The first generation of this model appeared on the market 9 years ago. Now the world presented the updated Kia Soul 2017. In the meantime, we can discuss what awaits us in a stylish autonomy. Still, this car - one of the most popular in its class.

Korean manufacturers for a long time hid the appearance of a restyled car, but in open areas not masked by film, it was obvious that the sides and the roof had not changed. Consequently, one could expect a new design of bumpers and air intakes. Optics will likely change. There is every chance that there will be new options for painting.

The rumors that the new Kia Soul 2017 will receive some design elements from the conceptual Trailster’a were largely confirmed. He was shown at the Chicago Auto Show last year. Then the public took the car well, recognizing that the serial model based on it has a future.

To dispel the myths and make sure their guesses people managed last fall, when Soul and its modification of the GT appeared at the Paris Motor Show. Really changed bumpers and false-radiator grille. The rest of the appearance of the car remained the same.

Now the 2017 Kia Soul has a new body length of 4, 14 m. With a width of 1.8 m. And a height of 1.618 m. places.

Also, fan models offer a new design package. Here is what will be included in it:

• stylish new front bumper with more aggressive features;
• original wheels for those who are tired of the classics;
• powerful fog lights with bright LEDs;
• overturning detector. Although the car is very stable, such an addition would not be superfluous.

Interior features

Will the 2017 model year Kia Soul have any significant changes in the cabin? From the available data, we can conclude that they will affect not so much the interior, as what will be installed on the main panel. They promise a modern complex, which includes a number of controls and multimedia features.

Upholstery will remain the same. In any case, in the configuration that they managed to photograph. However, this can hardly be called a significant drawback of the re-styled car. The previous version used good materials.

Specifications

The new Kia Soul 2017 will take place between the Sportage and Cee’d models. By the release of new items already prepared line of engines. So far, public interest has been chained to the 201-strong 1.6-liter turbocharged unit. This equipment comes with 7 Art. "Robot" and spends 8.4 liters. gasoline when operating in the combined cycle.

If you are not a fan of gasoline units, there is a very decent 1.6 liter turbo diesel to choose from. 128 l. s./260 Nm. He has a small fuel consumption that will please those who want to save.

Interestingly, for the domestic Korean market, the novelty is offered with two additional units. The first is GDI, with a volume of 1.6 liters and a capacity of 132 l / s., Complete with 6-speed. automatic, the second - a similar amount of diesel for 135 "horses." To him, in addition to the automatic box, you can also buy a 7-speed robot that offers double clutch.

Many motorists even regret that these configurations are not available either in Russia or on the European market. For the American market, a separate modification is being prepared with a more powerful turbocharged engine.

As for the running characteristics, they are unlikely to change much with the advent of the updated model. Compact crossover, more reminiscent of a hatchback, is still not designed for off-road. His suspension and a small clearance directly hint that the cars were developed for the city. Moreover, if in the winter your settlement pushes snow drifts by one and a half meters, and in spring and autumn there is knee-deep mud, you can hardly expect that the car will behave like a Hummer.

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However, if you need to go on dry land, or take a rocky road somewhere in the regional center, the suspension will not fall apart either. Test drives "Soul" showed that it is strong enough, it stands firmly on wheels, even in difficult turns. Wide and "stocky" Kia has good stability.

Do not try to make him a conqueror of the desert, or all-terrain vehicle. In any modification you get a clearance of 165 mm. For comparison, any classic jeep, even if it is a modest "Chinese" - at least 175. However, there is a plus. The fact that the car overhangs are short gives it some advantages over many SUVs that sit on the belly at every opportunity.

Fast acceleration is not worth waiting. It is already known that an aspirated 1.6 liter accelerates the car in a straight line from 0 to 100 km / h in 12 seconds. However, this is not bad, given that the technique is clearly not for racing. For a faster version read on. Does this engine have advantages? First, it is reliable. Secondly, consumes 8 liters of gasoline in the combined cycle. Third, simple and cheap to maintain. If you are interested in reliability and savings - this is your choice. The main thing - do not save on the quality of consumables.

Possible options

The basic version is unlikely to delight potential buyers. However, the South Korean manufacturer understands this perfectly. That is why it offers many useful features. New not to call them, because almost all were available for the previous version.

In particular, you can order this car with heated steering wheel and seats (both front and rear). Considering how quickly the salon freezes through in winter, this is a really useful option for Russian brand fans.

The second option is cruise control. If you find a large stretch of smooth road in your city, good. But in general, a dubious pleasure for our country. Unfortunately, high-quality coverage, it is rather an exception. Therefore, the need for an option is a very controversial issue for most buyers from Russia.

Car safety can be enhanced by installing additional cushions and curtains on the sides. This option is really useful.

If you are a fan of glass panoramic roofs, we can please you - such a part can be installed on your new car. You can also order the rear armrest. If you need a light sensor, then it can also be offered as an option. The inclusion of dimensions and low beam. It works in about a half second.

Kia Soul GT. For those who love sports

When it comes to SOUL, it doesn't even occur to anyone that this vehicle can be fast. Designed for a measured life and driving through city streets, this crossover from KIA is not designed for sudden jerks. But there is a modification, tearing completely any patterns, and showing that this technique has great prospects. She got the prefix GT.

Many fans have been waiting for the release of the 2017 Kia Soul GT. This car got a 204-horsepower 1.6-liter GDI turbo engine. Acceleration to 100 km / h in 7.8 seconds. The maximum speed is 200 km / h. The sports version has larger brake discs.

