CAR News

Kia today revealed the first official photographs of its all-new flagship sedan to be launched during the first half of this year in the Korean market. Referred to by its codename „KH? until now, the company also confirmed that the Korean market name will be „K9? – while the name for export markets, as well as overseas launch timings, will be revealed later this year.

K9 is Kia?s first rear-wheel drive sedan. It boasts Kia?s „best of the best? design, driving performance and high technology capabilities and is regarded as one of 2012?s most eagerly anticipated all-new models in both Korean and overseas markets.

This model?s Korean market name, K9, will complete Kia?s domestic market „K? series range of passenger cars, whose members also include the front-wheel drive K5 (Optima in overseas markets) and K7 (Cadenza in overseas markets) sedans.

The letter „K? represents not only Kia and the company?s home country of Korea, but also refers to the Greek word „Kratos? (meaning powerful, domination and reign) and the English word „Kinetic? (meaning active, dynamic).

The „K? series trio of sedans is a strong statement of Kia?s determination to offer consumers the broadest product line-up and establish itself as a major presence in the global automotive industry through ceaseless innovation and technological developments.

The K9?s exterior gives solid form to the recently released sketches of the new model, and presents its design concept, „high-tech luxury sedan? image, with futuristic, sophisticated and distinctive charisma.

K9 is the latest continuation of Kia?s evolving design DNA, carrying its family-look radiator grille, bold „high-tech luxury car? style LED headlamps, with classic design echoes in its voluminous hood. Viewed from the front, K9 presents an imposing and characterful image.

Furthermore, the sophisticated and bold profile with its simple but strong character line and the innovative and stable rear view with its high-tech LED combination lamps, luxurious chrome garnish and bumper-integrated muffler, completes the parameters for whole new level of luxury car design.
Soon-Nam Lee, Director of the Overseas Marketing Group, said, “K9 is our first rear-wheel drive large sedan, created without compromise in its design, driving performance and new technologies. K9 sets a whole new level of standards and values in the large sedan segment, and its design will be another Kia demonstration of our brand?s power to surprise the world.”

The ultra-popular midsize Kia Optima sedan again turned heads today at the Chicago Auto Show when Kia Motors America (KMA) revealed production plans for a new range-topping Limited. The Limited, which will begin production at Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia[1] later this month, builds on the Optima SX’s strong foundation of class-leading horsepower[2] and fuel efficiency[3] and adds a number of design and amenity enhancements to further stand apart from traditional competitors in the segment.
“The Optima SX Limited was introduced to the world in our ‘Drive the Dream’ Super Bowl commercial and now visitors to the Chicago Auto Show will experience it firsthand,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. “The Limited delivers upscale features and premium materials that discerning midsize sedan customers are not able to find in many of our competitors. The Optima has been earning design, performance and value awards since arriving in showrooms in early 2011, and the Limited is the latest example of the brand’s compelling package of style, fuel economy, technology – and now opulence – to appeal to an even wider consumer base.”
Expected to arrive in showrooms in March, the Optima Limited is based on the fully loaded turbocharged Optima SX, which Edmunds’ Inside Line hailed as an “Editors’ Most Wanted(SM)” mid-sized sedan. Offered exclusively in Ebony Black, Snow White Pearl and Titanium Metallic exterior colors, the Optima Limited features many details that are mainly found on luxury vehicles, including LED daytime running lights, chrome-accented rear spoiler, lower door sills and wood interior trim. Standout red front-brake calipers can be seen through the Optima Limited’s uniquely designed chrome 18-inch wheels while the 2.0-liter turbo GDI engine delivers class-leading 274 horsepower[4] and achieves 22/34 mpg[5] (city/hwy).
Inside the cabin, high-grade black or white Nappa leather adorns the seats, door panels, center console armrest and center fascia trim for a premium feel. Wood accents can be found on the steering wheel, interior door trim and shift knob, and a black tricot fabric lends a premium feel to the headliner, sun visor, and A, B and C pillars. The Optima Limited also boasts a first-aid kit and cloth door weather strip.
Like every Optima, the Limited projects a refined, performance-oriented aesthetic with a sleek silhouette, aggressive stance and sculpted elements that embodies the styling language chief design officer Peter Schreyer has created for the brand. Every 2012 Optima comes well equipped with a generous roster of standard features, and the Optima Limited builds on the technology, performance and convenience features found on the Optima SX, including: unique front and rear lower bumper design, sport-tuned suspension, HID headlamps, SupervisionTM meter cluster with LCD display, steering wheel paddle shifters, metal pedals, illuminated door scuff plates, panoramic sunroof, four-way power front passenger’s seat, driver’s seat memory, heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats, navigation system with back-up camera and SiriusXM TrafficTM[6] and Infinity®[7] audio system and speakers.
Standard Kia Safety Features
The 2012 Optima is equipped with a high level of standard safety features. All trims come outfitted with driver and passenger advanced front airbags[8], front seat-mounted side airbags, first and second row side curtain airbags, front active headrests, side-impact door beams, height-adjustable front seatbelts with pre-tensioners, three-point seatbelts for all seating positions, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). A four-wheel Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), a Traction Control System (TCS), a Brake Assist System (BAS) and Hill Assist Control (HAC) also are standard.
Industry-Leading Warranty
The 2012 Optima is covered by Kia’s comprehensive warranty program[9], which offers consumer protection at an exceptional value. Included in this program are a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty and a five-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty. A five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan also is part of the comprehensive vehicle coverage.

