Latest Car News
The Kia Soul Turbo Makes its U.S. Debut
Kia screwed up and let the cat out of the bag that it was working on a turbocharged version of its rolling cube (AKA, the Soul) via an advertisement it released a few months back. Following that ad, the Soul Turbo made its debut in Europe, leaving us in the U.S. wondering if we’d see this new, more potent version of the Soul. Recently, Kia debuted the new turbocharged Soul here in the U.S., ending all speculation.
In the U.S., the turbocharged Soul will carry the familiar Exclaim trim designation. This model will boast a few exterior cues that’ll give away the fact that it is the turbo model. These slight tweaks include 18-inch wheels, re-accented body trim, a chrome grille surround, a unique Soul badge on the tailgate, and chrome, dual-tip exhaust.
Inside, the Soul Exclaim will be just as well laid out as the previous version. It’ll boast a leather-wrapped flat-bottomed steering wheel, push-button start, an UVO3 system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 315-watt, eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, navigation, an 8-inch touchscreen, and more.
What buyers are most interested in, however, is the new 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder under its hood. This powerplant pounds out 201 horsepower – 40 more horsepower than the 2.0-liter – and still beats the entire lineup in fuel economy at up to 28 mpg combined. The turbocharged engine mates with a fast-shifting dual-clutch transmission before shipping the power to the front wheels.
At this point, there is no release date scheduled or pricing details for the 2017 Kia Soul Exclaim, but this should arrive soon. Stay tuned for updates
You must be logged in to post a comment Login