- Set to retire on the conclusion of the 2025 mannequin yr, over 1.5 million Kia Souls have been bought within the U.S. since 2009
- The Kia Soul’s ongoing reputation and affect on popular culture was fueled by a number of the most memorable and efficient automotive promoting within the historical past of the automotive business
From a humble starting as a boxy idea car in Kia’s U.S. design studio and persevering with by 16 years of ardour, the enjoyable and funky Kia Soul city runabout has all the time stood out from the gang. As what most contemplate the primary manufacturing car in Kia’s design-led and historic transformation, the Soul has attracted new clients to the model by projecting the sort of individuality and optimism that appeals to each the younger and the young-at-heart. And with Kia’s total U.S. gross sales practically tripling through the Soul’s lifetime, its influence merely can’t be overstated.
“The Soul was one of many cornerstones in Kia gaining a foothold in the US and this one-of-a-kind car – and the advertising and marketing supporting it – helped Kia transfer to the place it resides as we speak,” mentioned Eric Watson, Vice President, Gross sales, Kia America. “Kia is steadily progressing in direction of its third consecutive annual gross sales document and all-time excessive market share, and that’s potential due to the early success carved out by the Soul. We’re happy with the legacy Soul will depart behind because it exits our lineup, however equally excited for the way forward for Kia’s expansive and award-winning utility car lineup.”
“BOAR WITH A BACKPACK”
Within the mid-2000s, Kia got down to design a world automotive that stood out from the established order of compact hatchbacks. SUVs have been persevering with their climb in direction of market dominance on the time, and so it was determined that this new car would mix the nimble effectivity of a small automotive with the flexibility and proportions of an SUV. Whereas watching a nature documentary on the life of untamed boars, the group at Kia Design Middle America was impressed by the thought of a “boar sporting a backpack” given this animal’s energy and angle relative to its dimension and translated that concept right into a mechanical type. All too usually, through the transition from idea to manufacturing, a car loses a few of its celebrated spirit and edge. Not so for the Soul, because the 2006 manufacturing mannequin was extremely true to the unique idea.
MUSIC-LOVING HAM-STARS
Launched with the tagline “A New Method to Roll,” the extremely customizable Soul provided an audio system that featured in-speaker lighting to assist illuminate the beat. As an automaker seeking to make a mark by launching a clearly totally different kind of compact car, Kia wanted a advertising and marketing marketing campaign that made an identical and powerful influence. Enter a solid of hamsters with ears for hip music and paws on the heart beat of popular culture.
Tapping into the facility of music, dance, and positivity, the “Ham-stars” cruised to playlists starting from Black Sheep’s basic hip-hop observe “The Selection Is Yours,” LMFAO’s smash hit “Celebration Rock Anthem,” to Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades.” The hamsters shortly grew to become promoting legends, with the Madison Avenue Promoting Stroll of Fame naming them the first-ever “Rookie of the 12 months.”
INSPIRING NEW IDEAS
Kia took the wraps off plenty of Soul-based idea automobiles by the years together with the 2009 Soul’ster, an sudden pickup/utility variant of the Soul. One other standout idea was the 2012 Observe’ster with its turbocharged 250-horsepower engine, two-doors, and AWD system that took the thought of “sizzling hatch” to a different stage. The Observe’ster featured plenty of design cues that may make their means into the second-generation Soul in 2014.
Observe gave technique to path on the Chicago Auto Present in 2015, with the debut of the Path’ster idea. A extra rugged interpretation of the Soul, it featured an e-AWD system to place ample energy to all 4 wheels. Due to the Soul’s total reputation, buyer demand for brand spanking new variations continued to develop so a stronger powertrain debuted within the Soul Turbo in 2017. Whereas all-wheel drive wouldn’t be provided within the Soul, demand for an all-wheel-drive Kia subcompact SUV led to the event of the Kia Seltos. Extra than simply AWD, the Seltos is an evolution of the Kia CUV that provides extra cargo room behind the rear seats and elevated floor clearance than the Soul. The Seltos additionally gives a spirited turbocharged engine and useful Kia ADAS options.
All through its life, the Soul was usually on the core of Kia’s many memorable SEMA Present shows, with custom-made creations starting from a cell DJ sales space and rolling music memorabilia museum to an all-electric reimagining of a basic ice cream truck.
AN INCREDIBLE SUCCESS STORY
In 2018, Kia introduced that multiple million Souls had been bought by passionate house owners forward of the introduction of the third-and-final technology, which debuted in 2019 as a 2020 mannequin. This gen-3 Soul was extra refined than ever but clearly additionally embraced the enjoyable and funky spirit that made this machine such a gross sales success all through the years. Actually, whereas the Soul was usually marketed in direction of youthful patrons, it additionally attracted an older demographic that Kia shortly realized have been usually folks of the identical spirit…simply separated by age.
A CHAPTER CLOSES
The Soul is anticipated to finish manufacturing in October, and with only a few thousand models remaining at sellers across the US. These are the final examples of Kia’s spirited runabout with a giant persona, on a regular basis performance and effectivity.
Awards and Accolades:
2009 “Greatest Guess” Distinction by The Automobile Ebook
2009 Ward’s AutoWorld “Inside of the 12 months” record — “Grooviest Inside”
2009 Kelley Blue Ebook “Coolest New Vehicles Below $18,000”
2009 Kelley Blue Ebook “High 10 Again-to-College Vehicles”
2009 Crimson Dot Design Award (Product Design)
2010 Vehicles.com “Greatest Hatchback of 2010”
2010 TIME “Most Thrilling Vehicles of 2010”
2010 In style Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award
2010 IIHS High Security Decide
2011 Effie Awards — Gold Effie (North America) for Soul hamster marketing campaign (“This or That”)
2011 Nielsen Automotive Promoting Awards — Automotive Advert of the 12 months (Hamsters)
2012 J.D. Energy Preliminary High quality Examine — Highest Ranked in Phase
2012 Kelley Blue Ebook — “High 10 Again-to-College Vehicles” (No. 1)
2012 Kelley Blue Ebook — “High 10 Tailgating Vehicles”
2013 J.D. Energy Preliminary High quality Examine — Phase chief (repeat)
2013 Kelley Blue Ebook — “10 Coolest Vehicles Below $18,000”
2014 WardsAuto “10 Greatest Interiors”
2014 Crimson Dot Design Award (Product Design)
2014 iF Product Design Award
2014 Worldwide Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) — Bronze (Transportation)
2014 Clio Awards — Silver (Music: Partnerships/Collaborations) “Completely Remodeled”
2015 Crimson Dot Design Award — Soul EV
2015 GOOD DESIGN Award — Soul EV
2017 IIHS High Security Decide+ (with particular headlights & elective entrance crash prevention)
2017 U.S. Information & World Report — “Greatest Vehicles for the Cash” (Compact Automobile)
2017 Dad and mom Journal & Edmunds — Greatest Household Vehicles (“Greatest Funds Automobile”)
2018 (2019 MY) Shopper Information Automotive — Greatest Purchase
2019 Kelley Blue Ebook — 5-12 months Value to Personal Award (Compact Automobile)
2019 Kelley Blue Ebook — “10 Coolest New Vehicles Below $20,000” (No. 1)
2019 Kelley Blue Ebook — “10 Greatest Again-to-College Vehicles”
2020 World Automobile Awards — World City Automobile (Soul EV)
2021 IIHS High Security Decide (with particular headlights/optioned AEB)
2022 IIHS High Security Decide (with choices)
2023 Kelley Blue Ebook — Greatest Vehicles for School College students (New Vehicles Below $25,000)
