When a vehicle is as successful as Kia’s current Soul and it’s time to present a replacement, an automaker’s challenge is especially demanding. If you drastically alter the design, you risk alienating your customer base. Make too few changes, and you’re at risk releasing a car that may be perceived as being stale and boring.
Kia’s solution to this tricky problem for the next generation Soul is to do a little bit of both. To explain, you’ll be able to tell from the get-go that the 2014 model is a Soul. This is evident even from the camouflaged prototypes our spies nabbed testing in Europe.
Not that Kia won’t refresh the styling, as aside from the slightly longer wheelbase, the 2014 Soul will feature a re-sculptured profile and updated front and rear ends loosely inspired from the 2012 Track’ster Concept, but you’ll have to pay attention to notice.
The interior, the first clear photos of which we share with you today, is a completely different story, as Kia revamped the entire cabin. The fresh design of the dashboard and even the door panels are very close to the Track’ster Concept, adapted, of course, for a production model. One standout feature is the large LCD screen for Kia’s latest UVO in-car entertainment system.
The South Koreans may surprise us with a turbocharged version of the Soul as well, but at launch, we expect the new model to be offered with its current 138hp 1.6-liter and 164hp 2.0-liter petrol engines, along with a 126hp 1.6-liter turbo diesel for Europe and other markets around the world.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoop
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