Kia Soul News

Kia Australia isn't happy with the two small SUV offerings the Korean brand has developed, and is calling for local customer needs to be met.

For the first time in over a year, Holden has enjoyed a positive year-on-year sales growth with its January 2017 tally hitting 7184 – a 5.3 per cent increase.

Kia unveiled concept versions of the Grand Carnival and Soul at this week's SEMA show.Most SEMA show cars are modified to go faster, but Kia has taken a marginally different approach with its 2014 concepts. Hyundai's efforts include a Genesis coupe that wouldn't look out of place in the Bathurst 12 Hour race, but Kia has unveiled a pub on wheels, an ice cream truck and a mobile garage based on the practical Grand Carnival and Soul models.Ballast Point SedonaThis Sedona has been transformed from a people carrier to a beer carrier. In our corner of the world, the Sedona is better known as the Grand Carnival, the third-generation of which is due to hit our shores next year.Featuring a redesigned, reinforced, heavy duty roof, plenty of mahogany and storage for up to four kegs of delicious craft beer, the Ballast Point Sedona (Grand Carnival) would be the perfect vehicle to have on the hill at Sydney Motorsport Park while you lap up a sunny afternoon of racing action.The only downside with the mobile pub is that the designated driver is the only one getting home, naturally all the passenger seats have been removed to maximise beer storage space.Smitten Ice Cream Soul EVNeed something to compliment the beer? How about nitrogen-chilled ice cream served from the back of an electric car?While nitrous-oxide is used to fuel high-performance cars, removing the oxygen from the equation means you can use nitrogen to fuel tasty treats.Much like the Ballast Point pub on wheels, the rear section of the all electric Soul has been gutted to make room for the ice cream equipment and storage space.It also has a custom trailer, which is joined to the tailgate of the Soul to make a bench from which the -196 degrees Celsius ice cream can be served.The Smitten Soul also has the traditional waffle-cone speakers on the roof so you can play Greensleeves, or something a bit more contemporary.Ultimate Karting SedonaIf all this sitting around watching racing and indulging in beer and ice cream has you feeling the need for speed, the Ultimate Karting Sedona concept car is what you need.Simply hitch the go-kart trailer, throw another go-kart on the roof, grab a mate and head off to the nearest track.The two of you will have all you need for a day of racing, with the back of the Sedona (Grand Carnival) transformed into a garage complete with tools, race gear and checkerboard rubber floor.You don't even need to bring a marquee, as the custom roof racks contain an awning to keep the sun and rain away while you prepare your machinery for the on-track battle.High-Performance K900The K900 (or Quoris as it's known in some parts) is Kia's equivalent of the Hyundai Genesis, and a car that isn't sold here. It's a bit of a shame, because this high-performance concept - developed by Kia racing drivers Mark Wilkins and Nic Jönsson - looks a bit swish.The 5.0-litre V8 engine has had twin turbochargers added underneath the boot (yup, underneath the boot. It helps reduce heat, they say) to bump the power output from 313kW to 485.The lowered sports suspension, 21-inch gloss black alloys and bright red brake callipers give the K900 a sleek, sporty look.Inside there are tan leather seats with black suede accents and 11-inch seatback monitors for the rear passengers that show footage from iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations. Which is grand if videos of motor racing video games are your thing.In the boot, along with a viewing porthole so you can see the turbochargers, are custom compartments to store your racing gear, presumably if you've run out of space in the Ultimate Karting Sedona.Pirelli World Challenge GTS OptimaSo why the focus on motorsport? Well, Kia are celebrating winning the manufacturer championship for the GTS class of the Pirelli World Challenge in the US this year.And joining the concept cars on display at the SEMA show is the No.30 GTS Optima that was driven by Mark Wilkins throughout the season, finishing third in the drivers' standings.Being a production series, the GTS Optima features the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the road-going Optimas available in the US. In Australia, the Optima only comes with the 148kW/250Nm naturally aspirated 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine.However the front-wheel drive Optima has been tuned so it produces 274kW, which is 126kW more than the Australian road-going models.The six-speed sequential transmission helps the 1300kg GTS Optima hit a top speed of 260km/h.

