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Auto technology can be good for the Soul


REVIEW:Kia Soul Sport BY SUE COOKE


A


luxury car manufacturer is piloting a new service for customers. The car can pre-order fuel when it is running low and a special app will pinpoint the car’s location and the car is fuelled,


without any owner interface! As I attend each car launch the new technology that is constantly being introduced is amazing. Some systems you would never dream you need until you haven’t got them! And while you could buy ten of the Kia compact SUV for the cost of the


luxury car mentioned, the 2017 Soul still has a long list of advanced driver assistance aids. I road tested the Soul Sport which is the most powerful model in the Korean brand’s eight year history. Technology includes blind spot detection which is really useful on motorways to ensure that you can move from one lane to another safely. There is rear cross traffic alert giving drivers better all-round visibility on motorways and during low-speed parking manoeuvres and a full connectivity package which includes Apple Car Play and Android Auto compatibility. They are all systems which you would expect to find on a much more expensive car. For quick overtaking the powerful 1.6 litre T-GDi engine with 201bhp,


from the cee’d GT range, gives the Soul Sport the ability to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 7.5 seconds. For business drivers switching from urban to motorway to country lane


driving, the Soul T-GDi will change between Normal, Eco and Sport modes and provides the level of steering assistance for light or heavy steering depending on the conditions and driver preference. The Soul Sport will look good on the company car park and is distinguishable from its siblings with a bolder front bumper and air intake grille design, twin exhaust pipes at the rear and 10-spoke 18-inch aluminium alloy wheels. Completing the sportier appearance of the T-GDI model are red highlights to the front bumper and side sills. Give the boss a lift and you will be proud to show off the interior of this


new model which features its own distinctive cabin colour scheme, with black cloth and leather upholstery paired with orange stitching. There is very useful keyless entry, a D-shaped steering wheel and orange highlights throughout the cabin, including orange metal paint on the gearstick and a manual handbrake. What I immediately noticed and thankfully with such great torque, are the very powerful brakes which are larger than the standard Soul.


You can follow Sue Cooke on twitter @cookecars


MODEL: Kia Soul Sport PRICE £23,250otr ENGINE: 1.6 T-GDi


PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 122 mph CO2 EMISSIONS: 156 g/km COMBINED FUEL CONSUMPTION: 40.9mpg


One thing I didn’t like was Kia’s advanced seven-speed double-clutch transmission (7DCT). It suffers from throttle lag – a delay between the driver pressing the accelerator and the turbocharger delivering boost. It felt as if the Soul had to take a deep breath before engaging acceleration which is really annoying when trying to get out of a side road on to a busy main road, quickly. Fresh, funky and bold is how Kia describes the new Soul Sport. And if as


Kia says, buyers like the exterior looks of the five door crossover, with the semi elevated driving position and the perceived safety advantages of a 4x4, then buyers will enjoy the new interior and exterior looks. And I enjoyed the sporty performance but I would definitely opt for a


manual or the new Kia auto transmission which I drove at the launch of the new Rio.


MARCH/APRIL 2017 insight 29


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