The South Korean carmaker recently filed a trademark application for the Kia Soul nameplate in India. Globally, the Soul is sold with petrol and electric powertrains. As of now, there is no clarity whether the carmaker will bring in its ICE version or electric iteration. Just so you know, the company showcased the Soul electric hatchback at the 2018 Auto Expo.
Globally, the Kia Soul is offered with the 1.6L turbocharged petrol and 2.0L naturally aspirated petrol engines making 198bhp and 145bhp respectively. While the turbo motor comes with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, the naturally aspirated unit can be had with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic transmission. Check Out – 2021 Kia Seltos Nightfall Edition Images, Details
The hatchback’s electric model has been packed with a 64kWh battery and an electric motor (204PS/395Nm). It’s claimed to offer an electric range of 450km on a single charge. The Soul EV can do 0 to 100kmph in 7.6 seconds and attain a top speed of 170kmph. Its battery can be fully charged in 9.5 hours via an AC charger and in an hour via a DC charger. The Kia Soul EV comes with 4 driving modes, namely, Eco, Eco+, Comfort and Sport.
The Kia Soul carries tall stance with a pronounced lower grille, thin LED headlamps with narrow DRLs, 17-inch alloy wheels and wraparound boomerang-shaped taillamps. The premium hatchback has dual-tone black and beige interior theme. On the feature front, the Sould offers a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone app connectivity, an 8-inch head-up display, a fully-digital instrument console, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, 8-way power front seats, leather upholstery, heated seats, automatic climate control and more.
The overall length of the global-spec Soul premium hatchback measures 4195mm that means it will attract the GST applied on the bigger cars (such as Seltos). It would be difficult for the carmaker to achieve competitive pricing, if it will be brought via a CKD route.