Kia's announcement of an Australian-first seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty could benefit buyers of others brands as they try to match it.One of Australia's fastest growing car brands, Korean company Kia, is about to upset its big name rivals by announcing a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, the longest in Australian automotive history. Kia’s sister brand Hyundai was the first company to offer a five-year, 130,000km warranty in Australia 15 years ago -- in 1999 -- as a response to quality concerns over a bungled safety recall the year before.Hyundai then increased its warranty coverage to five years and unlimited kilometres in 2006.RELATED: Small car price war about to heat upFrench car maker Citroen then raised the bar in March this year, offering new-car buyers an unprecedented six-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.Kia's new benchmark of a seven year, unlimited kilometre warranty will put the market leaders under increasing pressure given brands such as Toyota, Holden, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Volkswagen, Subaru, Honda, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz only offer three years coverage. It means buyers of most mainstream brands will eventually be the winners as they try to raise their level of warranty coverage to either match or get closer to Kia's seven-year stretch. But none are yet to react.The longer warranty period will likely boost the resale value of Kia cars at trade-in time because used-car buyers will get the balance of the new-car warranty.Most new cars are sold after four years, according to industry figures. This means a typical secondhand Kia would give used car buyers three years of factory-backed protection against faults.The Kia warranty is part of the company's ambitious sales push in Australia after a decade of weak results.Kia is just outside the top 10 sellers but its sister brand Hyundai -- which sells, in effect, the same cars under the skin but with different body styles and different branding -- is in the top four.It is the largest gap between the two jointly owned companies in the world.Kia recently poached Hyundai Australia's sales and marketing boss Damien Meredith to head the Kia division locally and this is his first step towards doubling sales within four years."This is a watershed moment," said Mr Meredith. "Kia customers now have a peace of mind that can't be matched in the Australian new car market."The deal includes free roadside assistance for seven years -- if the car is serviced at a Kia dealer once a year.Kia has also extended its capped price servicing program to seven years -- one of the longest in the car business -- and that prices of routine maintenance will remain the same as before."The two year increase in warranty, capped-price servicing and roadside assist is absolutely transparent and we will not be asking our customers to dip into their pockets to fund the extra benefits," said Mr Meredith.

Though quite a funky design, THE five-door, five-seat Soul hasn't lit up buyers to any great extent possibly because of the styling and also Kia's tempting line-up that gets plenty of attention. Now that more people are looking at smaller SUV's Soul might come on to the radar especially as there's a new model due soon.The new, California designed, 2014 Soul looks, well, pretty much like the old Soul except for detail changes to the front and rear. But every body panel is different, so is the interior and the platform is from Kia's European small car, the C'eed. There's more of the so called "Schreyer" look at the front and some fairly radical tail lights and rear end styling but Soul remains a boxy on wheels with attitude.ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONS / TECHNOLOGYPower comes from a choice of 1.6-litre petrol and turbo diesel engines. They are used elsewhere in Kia's range and are available with a six speed manual or six speed auto transmission driving the front wheels only.  Outputs are 103kW/167Nm and 94/260Nm for the petrol and diesel respectively. Fuel economy is likely to be around the 6.0 litres/1900km mark for both, possible better than that.The new platform is appreciably stronger than the previous model thanks in part to extensive use of hi-tensile steel in the chassis and body. The new Soul has been crash tested in the US where it scores the equivalent of five stars.The suspension has been upgraded in line with other changes to offer a more comfortable and controlled ride. A sub frame is now used to mount the Macstrut front suspension for reduced noise and vibration in the cabin. The steering is revised and components relocated for better feel and less shock transmission to the driver on rough roads. Other noise attenuation materials and systems further reduce interior noise and vibration.DESIGN / STYLING / FEATURESThough it looks the same, the new Soul body is incrementally larger all over resulting in more interior space for passengers and luggage. This is accentuated by a better interior design and anew dash featuring higher quality materials and finishes.Kia will offer the new Soul with appreciably more kit as well as more options. While Australian specification hasn't yet been decided, overseas models come with a range of equipment including LED driving lights and xenon headlights, keyless entry, button start, auto climate control, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, panoramic glass sunroof, connectivity advances and upgraded audio.Some driver assist features make an appearance including high beam assist, smart parking and lane departure warning. Some or all of these features are likely to flow through to Aussie-spec Soul  model dependent. As with the current model. Kia offers numerous customisation choices for Soul buyers including about a dozen exterior colours with contrast roof colour, multiple interior choices and a number of wheels in 16, 17, and 18-inch sizes.PRICESPrices for the current model start at around $22 grand which seems the likely starting point for the new model, up to about $30 grand if you tick all the boxes. Shop it against Toyota Rukus, Peugeot 2008, Mitsu ASX, Holden Trax, Ford Ecosport and all the rest of them. It's a robust, practical, safe and funky little thing. 

