matter of style and pleasure, not practicality and price-quality ratio. And from this point of view, the Soul is an undoubted success of Korean marketers. It remains only to convince young active buyers of this.