Priced from just £19,595 on-the-road

The Kia Optima, the all-new flagship saloon that is the latest model to be launched in Kia’s design-led product offensive, goes on sale in the UK from 1 February bringing fantastic design, high levels of standard specification and low running costs to the D-segment, from just £19,595 on-the-road.

Unveiled back in 2010 at the New York Auto Show, Optima has proven to be a global success since day one. It became Korea’s top-selling car within a month of going on sale – the first Kia ever to reach that exalted position – and is in such demand in the United States that Kia has had to build in Georgia just to keep pace. Nearly 300,000 Optimas have been sold across the world to date and it is already accumulating international design awards.

The Optima’s looks alone ­will ensure it enjoys UK sales success previously unheard-of for a large Kia saloon. Kia’s Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, likens the car’s clean, stylish and uncomplicated cut to that of a fine Italian suit.

But the Optima has also been configured to appeal to the business community who make up the vast majority of D-segment customers in the UK. It will be sold only with a diesel engine – a new 134bhp version of Kia’s smooth and efficient 1.7-litre CRDi ‘U2’ power unit – while all four specification options contain every essential for the business user.

The arrival of the Optima means that for the first time Kia has a seriously competitive car in all the key sectors for the UK’s fleet and leasing industry – Picanto, Rio, cee’d and now Optima. Three of those cars are all-new models introduced within the last eight months.

Even before the arrival of the Optima, Kia’s corporate sales were going through the roof – up by 145% between 2010 and 2011, for a market share which improved from 1.58% to 2.42%. With the introduction of the Optima, further progress is confidently expected.

The Optima offers features never previously attainable on a Kia, including a high-end Infinity audio system. It delivers 550W of high-fidelity sound through 12 speakers in eight different locations throughout the car, including a boot-mounted subwoofer. Self-parking, heated and cool-ventilated seats, cornering lights, panoramic sunroof, reverse parking camera and an automatic cabin defogging system are also available, as is a six-speed automatic transmission that is among the most advanced currently produced by any car manufacturer.

A seismic shift in design

Kia’s shift from a purely rational to a design-driven brand in recent years has resulted in a succession of new cars that all deliver the ‘must have’ quality demanded by Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer. Sorento, Soul, Venga, Sportage, Picanto, Rio… each new model created under Schreyer’s watch has changed the way that buyers perceive Kia.

So, the team behind the look of the Optima knew there had to be an equally seismic shift in the design of Kia’s large saloons, which had hitherto focused on functionality and value. In short, the team had to raise the bar to an even higher level and create a car that people would never previously have expected from Kia.

The Optima was created by Kia’s design teams in Frankfurt and California and immediately began to draw praise from media critics since its global debut in 2010. ‘Gorgeous’ and ‘the best car to come out of Korea yet’ were among the comments made, and these were to be repeated when the Optima made its European debut at the Paris Salon de l’Auto later that year. In 2011 the Optima was named ‘Best of the Best’ in Germany’s Red Dot design competition, which attracted nearly 4,500 product entries from all aspects of life, not just the automotive sector.

The Optima is a clean-sheet design. It is longer, lower and wider than Kia’s previous D-segment car, and has a longer wheelbase and a coupé-like profile, emphasised by its cab-back proportions, shallow glasshouse, short boot and the sweeping chrome arch that flows from the A-pillar to the C-pillar. High, pronounced shoulders flow seamlessly between the sculpted front and rear light clusters, giving the Optima a muscular appearance that is reflected lower down in bold, flared wheel arches.

Aircraft-inspired cabin

The interior is youthful and sporty, giving the driver a hands-on, totally engaged feel. The fascia, tilted towards the driver at an angle of almost 10 degrees, has been designed on aircraft principles so that all the major controls are within the driver’s sight-line for best visibility and ease of use.

The entry-level Optima has Kia’s familiar three-cylinder instrumentation, while all other versions have a premium Supervision cluster with a 3.5-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) full-colour information screen flanked by a tachometer on one side and a speedometer on the other. The information screen can be programmed with the driver’s preferred menus and images.

Slender armrests in the doors have integral audio speakers, freeing up more storage space in the panel beneath. In the top-of-the-range Optima 3, mood lighting in the lower part of the doors and the centre fascia adds to the cabin’s already sophisticated ambience.

Space and safety

The Optima is based on an all-new platform which ensures it has class-leading passenger and luggage space and safety features while being no larger than its competitors. The Optima is 45mm longer (4,845mm) and 25mm wider (1,830mm) than Kia’s previous D-segment saloon, but of greater significance is the 75mm increase in wheelbase (2,795mm). Front passengers, in particular, benefit from significantly more legroom, and there has also been a small increase in headroom, despite a 25mm reduction in overall height (1,455mm).

The boot capacity has been enlarged to 505 litres (VDA), and there is a lower lip to make the business of loading the car less strenuous. The 60:40 split folding rear seats allow longer loads to be transported.

And the team which designed the Optima’s interior did not focus solely on aesthetics: useful storage spaces, shaped to accommodate the things which real owners like to carry, abound. There is a cooled glovebox, a centre console box, cupholders front and rear, a sunglasses holder, space for bottles in the front and rear doors, pockets in the backs of the front seats and a centre fascia tray large enough for a mobile telephone, conveniently located adjacent to AUX and USB points.

The Optima is built around an incredibly stiff safety structure featuring almost 60% of high-tensile steel plates. This ensures outstanding front, side and rear impact protection without adding to the car’s overall weight.

There are large disc brakes on all four wheels, ventilated at the front, with anti-lock (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist, giving the car class-leading emergency stopping power in all conditions, regardless of the force applied to the pedal by the driver. Models with automatic transmission feature a foot-operated parking brake.

Kia’s democratic approach to safety is once more evident with the Optima. All versions have Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to counter any tendency of the car to skid out of control because of bad weather or over-exuberant driving. This is linked to Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), which senses when the wheels on one side of the car are on a lower-grip surface than those on the other side, VSM then stabilises the car by reducing the amount of steering assistance if the driver is applying too much steering effort or increasing it if the driver is applying too little.

To alert other motorists to emergency braking, an Emergency Stop Signalling system (ESS) is also fitted. This flashes the brake lights rapidly to warn following drivers. Every Optima is fitted with front, side and curtain airbags, plus active front-seat head restraints to minimise the risk of whiplash injuries.

Business with pleasure

In the UK, the Kia Optima has been configured to appeal to the business community who make up the vast majority of buyers of D-segment cars. It goes on sale with just one engine – a new 134bhp version of Kia’s acclaimed 1.7-litre U2 turbodiesel – and a choice on the mid and top spec models of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions.

All manual versions feature Kia’s EcoDynamics fuel-saving, CO2-reducing measures, including Intelligent Stop & Go and aerodynamic drag-reducing measures, while automatics have an Active ECO button which alters the operation of the engine’s electronic control unit and the compressor on the climate control system, bringing potential fuel savings of around 9%.

The U2 diesel, engineered at Kia’s European research and development centre in Germany, was first introduced on the Kia Sportage, but has been uprated for use in the Optima. It features high-pressure common-rail fuel injection for maximum efficiency and a variable geometry turbocharger to enhance low-speed driveability while ensuring strong top-end power for the high motorway speeds common in Europe. It develops its maximum power at 4,000rpm, but of greater significance is the peak torque of 325Nm (239lb ft) from 2,000-2,500rpm.