A recall on Hyundai vehicles earlier in January has now roped in models from stablemate Kia, with a notice being issued for the Sportage and Soul SUVs. The safety recall is for a defect that means the tensioning cable in the seatbelt assembly has not been properly crimped, raising a risk the cable could break and not allow the seatbelts to pretension and fully restrain the wearers in an accident. A total of 2941 vehicles are affected -- 2704 Sportage and 237 Soul -- with build dates between August 23, 2011 and March 31, 2012, and on-sale dates between September 10, 2011 and December 31, 2012. The list of VIN numbers for the Soul can be found here and the VIN numbers for the Sportage can be found here. The VIN number for your vehicle is located on the build plate in the engine bay.The Hyundai recall affected 6552 of their popular ix35 SUV, and a spokesman at the time said the seatbelts would still protect wearers in an accident, but would simply not be able to deploy the pretensioning function that automatically tightens them. "It is only on the driver's seatbelt. We've had one incident in Australia and it was an non-injury incident," Kia Australia general manager of public relations, Kevin Hepworth says.Owners can contact their closest Kia dealer for an inspection and rectification if needed, with the fix estimated to take up to an hour of the customer's time. however Kevin says  

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | $59,000-$100,000New cars for 2014 | over $100,000 LIGHT CARSAlfa-Romeo MiTo: The Mini Cooper-rivalling MiTo hatch is due for a refresh in January. Tweaked styling is expected, along with updated features and sharpened pricing in line with other recent Fiat Chrysler Australia pricetag shuffles. (Approximately 25,000-30,000)Honda City and Jazz: Honda’s slow-selling City compact sedan is due to be replaced by an all-new model in the second quarter of 2014, leading the also-new third-generation Jazz compact hatch which is expected in around June. The new Jazz will benefit from a new dual-clutch auto transmission, and a new hybrid variant is expected to dip well below the current petrol-electric model’s 4.5L/100km combined figure. (Approximately $16,000-23,000)Kia Rio: Also due for a refresh in the third quarter is the Kia Rio light hatch and sedan range, with the stylish model likely to score visual tweaks and value gains to keep up with more recent competition. (Approximately $15,000-22,000)Mini Cooper: Mini will bring the all-new third-generation ‘new Mini’ Cooper to our shores from May, with the entry models using a new 1.5-litre three cylinder turbo petrol or diesel engine, and the hot Cooper S to step up to a new 2.0-litre turbo petrol from the same family The three-door hatch will be the only bodystyle to lob in 2014, with convertible and a new five-door hatch (at least) to follow later. (Approximately $31,000-$46,000)Volkswagen Polo: Volkswagen’s Polo light hatch range is also due for a mid-cycle refresh in the second half of the year, with revised styling, plus efficiency and technology trickle-down from the Mk7 Golf likely. Approximately $17,000-29,000)SMALL CARSAlfa Romeo Giulietta: Following on from its pricing shuffle in 2013, the small Giulietta hatch range also due for a mid-cycle refresh later in 2014. Approximately 24,000-40,000)Hyundai Elantra: Hyundai will revise its Elantra sedan in January, with freshened styling and a new local suspension tune expected to be the main changes. (Approximately $20,990-$30,190)Kia Pro_cee'd GT: Kia will bring the Pro_cee’d GT down under in March, with the new hot hatch set to go head to head with its mechanical sibling the Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo. (Approximately $30,000)Kia Soul: Also expected in March is a heavily revised version of the trendy Soul small hatch, with rejigged styling, upgraded underpinnings and petrol and diesel drivetrains. (Approximately $21,000-$30,000)Mazda3: Mazda will renew its assault on the Australian sales charts in January, with the arrival of the new third-generation 3 sedan and hatch