Kia Soul Concept

OVERVIEW
It’s the Soul from Seoul. Kia’s new concept has a distinctive wraparound windshield and windows, along with a panoramic split-section sun/moon roof. The side vents help cool the engine compartment and the rear passenger doors are hinged from the back - -an increasingly common feature on cars these days, ever since the Mazda RX-8.

The cabin bristles with high-tech elements, such as a multimedia entertainment system, a notebook computer with video games, multiple USB ports, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Power comes from a comparatively prosaic 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine sending drive to the front wheels. Things get a little more lifestyle-y at the rear, where a “backpack compartment” can house wet or muddy items like a wetsuit or hiking shoes -- even a skateboard.

OUR TAKE
Cheesy name, done-to-death “lifestyle” features. It just seems like Kia is trying to say that it’s “down with the kids” when all it really wants to do is sell cars. If anyone were dreaming up a concept cliché, this would be it.