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The appearance of this modification looks more brightly than the "classics". This is a powerful LED fog optics and grille. Powerful sports Soul looks great on the beautiful 18-inch wheels with alloy wheels. Also changed the bumpers and nozzle on the pipe of the exhaust system.

If you look into the interior, you will see that the finish in it is original, combining elements of fabric and high-quality leather. An interesting feature was the orange line used in the design of the dashboard, armrest, steering wheel, seats and even the gear knob.

Now the new Kia Soul gt 2017 is completed with the ERA GLONASS - a modern emergency response system. Also optional can be installed parking assistant when driving in reverse gear, rain sensor, control of "blind spots" and even heating for the front window washer. With our climate is a very relevant feature.

If you are a fan of automation, the manufacturer offers the opportunity to choose one of three modes of movement - sporty, economical and normal.

Also, Kia Soul gt has the ability to select a multimedia system. There is a budget option with a 5 ”screen and options for 7 and 8 inches. Models with more screens are equipped with a navigator, rear-view through the camera and systems from Google and Apple.

Painting colors

If earlier you were confused by the modest choice of colors, now there are three more of them. Now 11 colors are available. New shades - Russet (brown), Wild (orange) and Mysterious Blue (blue). It also presents the possibility of choosing the two-color Kia Soul 2017. For example:

• blue body / white roof;
• white body / red roof;
• red body / black roof;
• brown body / white roof.

Who is this car for?

If cars, like Citroen Cactus, people consider youth, then the new Soul in this regard is more versatile. Its design is good because it contains a unique combination of modern and conservative elements.

This car is designed for small urban streets, in which it is absolutely impossible to maneuver on cars, like the Toyota Camry. At the same time, “Soul” will easily transport four people with luggage.

The GT version was developed for those who like to drive fast, go for overtaking, and are tired of “turtle vehicles” who are not able to squeeze more than 120 km / h.

The cost of new items in Russia. Bundling

KIA dealers in our country have already laid out the prices for those complete sets of the car that will be available to buyers. Some have long been taking pre-orders. Still, the demand for a car is, and considerable.

Of course, to become a "cult", as the "Chevrolet Niva" "Soulu" is unlikely. But it will definitely occupy its niche, and even press some competitors. Modification "Classic" is offered in two variations - from 6-st. mechanics or automation. The unit in both cases the same - 124 hp, a volume of 1.6 liters. The price for a variant with a manual transmission is about 870 thousand rubles, and a counterpart with a gun is 940 thousand.

The following modification is called "Comfort". Her stuffing is the same. Differences only in the cabin. With automation - 995 thousand rubles, and with mechanics - 945 thousand.

The modification called “Lux” will cost 1 million 59 thousand rubles. It differs in that the gasoline engine has a capacity of 132 liters. with., and is offered only with a 6-speed automatic.

Also have

• "Prestige" for 1.170 million rubles. The engine and automatic transmission are similar.
• Premium - 1,320 million rubles. The same unit and gearbox.

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Differences in internal systems, interior comfort level, etc.

The last option available to domestic consumers is the 1.6 T-GDI GT, which we wrote about above. The gasoline engine has a power of 204 hp with a standard volume of 1.6 liters. It is completed with a 7-speed robotic box. This modification costs 1369900 rubles. On the “robot” there is a button for switching modes - “normal”, “eco” and “sport”. When changing modes changes the power unit. They also affect the steering settings.

Main competitors of the new KIA SOUL

With an average price of 870 thousand to about half a million rubles, depending on the configuration, the car has a lot of competitors. And we are not talking about UAZ, and not about used. crossovers with mileage of more than 200 thousand kilometers.

Let's see who will compete, and strive to shake the soul of the most "spiritual" crossover in the world.

The first on our list is Duster. Renault with the Romanian assembly has long and firmly taken place in the Russian market. This compact car also has a 1.6 liter gasoline engine. It also looks like the fact that the drive on his front wheels. Modification from a manual transmission costs from 630 thousand rubles.

Renault also offers a slightly more expensive and technically advanced car Kaptur. With 1.6 petrol engine l / 114 hp and mechanics it costs 860 thousand rubles.

The Chinese in this price range offer several good options at once:

• Chery Tiggo 3 - 1.6 l. / 126 hp with mechanics, equipment "Comfort" - 817 thousand rubles;
• Chery Tiggo 5 - 2.0 l. / 136 hp also manual transmission, in the basic configuration - 973 thousand rubles;
• Brilliance V5 - 1.6 l. / 110 hp Manual, "Comfort" - only 645 thousand rubles;
• Lifan X60 - 1.8 HP / 133 HP Manual transmission - from 570,000 rubles.

Perhaps the Lifan at this price - the most dangerous competitors in this list. The case when for one "Korean" two "Chinese" are given. And the quality of these cars is quite decent. And if you take a complete set of more expensive, especially.

If you are the opponent of the Chinese industry, you can take another compact crossover - Ford Eco Sport. All the same petrol 1.6 l. and manual transmission. Power 122 hp Price - 860 thousand rubles. For about the same money you can take the Nissan Terrano without all-wheel drive. Again the same 1.6 l. at 114 hp and equipment "Comfort". It is "Japanese" 893 thousand rubles.

As you can see, everything is not so simple in the new KIA Soul. There is a high probability that someone will consider it too expensive, others will not be satisfied with the design, others simply trust only cars from the USA and Japan.

However, all this is only an assumption. After the first year of sales it will be possible to sum up some real results. For our part, we wish the future owners of this car to buy a car with which there will be no technical problems.