models. The new 3 will be available with 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre versions of Mazda’s SkyActiv petrol engine from launch, with diesel versions set to follow later. (Approximately $20,000-35,000)Nissan Pulsar SSS sedan: In the third quarter, Nissan will break with Pulsar SSS tradition by adding a sedan version of the hot turbocharged model, with Mazda’s SP25 sedan its only logical rival. (Approximately $31,000)Peugeot 308: Peugeot’s headline act for 2014 will be the new 308 small hatch, with the lighter and more efficient model arriving before the end of the year to target Volkswagen’s Golf head-on. (Approximately $25,000-$40,000)Proton Suprima S: Proton will launch the Preve sedan-based Suprima S small hatch in January, in $21,790 (drive away) GX and $26,590 (drive away) GXR spec levels. Available with a CVT auto initially, both versions will use a 103kW/250Nm 1.6 litre petrol turbo. Cheaper $19,790 (GX) and $24,590 (GXR) six –speed manual versions will arrive later in the year. (Approximately $19,790-$24,590)Proton Preve: In the second quarter, ther Malaysian brand will add a five-speed manual version of the Preve GXR sedan, which is expected to undercut the existing CVT auto version by $2000 with a $20,990 drive away pricetag. A more upmarket Preve LE is expected at around the same time, and likely to be priced around the $25,000 mark.Renault Megane: Also due around June is a mid-cycle refresh for the Megane coupe, cabriolet, and wagon models. (Approximately $20,000-$50,000)Skoda Rapid Spaceback: Skoda will introduce the much anticipated Rapid Spaceback in the second quarter, with the new hatch to sit beneath the recently launched Octavia Liftback and wagon. (Approximately from $20,000)Toyota Corolla sedan: Toyota’s grasp on the Australian market is set to be strengthened by the arrival of a sedan version of the new Corolla in February. Both European and US versions of the new sedan have been unveiled, and the Australian model will most closely resemble the European model. (Approximately $20,000-$32,000)Volkswagen Golf wagon: Volkswagen will add a wagon bodystyle to its Mk7 Golf lineup early in 2014, mirroring the hatch with its range of petrol and diesel engines. (Approximately $27,000-37,000)FAMILY CARSFord Falcon: The once-mighty Falcon range is set to undergo its final facelift in the fourth quarter of 2014, ahead of it’s now certain doom in 2016. Minor styling revisions are expected, but the addition of Ford’s SYNC multimedia system and the return of the XR8 V8 model (as FPV is wound up) are likely to be the biggest changes. (Approximately 37,000-56,000)Kia Optima: Kia’s Optima will score a mid-cycle update in January, with revised styling inside and out, along with added features. (Approximately $30,990-$40,490)PEOPLE MOVERSCitroen C4 Grand Picasso: Citroen will replace the long-serving C4 Grand Picasso with an all-new version in the second quarter of 2014. The new model promises to continue as a stylish alternative to other seven-seat people movers with a choice of petrol or diesel drivetrains and will hopefully retain the current model’s sub-$40,000 pricing. (Approximately $37,000-$40,000)Honda Odyssey: An all-new Odyssey eight-seat people mover will follow in February, with fresh styling, improved features and safety and a more efficient drivetrain. (Approximately $35,000-$43,000)Kia Grand Carnival: Later in the year, Kia will replace the segment-champion but ageing Grand Carnival model. Improvements to safety, features, and efficiency are expected, and should be a winner if the smaller new Rondo is anything to go by. (Approximately $39,000-56,000)SUV/4WDFord EcoSport: The Blue Oval’s new EcoSport baby will complete its lineup in February, with the cheaper Trend and Ambiente spec levels joining the top-line Titanium that launched the model in December. (Approximately $20,790-27,790)Honda CR-V diesel: Honda will kick off 2014 by adding the first-ever diesel variant to the local CR-V SUV lineup in January. The 2.2 litre unit produces 110kW/350Nm, and will be available in six-speed manual