The U2 engine in the Optima develops similar power and torque to the 2.0-litre units in European and Japanese rivals, but from a smaller capacity. Acceleration from 0-60mph takes 10.2 seconds in manual versions and 11.5 seconds with automatic transmission, while the respective top speeds are 125mph and 122mph.

The manual can achieve 57.6 miles per gallon, with CO2 emissions of 128g/km, while the figures for the automatic are 47.1mpg and 158g/km. Both attract vastly lower company car taxation rates than any previous Kia D-segment model. In fact, the new car with automatic transmission matches the CO2 emissions of the previous manual version.

With automatic transmission, Kia joins an elite group of just three automotive manufacturers to have designed, developed and built its own six-speed automatic gearbox. It features innovative Neutral Control, which shifts the transmission from ‘D’ to ‘N’ when the car has been stopped for a few seconds, reducing the load on the engine and, therefore, fuel consumption.

A gate-type shift pattern offers the driver a choice of two operating modes – fully automatic for town use, or drive for a more involving driving style. In drive, the driver can perform clutch-less sequential manual changes – up or down – via steering column-mounted paddles.

The Optima’s ride and handling have been optimised to provide the perfect combination of stability and agility with refinement and comfort on the long motorway drives that are a fact of life for many business drivers. Kia’s motor-driven power steering (MDPS), which delivers assistance only when needed to reduce the load on the engine and save fuel, offers just the right degree of help and weighting in all circumstances.

Extensive noise-reduction measures ensure minimal transmission of engine and road sound, while the low co-efficient of drag – down to 0.29 from the 0.32 of Kia’s previous D-segment saloon – not only helps fuel economy but also minimises wind turbulence.

Specification and range

The Optima is available with an extensive list of features. Sold in the UK with Kia’s familiar 1, 2 and 3 trim grades, but the mid-range 2 versions offer buyers the options of ‘Luxe’ or ‘Tech’ variants. Standard features include alloy wheels, air conditioning, LED daytime running lamps, leather steering wheel, Bluetooth with voice recognition and music streaming, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, all-round electric windows and electric folding mirrors as well as cruise control and a speed limiter.

Move up to the mid-grade 2 specifications and you can expect to have solar glass with auto defogging, automatically activated wipers, an eight-way adjustable powered driver’s seat with memory setting, heated front seats, dual zone auto air conditioning in place of air conditioning, reverse parking camera, iPod connectivity and a premium Supervision instrument cluster and paddle shifts on automatic models.

The Optima ‘2 Luxe’ version has grey leather seats with a grey cloth trim, panoramic sunroof with electric blinds, 18-inch alloy wheels, black front calipers, black and chrome radiator grille surround, sculptured side sill mouldings and front and rear valances and a reversing camera in the rear-view mirror.

The Optima ‘2 Tech’ is equipped with black leather and cloth upholstery, a 12-speaker premium Infinity audio system – including a centre speaker, an external 11-channel amplifier and an eight inch subwoofer – 17-inch alloy wheels and a 7-inch touch-screen satellite navigation system with European mapping and an integrated reversing camera.

Optima 3 is a combination of the mid-grade 2 models with additional features. It includes a panoramic sunroof, auto light control, Infinity audio system and touch-screen satellite navigation with integrated reversing camera. Xenon headlamps with automatic levelling, full black leather upholstery, a cool-ventilated driver’s front seat, heated rear seats and an automatic parallel parking assist system are unique to the 3. Smart key with start/stop ignition button, stainless steel door scuff plates with front illumination, mood lighting and alloy pedals complete the top-of-the-range version’s high specification count.

As with all Kias, the Optima comes with Kia’s unique seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, subject to conditions covering wear and tear items. The warranty is fully transferable to subsequent owners.

Care-3, Kia’s servicing package for retail customers, is available for Optima and offers a fixed cost and inflation proof servicing for three or five years. All work will be carried out by trained product technicians, using genuine Kia replacement parts and specified oils.

