2010 Kia Soul+ Named 'Best New Car For Your Teen' By Kiplinger's Personal Finance

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2010 Kia Soul, Kia Motors America's (KMA) value-laden and uniquely styled urban passenger vehicle, recently added another award to its trophy case with Kiplinger's Personal Finance's designation of "Best New Car for Your Teen" for the Soul+ (plus) trim.  The award-winning five-door was selected for its "cool factor," wide variety of standard technology and safety features as well as its funky design.  

"The Soul's high style and wide array of personalization options connect with consumers that are young and young-at-heart," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA.  "Since going on sale last year, Soul has proven to be a game changer for the brand as evidenced by its impressive list of awards and consistent position in Kia's top-three best-selling vehicles each month."

Kiplinger's Personal Finance editors considered all 2010 compact sedans under $20,000, including small hatchbacks, before selecting their top new car.  Editors selected Soul+ as the best new car for its 56-percent resale value after three years, $15,890 sticker price(3) as well as the low cost of vehicle insurance and maintenance.  

A 2009 and 2010 "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2010 Soul has earned an impressive list of awards and accolades, including AAA's "Top Vehicle Pick for Dog Owners,"  "Best Family Cars for 2010" by Edmunds.com and Parents Magazine, "Best Hatchback of 2010" by Cars.com, "2010 Top Cars for Families" by Motherproof.com, "Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000" and "Top 10 Back-to-School Cars" for 2010 from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.  

Soul stands out from the crowd with modern, unique styling aimed toward the young and young-at-heart and offers a distinctive combination of style, value and personalization options.  Soul is available in four trims – Soul, Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport.  An available Audio Upgrade Package includes speaker lights that can pulse to the beat of the music or add mood lighting to the interior cabin, enhancing the overall personal lounge feeling.  The Soul+ offers funky black cloth seats with "glowing" Soul logo inserts while the Soul! trim comes with a distinctive sand-black interior with houndstooth-patterned inserts, and the Soul sport presents a bold red-black interior trim with red-trimmed cloth seats and metal-finish interior accents.  

All four Soul models also offer consumers the same exceptional level of standard safety equipment as all Kia vehicles, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags, an Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, an impact-absorbing steering column and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system also come standard.  Pricing for the versatile five-door begins under $14,000(4).

In 2010, Kia released four special edition Souls(5) based on the Soul+ model: Ghost Soul, Ignition Soul, Denim Soul and Shadow Dragon Soul.  Ghost Soul offers consumers a unique light gray-blue exterior and gray side-stripe; Denim Soul offers a unique denim exterior color with striking white side-view mirrors and matching white 18-inch alloy wheels; Ignition Soul provides a scorching ignition orange exterior color, prominent wheels and rally-inspired skin, while the Shadow Dragon Soul wears black dragon graphics over its sinister black-on-black color scheme.  Two all-new Special Edition Souls will be released in the coming year.

Design-Led Transformation and Product Line

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic, design-led transformation, which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several important segments at exactly the right time, contributing to the brand's continued gains in U.S. market share.  Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, safety features and new technology such as the soon-to-come UVO powered by Microsoft®(6) in-car hands-free entertainment system.  The launches of the 2011 Sorento CUV, the first vehicle to be assembled* at Kia's first U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, the dynamic 2011 Sportage compact CUV, sophisticated 2011 Optima midsize sedan and versatile Forte 5-door hatchback further enhance the lineup.  

Kia's model year 2011 vehicle line includes the Sorento CUV, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, Rio sub-compact sedan, Rio5 sub-compact hatchback and Sedona minivan.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.  KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 725 dealers throughout the United States.  For 2009, KMA recorded its 15th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share and recently achieved its best quarter of sales ever in 2010.  Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles.  Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline "The Power to Surprise."

Kia Motors America is the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA."  Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – www.kia.com.  For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

(1)  A Bluetooth wireless technology-enabled cell phone is required to use Bluetooth wireless technology. The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Kia is under license. Other trademarks and tradenames are those of their respective owners

(2)  SIRIUS, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. and its subsidiaries. SIRIUS Radio requires a subscription, sold separately after 3-month trial subscription included with vehicle purchase. Prices and programming are provided by SIRIUS and are subject to change. Subscriptions governed by SIRIUS Terms & Conditions available at sirius.com. SIRIUS Radio U.S. service available only to those at least 18 years of age in the 48 contiguous United States, D.C. and Puerto Rico (with coverage limitations).

(3)  Starting MSRP for Soul+, includes  $695 destination and handling fee, and title, taxes, license, options and dealer charges. Actual prices set by dealer and may vary.

(4)  Starting MSRP for base Soul excludes $695 destination and handling fee, and title, taxes, license, options and dealer charges. Actual prices set by dealer and may vary.

(5)  Soul Special Edition vehicles have very limited availability, while supplies last, and are not available in all regions.  See Kia dealers for details.

*Kia vehicles assembled at the Kia U.S. plant are assembled from U.S. and globally-sourced parts.

(6)  Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

SOURCE Kia Motors America