or five-speed auto with all-wheel drive only. Official fuel consumption is as low as 5.8L/100km. (Approximately $35,000-$45,000)Jeep Cherokee: Jeep’s new more-civilised Cherokee SUV will arrive in the first half of 2014, with a choice of 2.4-litre petrol, 3.2-litre petrol V6, or 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines. (Approximately $28,000-$37,000)Kia Sportage: During the second quarter, Kia will grace its Sportage medium SUV with a more significant update than the minor revisions made in mid-2013 with the shift to European production. Like Optima, expect fresh interior and exterior styling and new features. (Approximately $25,000-$40,000)Kia Sorento: The final Kia model for 2014 is likely to be a significantly revamped Sorento seven-seat SUV, with a comprehensive design update inside and out to bring it in line with the fresher styling of its Hyundai Santa Fe mechanical twin. (Approximately $38,000-$51,000)Nissan X-Trail: Nissan will replace its hugely successful X-Trail medium SUV in about July, with the bigger design offering seating for seven for the first time, and improved refinement to go with its softened exterior design. (Approximately $30,000-$47,000)Nissan Qashqai: Nissan’s other significant SUV arrival for 2014 will be the Dualis-replacing Qashqai compact SUV, which will arrive in five-seat only guise in the third quarter. (Approximately $26,000-$36,000)Renault Captur: The Renault Captur will arrive mid-year, representing the French brand in the rapidly expanding compact SUV segement. The Clio-based crossover should start in the low $20,000s, and challenge the Trax, Juke, 2008, and EcoSport. (Approximately from $20,000)Skoda Yeti: Skoda’s best-selling Yeti compact SUV is also in line for a mid-cycle refresh in around June, with revised styling and features to bring it in line with the brand’s newer models. (Approximately $26,000-$38,000)Suzuki S-Cross: Suzuki’s SX4-replacing S-Cross will arrive in January, with reduced fuel consumption an increased interior space over the model it supercedes. Like the SX4, the S-Cross will continue with 2WD and AWD options, and will be priced between $22,990 and $34,990.COMMERCIAL VEHICLESFord Transit: Ford’s commercial lineup will receive a boost in January with the arrival of an all-new Transit van model, with the light-duty Transit Custom touching down ahead of the heavy-duty Transit Cargo range in April. (Approximately $36,000-$52,000)Renault Kangoo Maxi crew van: A passenger-carrying Kangoo Maxi crew van is also expected in the second quarter. (Approximately $27,000)

Several car brands turned out infectiously viral ads during 2013, starting with some standouts for the 2013 Super Bowl. The annual gridiron final is the most expensive advertising slot in the world, with brands splashing up to $3.7 million for a 30-second commercial. And with that kind of spend for the booking, you can bet they put some effort into the ad that will fill it.But it was Korean brand Kia that consistently kept the viral pot simmering over the year, starting with its Hotbot ad that turned Miss USA 2011 Alyssa Campanella into a glamorous but unforgiving robot that deals out punishment to a grubby-handed man pawing a show car. Created by Method Studios in Los Angeles, the ad showed Campanella’s real face, but digitised the rest of her body to create robotic parts.Watch the Kia Hotbot Super Bowl adThe Hotbot returned later in the year in a second commercial in which a guy is driving the robot home in a cosy interaction that hinted at man-machine intimacy -- or perhaps that should be interface. However the unsuspicious pointed out he might have been taking the Hotbot home to robovac his floors.Watch the Kia Hotbot drive home adThe concept was taken further with three animated versions that continued the Hotbot's role of 'protecting the tech' -- although her own seamlessly computer-generated tech was barely recognisable in the trendy graphic style of the cartoon versions.Watch the Kia Hotbot 'Outdoor Garage' adWatch the Kia Hotbot 'Shade Tree' adWatch the Kia Hotbot 'Seagulls' adBut the year also had room for the return of Kia's furry friends -- the Soul Hamsters. This time around, the hip-hop hamsters lose a lot of their bulk (with help from Lady Gaga) and suit up for the red carpet.Watch the Kia Soul Hamsters get buff with Lady GagaFor those who missed seeing the original Kia Hamsters in all their home boy glory --rapping and shuffling with the best of them -- check out the links below.Watch the Kia Soul Hamsters Party Rock Anthem adWatch the Kia Soul Hamsters Black Sheep adWatch the Kia Soul Hamsters Fort Knox ad 