The Care-3 package is just £299 including VAT, which covers the first three services – either 36 months or 30,000 miles, or the Care-3 Plus package is £549 including VAT which covers the first five services – either 60 months or 50,000 miles.

Kia’s innovative and hugely successful urban crossover, the Soul, has been refreshed from top to bottom for the 2012 model year. New or revised 1.6-litre engines and the introduction of a six-speed gearbox on all models improve performance while lowering fuel consumption, emissions and running costs. The distinctive and highly original exterior styling is now even sharper while continuing to emphasise Kia’s obsession with quality. This is reflected in the cabin, where changes to the fascia, console and trim raise standards even higher. And all versions have more equipment.

The revised model is now on sale offering a choice of two regular trim grades, badged Soul 1 and Soul 2, and two ‘Soul Originals’, the Hunter and Quantum. ‘Soul Originals’ is a rolling programme of special versions with unique styling and trim, changed at regular intervals.

Lifestyle-driven, but practical with it

Soul is an urban crossover – small enough to be ideally suited to the world’s urban jungles, but totally different to conventional, workday small cars. By combining the charm and desirability of the MINI and Fiat 500 with a hint of SUV ruggedness, Soul opened up an entirely new market sub-segment when it first appeared in 2008.

Like conventional superminis, Soul is a five-door, five-seat front-wheel-drive hatchback. But within those parameters, it defies convention thanks to its fun-to-drive character, expressive interior and a seating arrangement which offers the flexibility of a medium-sized MPV or SUV within the footprint of a supermini.

Soul’s style is ‘tough not rough’. It has a high bonnet with rounded forms, bulging wheel arches and a wide track. The wheel arches are joined by a body side crease, while the roofline appears to slope gently down to the tailgate. The beltline, which rises from the front wheel arch to create a gentle wedge shape, is continued under and around the third side window. There are decorative air vents in the front wings, these incorporate sleek side repeaters on the entry-level version.

For 2012, Soul’s rugged charm has been given an even sportier twist with changes to the grilles, lights, front bodywork and wheels. A new bumper with a wider, lower air intake changes the proportions of the car and gives it a wider stance, and the grilles are now set off with cubic effect inserts which give it a more premium look. The new front grille is reflected at the rear, where a large tusk-shaped section in the bumper helps to visually stretch the width of the car.

The vertical rear light clusters have been revised and incorporate brake lights that wrap around the side of the car, while daytime running lights – bulb-type in Soul 1 and 2 and LED in the two ‘Soul Originals’ – add a touch of style to the black bezel headlamp units and make the car easier to see. The rear light pattern on models with LED rear lamps is identical to that on the 2006 Detroit Show Soul concept to which the production model so faithfully adheres.

Soul 1 now has body-coloured door handles and mirrors and a top-tinted windscreen, while Soul 2 gains muscular surrounds around its front foglights, 16-inch alloy wheels and folding electric door mirrors containing stylish indicator repeaters. All versions are 15mm longer than before to accommodate the new powertrains under the bonnet, yet remain extremely compact at 4.12 metres long.

The practical and spacious interior features a totally redesigned centre fascia, centre console and gearshifter which improve both usability and the feeling of quality. The upholstery in Soul 1 continues to be stylish all-black cloth, while Soul 2 has a new design of luminous ‘Soul Shine’ cloth. Soul Hunter is trimmed in either black or beige, depending on the exterior colour specified, with matching tartan colour trim that adds a charming and fun flavour to the interior. Soul Quantum is trimmed in luxurious black leather.

More performance with lower running costs

Soul was the first Kia to use an all-new platform that has since been adopted in modified form for Kia’s other B-segment models, the Venga and new Rio. It is powered by two 1.6-litre engines – a new direct-injection (GDi) petrol unit developing 138bhp – up 14bhp on the previous 1.6-litre – and a modified 126bhp turbodiesel (CRDi). A six-speed manual gearbox replaces the five-speed unit previously used, while the CRDi engine is optionally available with a six-speed automatic in place of the former four-speed transmission.

The new powertrains bring significant gains in performance, economy and running costs. The diesel manual is now 0.6 seconds quicker from rest to 60mph (10.3 seconds), while more than 3mpg more fuel-efficient (57.6mpg). This is sufficient to bring its CO2 emissions down by 8g/km to 129g/km, which means owners are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in the car’s first year.

