Kia Soul @ 2008 LAAS

[idel1138]

Hyundai owns 51% of Kia. Separate plants, separate Design and Development facilities. But Parts distribution is shared. Kia is also a major glass and steel manufacturer

[Q4T4RHERO]

Sweet car, the sport version with every option on it under 20K is amazing!!!

[VraiDiouf]

@Q4T4RHERO so true, I'm still trying to decide whether I want a silver one or a black one. Red looks heck of nice too (heck all the colors look nice).

[emforty2]

kia is 18% owned by GM

[occultdestroyer]

Kia is owned by Hyundai

[kotor87]

You mean Daewoo right?

[Swiperluck]

No. i highly doubt that. GM has stake in Daewoo (another Korean automotive manufacturer). Not Kia. Kia motors is owned by Hyundai motors. Hyundai has 36% share in Kia.

[Swiperluck]

oh and note: GM has 66% share of DAEWOO. :)

[stevestutz]

yeah, but the engine is probably a 1L 100hp tin can, that's why it's "well under 20k with everything installed"

[autofied]

The base has a 122-hp 1.6L in-line four and the other models get a 142-hp 2.0L four

[wem1970]

wow! what does this guy have against Korean cars. Ok, Toyota has a better resale value...SO WHAT! If someone likes something, let them like it and get it. Especially if it's a reliable car as well as looking as nice as the Soul looks. (reliable per Consumer Repoert).

[Ksport07]

This is the coolest car I've seen in a long time. And all these options like red and houndstooth seats, blacked out headlamps and rims, skirts, lighting speakers make the xB look duller than ever...

[autofied]

they really went to town on making is customizable and making the brand a bit more hip with this design than they have been in the past

[revrockstar666]

just to stop all the bitching remember that nissan cube was the 1st then came the scion aka the toyota bB

[emforty2]

if the price is way below Scion Xb

this thing will sell very well

i want hyundai brand to come out its own version of this

also mitsubishi, honda, and the rest

i kinda like the Fiat Panda 4x4

[ucancallmenickk]

Hyundai Owns Kia.

[vagabondalex00]

I can't wait !!

[GEOAMPAS]

I like it

[Hako2004]

How is an xB better? Why do you say the Soul is not cool....because it has the same options that the xB has but costs less? Sorry, but your comment doesn't really make sense. This car looks better than the xB to me. It's not boring. It even offers interior limousine lighting and a rear-view camera for backing up.

[dougdangger]

"How is an xB better?"

It's a Toyota.

"Why do you say the Soul is not cool"

It isn't. It MAY be "cool", give it time.

"because it has the same options that the xB has but costs less?"

You can get a fully loaded xB with 18in rims for under $20,000.

The xB uses a bullet proof 4 cylinder engine from the Camry.

[dougdangger]

Toyota resale value urinates all over a Hyundai.

After 2 years, that Hyundai will only be worth 1/3 of what you paid for it while the Scion is still close to 4/5.

[Hako2004]

I asked why he said it wasn't "cool". I wasn't asking about re-sale. This car is a Kia, a cousin to Hyundai. People stopped laughing at Hyundai years ago, and they are every growing and improving. More to the point, Toyota does not own "cool" by any stretch. The Corolla was described as "soulless" and "the grandpa of compacts" by Car & Driver two years ago. I have always admired Toyota engines, but many of their cars, including the Camry, are dull.

[lemonhouse77]

True. Reliable engines, hard to kill....but pretty dull. Even the new xB is less interesting that the first one. Personally, I think Kia may have a winner.

[dougdangger]

"People stopped laughing at Hyundai years ago"

Actually they still are, and that Kia will get laughed at even more.

"More to the point, Toyota does not own "cool" by any stretch."

Scion is FAR FAR "cooler" than that xB KNOCK OFF.

"The Corolla was described as "soulless" and "the grandpa of compacts"

That grandpa cars sell more than Kia's entire line up every year. LOL!

And yes, resale matters to many people. I wouldn't buy a $20,000 car and be worth $7,000 in 2 years.

[integgy95]

you still think ppl are laughing at hyundai???? YOU NEED TO GO READ MOTORTREND SOMETIME!! AND WHILE YOUR AT IT, WHY DONT YOPU SELL YOUR AMERICAN CAR, CUZ LAST TIME I CHECKED, RIGHT NOW ITS THE AMERICANS THAT PPL ARE LAUGHING AT...GOING DOWN TO WASHINGTON BEGGING FOR MONEY!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME????

[dougdangger]

"you still think ppl are laughing at hyundai"

What rock are you sleeping under? Hyundai is a joke. The Genesis sedans are rotting on the dealer lots. Why would I buy a car that may be $10,000 cheaper than a Lexus or Infinity and be worth 1/3 of the price in 2 years.

You can't compare a Hyundai to a Scion.

A base Hyundai Tiburon costs MORE than a base Scion tC. Guess what, 12 months later the Tiburon is only worth 60% while the tC is still 90% of it's value.

Hyundai = turd

[hdj266]

dougdangger

LOL that is the only thing u korean cars haters have to put down hyundai, resale values, u can't laugh anymore about hyundai car's quality.

[JetStreet]

Intresting, but not a cool car.

Rather have an xB, its just better in my opinion :(

[GEOAMPAS]

this is faaaaaar better

[GenericGene]

Interesting Brian - Thanks.

[sanxi34]

it's the ugliest car I see for 2009....

[Alto12pl]

first!

[ItsMichaelSchumacher]

first