After more than a decade as the world's favourite car colour, silver is falling in popularity to white. PPG Industries, the leading supplier of automotive paints, says 25 percent of the vehicles it supplied in the 2013 model year were white, up 3 percent from the prior year. Silver and black tied for second, with 18 percent each.White dominates in Europe, North America and Asia. Only in South America is silver still king. Apple Inc., with its all-white stores and gadgets, made white a high-tech colour. The variety of whites - from flat shades to creamy pearls - is also contributing, says Jane Harrington, PPG's manager of automotive colour styling.But if you don't relish a whiteout on the highway, never fear. Carmakers are currently scouting colours for the 2016 and 2017 model years, and Harrington is showing them some eye-popping options, from a pink-tinged bright red developed in Asia to a rich dark gray with faint green highlights.Eleven different browns - from light copper to dark chocolate - and an equal number of grays are part of PPG's annual colour show for automakers at its automotive centre in the Detroit suburb of Troy. There are six yellows and seven greens, from seafoam to dark olive. One notable absence: Powder blue, which is increasingly confined to electric cars or hybrids.Harrington and her international team determine colour trends by watching fashion, architectural paint colours and other predictors. She thinks we'll see more deep jewel tones like teal and more earthy metallics, like reddish orange, in the coming years. With the end of the recession, drivers don't mind being showy again, she saysCar buyers could also see taxi-like yellows and other flat, bright colours, which are growing in popularity thanks to small, funky entries like the Kia Soul. Pastel tones, like mint green and very light pink, are also in the mix.PPG will take its colour tour on the road to Los Angeles, Europe and Asia and will then start working with individual automakers on their choices. Companies typically choose eight to 10 colours for every model. PPG won't say how many cars it supplies paint for each year, but it works with every major car company. "They think about the vehicle and how that colour will translate," Harrington said. "That colour, sparkle and finish helps define the car's character." 

Kia has released a new commercial for the Soul -- featuring the same digital hamsters that have become synonymous with the Soul brand. But what's really interesting is that the Kia Soul commercial is backed by “Applause”, a brand new single from pop star Lady Gaga -- a single that was released just two weeks ago, and might've been released even later if it hadn't leaked to the internet ahead of schedule.That suggests that either (a) Kia's production team picked up the single very late in the game, after its release, or (b) they've been working with Lady Gaga all along and rushed the clip onto the airwaves to coincide with the song's debut. Both of those scenarios seems weird for a number of reasons, but most importantly:1. Major music artists are usually reluctant to place their music in advertisements. So we haven't really heard Lady Gaga's music in commercials. Does this mean the pop star's catalogue is open for business?2. In previous ads for the Soul, Kia used tunes by LMFAO and Black Sheep, which are very bro-friendly. Lady Gaga? Not so much. Is this a shift in marketing strategy? Is Kia's marketing team targeting Little Monsters now? Or is it just a coincidence?www.thecarconnection.com