- 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 recognition 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 automobile in Kia’s U.S. design studio and persevering with via 16 years of ardour, the enjoyable and funky Kia Soul city runabout has at all times stood out from the gang. As what most contemplate the primary manufacturing automobile in Kia’s design-led and historic transformation, the Soul has attracted new clients to the model by projecting the type 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 america and this one-of-a-kind automobile – and the advertising and marketing supporting it – helped Kia transfer to the place it resides at present,” mentioned Eric Watson, Vice President, Gross sales, Kia America. “Kia is steadily progressing in direction of its third consecutive annual gross sales report and all-time excessive market share, and that’s potential because of 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 automobile lineup.”
“BOAR WITH A BACKPACK”
Within the mid-2000s, Kia got down to design a worldwide automobile 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 automobile would mix the nimble effectivity of a small automobile with the flexibility and proportions of an SUV. Whereas watching a nature documentary on the life of untamed boars, the workforce at Kia Design Middle America was impressed by the thought of a “boar carrying a backpack” given this animal’s power and perspective relative to its measurement and translated that concept right into a mechanical type. All too typically, through the transition from idea to manufacturing, a automobile 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 Solution to Roll,” the extremely customizable Soul provided an audio system that featured in-speaker lighting to assist illuminate the beat. As an automaker trying to make a mark by launching a clearly totally different kind of compact automobile, Kia wanted a advertising and marketing marketing campaign that made the same 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 ability of music, dance, and positivity, the “Ham-stars” cruised to playlists starting from Black Sheep’s traditional hip-hop monitor “The Selection Is Yours,” LMFAO’s smash hit “Celebration Rock Anthem,” to Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades.” The hamsters shortly turned promoting legends, with the Madison Avenue Promoting Stroll of Fame naming them the first-ever “Rookie of the Yr.”
INSPIRING NEW IDEAS
Kia took the wraps off numerous Soul-based idea automobiles via the years together with the 2009 Soul’ster, an sudden pickup/utility variant of the Soul. One other standout idea was the 2012 Monitor’ster with its turbocharged 250-horsepower engine, two-doors, and AWD system that took the thought of “sizzling hatch” to a different stage. The Monitor’ster featured numerous design cues that may make their method into the second-generation Soul in 2014.
Monitor gave method 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. Because of the Soul’s total recognition, 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 provides a spirited turbocharged engine and useful Kia ADAS options.
All through its life, the Soul was typically on the core of Kia’s many memorable SEMA Present shows, with custom-made creations starting from a cellular DJ sales space and rolling music memorabilia museum to an all-electric reimagining of a traditional ice cream truck.
AN INCREDIBLE SUCCESS STORY
In 2018, Kia introduced that multiple million Souls had been bought by passionate homeowners forward of the introduction of the third-and-final era, 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. In truth, whereas the Soul was typically marketed in direction of youthful consumers, it additionally attracted an older demographic that Kia shortly realized have been typically folks of the identical spirit…simply separated by age.
A CHAPTER CLOSES
The Soul is predicted to finish manufacturing in October, and with just some thousand items remaining at sellers across the US. These are the final examples of Kia’s spirited runabout with an enormous character, on a regular basis performance and effectivity.
Awards and Accolades:
2009 “Finest Wager” Distinction by The Automobile E-book
2009 Ward’s AutoWorld “Inside of the Yr” listing — “Grooviest Inside”
2009 Kelley Blue E-book “Coolest New Automobiles Below $18,000”
2009 Kelley Blue E-book “High 10 Again-to-Faculty Automobiles”
2009 Purple Dot Design Award (Product Design)
2010 Automobiles.com “Finest Hatchback of 2010”
2010 TIME “Most Thrilling Automobiles 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 Yr (Hamsters)
2012 J.D. Energy Preliminary High quality Research — Highest Ranked in Phase
2012 Kelley Blue E-book — “High 10 Again-to-Faculty Automobiles” (No. 1)
2012 Kelley Blue E-book — “High 10 Tailgating Automobiles”
2013 J.D. Energy Preliminary High quality Research — Phase chief (repeat)
2013 Kelley Blue E-book — “10 Coolest Automobiles Below $18,000”
2014 WardsAuto “10 Finest Interiors”
2014 Purple 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 Purple Dot Design Award — Soul EV
2015 GOOD DESIGN Award — Soul EV
2017 IIHS High Security Decide+ (with particular headlights & non-obligatory entrance crash prevention)
2017 U.S. Information & World Report — “Finest Automobiles for the Cash” (Compact Automobile)
2017 Dad and mom Journal & Edmunds — Finest Household Automobiles (“Finest Funds Car”)
2018 (2019 MY) Shopper Information Automotive — Finest Purchase
2019 Kelley Blue E-book — 5-Yr Value to Personal Award (Compact Automobile)
2019 Kelley Blue E-book — “10 Coolest New Automobiles Below $20,000” (No. 1)
2019 Kelley Blue E-book — “10 Finest Again-to-Faculty Automobiles”
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 E-book — Finest Automobiles for School College students (New Automobiles Below $25,000)