The new petrol engine and six-speed gearbox combination, meanwhile, ensures the Soul delivers sparkling performance with impressively sparing use of fuel. It can accelerate from standstill to 62mph in 10 seconds, while its official combined-cycle economy is 44.1mpg. With CO2 emissions of 149g/km, it sits in band F for VED, which saves owners £35 a year compared with the previous model. Both engines deliver the outstanding torque vital to modern UK motoring, with excellent power for motorway use.

Soul has a long wheelbase and wide track, with inherent benefits for stable handling and a comfortable ride. The suspension of right-hand-drive models was fine-tuned in the UK ahead of the car’s initial launch. Soul was the first of several Kias to have followed this path, recognising the particular characteristics of UK roads. It has Kia’s motor-driven electronic power-assisted steering, which contributes three per cent to fuel savings compared with a conventional engine-driven hydraulic rack-and-pinion system. Power assistance is provided only when needed, reducing power draw on the engine.

Soul comes as standard with electronic stability control (ESC) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD). ESC intervenes to prevent skids by braking one or more wheels, reducing engine power or both if sensors detect the car may be in danger of going out of control. EBD, meanwhile, automatically ensures that stopping power is directed to the four wheels in such a way as to ensure the car is brought to a halt in the shortest possible distance.

For 2012 these safety measures have been supplemented by Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC). VSM uses the ESC sensors to detect when one side of the car is traversing a more slippery surface than the other, such as when there is ice, stranding water or wet leaves at the edge of the road. It then intervenes to stabilise the car. HAC holds the car on its brakes when setting off on inclines until the driver touches the accelerator pedal. In this way it is impossible for the car to roll backwards.

All the advantages of an SUV with none of the disadvantages

The first thing Soul drivers will notice, particularly those downsizing from an SUV or MPV, is the familiar command-post driving position. The cockpit is compact and sporty, with a thick-rimmed four-spoke steering wheel and a three-dial instrument cluster beneath a tightly-curved cowling. Yet Soul is anything but a self-indulgent car. The unusually high roofline, which has its highest point just above the windscreen, and generous wheelbase, may lend Soul a bit of SUV attitude, but they also give the interior cavernous space.

In keeping with Soul’s rebellious, individual and urban character, Kia has ensured that every model has a six-speaker audio system capable of being linked to digital music players or other portable music devices. From Soul 2 upwards, an iPod cable is standard, and all models now have steering wheel-mounted audio controls. Further up the range, the hi-fi grows to eight speakers, including a boot-mounted subwoofer and a dashboard centre speaker, and is powered by an external amplifier.

The standard specification is generous, with air conditioning, all-round electric windows, remote central locking and six airbags fitted to every model. The 2012 Soul 1 gains Bluetooth with voice control, and sun visors with illuminated mirrors in addition to remote audio controls, electric mirrors, body-coloured door handles and a top-tinted windscreen. Soul 2 has new 16-inch alloys, unique upholstery and folding mirrors. To top it off, all versions have Kia’s pioneering seven-year, 100,000 miles warranty.

Hunter and Quantum – the latest ‘Soul Originals’

In the spirit of a fashion collection, the Originals are frequently updated with new colour schemes and specifications and have proved popular since the first trio appeared in 2009. Hunter and Quantum are the latest to arrive and each brings a unique style and high level of specification.

In addition to the well-specified ‘2′ trim level, both of the new Originals gain metallic paint, distinctive LED daytime running lights, an uprated eight-speaker stereo system with external amplifier and boot-mounted subwoofer, heated door mirrors and privacy glass to the rear windows and tailgate. Cruise control is standard on automatic versions and will feature on manual versions from the end of the year.

The Hunter adds to this with 18″ alloy wheels, an electrically operated sunroof and a colour reversing camera which conveniently displays inside the rear view mirror when reverse gear is engaged. Hunter is available in Olive Green metallic, with a beige and tartan interior, or Moonlight Blue metallic with black and black tartan upholstery.

The Quantum is only available in Titanium Silver metallic and comes with 18″ black five-spoke alloy wheels, piano black bumper inserts and chrome exterior door handles. On the inside is a black leather upholstery, heated front seats, climate control and reverse parking sensors.

Kia Soul – Performance and Economy figures

Kia Soul – Pricing