The wildly popular Kia Soul is finally redesigned for 2014. Bowing at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, the Kia press conference unveiled 2 examples of the new Soul II to generate more buzz around its latest model.
While the new Kia Soul II design is an enhanced carryover of the hip compact people carrier, the dimensions have stretched slightly for the new model. Height remains the same but the wheelbase is up an inch while the width has increased by .6 of an inch, offering a more planted stance for the soul.
Inside, the new 2014 Soul has revised its cabin with soft-to-the-touch materials and optional leather seats. An eight-inch touch screen infotainment display with navigation is now boldly present on the center stack, featuring intuitive gesture touch commands similar to smartphones.
The new Soul platform is also significantly improved from the outgoing model. The new chassis is 29 percent stiffer, thanks to the use of ultra-high-strength steel over 66 percent of its body.
Powerplant-wise, the new soul features a 1.6 liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine producing a modest 130 hp and 118 lb.-ft. of torque. Next, the more potent 2.0 liter engine offers a slightly more robust 164 hp and 151 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines will be available with a six-speed manual or an automatic gearbox.
Be sure to check out our pictures of the 2014 Kia Soul II at the New York International Auto Show here:
