Kia Soul Booster (SK3)

Kia first launched the Soul in the autumn of 2008 as an ideal answer to Toyota's Corolla Rumion and Nissan's cube and with a decade passed with two generations in the belt, the urban boxy crossover prepares with a third coming with the arrival of its third generation model complete with new look, new features, and a new name; Soul Booster.

2020 Kia Soul

2020 Kia Soul EV

Kia Motors rings in the new year with their new model, the third-generation Soul, and this urban crossover gets a futuristic makeover from top to bottom, just to give first-time buyers a boost in confidence while traveling through the city centers like your basic hipster.

Starting at the design, Kia decides to retain the iconic look that was carried over from the previous two generations but gave it a more futuristic twist. Although the new look is as handsome as Daft Punk's helmet, there's something missing about the new look; the Tiger Nose. With the Tiger Nose out of the equation for the new Soul, could this new model hint at a new design direction for Kia? Only time will tell but in the meantime, let's peek inside for more.

2020 Kia Soul interior

2020 Kia Soul EV interior

The new interior reflects its futuristic nature of this third generation model and while you're not driving, you can toy around with the new interior as long as you want just to get to know about its new dashboard better. From its available 10.25-inch navigation system with UVO and Kakao, HUD, available Krell Premium Surround, smart wireless charging, and sound mood lighting, this thing is like a beat box on wheels. Despite being bigger than the previous model, one thing that will upset your pals is that the new Soul's got a slightly shorter rear legroom which is somewhat a bad mark for the new model but the boot space is now slightly bigger than before, meaning there's more room for your thrift shop hauls that will infuriate your kids when you get back home.

2020 Kia Soul

2020 Kia Soul EV

The Soul Booster's offered with two powertrains; a petrol and an electric. That's it. In the normal petrol variant, the Soul's powered by a 1.6-liter twin-scroll turbocharged I-4 GDI engine mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. This engine produces 204PS of power and 27.0kg-m of torque so that is as nippy as a Nissan Juke with the same turbo engine but more importantly, it's not afraid to eat the Juke for breakfast, lunch, and tea, although unsure about the double clutch gearbox though.

The Soul Booster EV, meanwhile, features a new liquid-cooled li-ion polymer 64kWh battery that promises to last longer and charge faster with the Combined Charging System DC fast-charge to keep the road trip going. The electric motor churns out 204ps(150kW) of power and 40.3kg-m(395Nm) of torque, and at one full charge, it's capable of 386km of driving distance, meaning it's capable of completing the round trip from your home to Cabanatuan and back, theoretically. There are other features to that will keep the Soul Booster EV more enjoyable such as four drive modes, smart regenerative braking, Brake and Hold System, Smart Regen System, and Smart Eco Pedal Guide.

Whichever Soul you're driving, you can expect advanced driver-assistance systems that will keep the trip home safe and secured and with BSW, RCTC, and Parking Distance Warning added, it's even more safer.

Should you buy one? The Kia Soul Booster starts at 19,140,000 Korean Won for the turbocharged variant while the EV starts at 46,000,000 Korean Won. So, there you are. While the new Soul has a slightly shorter rear legroom that will upset the rear occupants, even those demanding to be seated at its "sweet spot", the futuristic nature really is a boost in confidence for Kia's urban crossover fit for the urban lifestyle. Millennials better get ready to have one right now.

Photo: Kia Motors 

Soul Calibur VI

The Soul series from Bandai Namco returns with a brand new installment after so many years of waiting as the stage of history is opened once again for new and returning players to experience the next chapter of this iconic sword-fighting game where every move is a clear difference between victory and defeat.

Soul Calibur VI (PS4)

Soul Calibur VI is the latest installment from Bandai Namco's Soul series and for the first time, it's arrived in the latest generation of gaming consoles, the PlayStation4 and the XBOX One. Armed with the Unreal Engine, every detail, every action, and every angle of the latest installment is very dynamic indeed and very eye-popping as players jump into the newest chapter of the Soul series by all means necessary.

Every character in Soul Calibur VI has a story to tell and in this game, you are greeted with returning characters from the franchise such as Mitsurugi, Sophitia, Zasalamel, Astaroth, Kilik, Talim, and others, including new additions such as mysterious Groh. Apart from them, Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher makes a special guest appearance, making this installment in sync with the tradition of past installments featuring special guest characters for dramatic reasons. Feel free to get to know the characters better in the Soul Chronicle mode, the main story mode of the game.

Like in past installments, you can immerse yourself to the stage of history by creating your own character and then give your creation a headstart in the Libra of Soul mode, a story mode where your character, created by you, will be the main character as you battle numerous foes to become the warrior that changes the fate of history. How your character battles is all up to you.

Playing Soul Calibur VI alone feels good but as one of the ideal party game to entertain your guests, a two-player versus mode adds more fun into this sword-fighting game, giving them plenty of reasons to talk about how cool or how intense this game is. If you are fully prepared, you can take on online battles, ranked or unranked, just to show the world that you are worthy of being the strongest warrior in history.

If you think you know Soul Calibur VI from the start to the finish, think again because there are more to come post-launch so be prepared with the season pass featuring four playable characters coming soon and two creation parts set if you are in a mood of creating your own heroes in the stage of history. The first DLC character is Tira and if you are in a mood to master her Ring Blade weapon and experience her story, be it.

It's a great honor the Soul series has returned and although late than never, Soul Calibur VI delivers a brand new, breathtaking, experience new and returning fans are looking forward to while crunching their fingers for some button-mashing action with their favorite characters or heroes they've created. If you are ready to step back to the stage of history, this is your fate.

Kia Soul EV

While the electric vehicles made by the South Koreans were not as popular as those made by the Japanese, it seems that they're always looking for some challenge when it comes to introduce those zero-emission vehicles on a global basis and for Kia Motors, their first-ever Soul EV breaks the notion of being the first ever zero-emission Kia car to sold on the public. With the 42,500,000 Korean Won (estimated $40,900) price tag, it may not be the cheapest electric vehicle to buy but is it worth it?

2015 Kia Soul EV

2015 Kia Soul EV interior

Well, at first glance, it looks the same as the latest-generation Kia Soul, the one that was launched last year, but because this is the EV version, the only difference you can distinguish it is the grille where in the Soul EV, you can use the charging tool to plug it in and charge it at home depending on the outlet. Using the power of the UVO 2.0 Eco, your smartphone will notify you when your Soul EV's fully charged or like any other Kia models using the UVO software, you can use the smartphone to unlock/lock the doors or start the car remotely. Convenient, isn't it? But we're not done explaining about the Soul EV just yet because there's some downsides to this electric crossover.

2015 Kia Soul EV

You see the Soul EV has less legroom than the regular Soul by about 3.1-inches as well as the boot space by about 5.1cu.-ft thanks to the space used to reserve for the Li-ion battery but Kia says that despite the reduction to the rear legroom, it's still as spacious as any other EVs in the market but who cares about it? If you even use it for your scheduled road trip with your buddies from school, looks like your mates at the back will get cramped because of the reduced rear space and before you know it, you can't survive against the chatter from your mates about your embarrassing moments at the JS Prom or at the field trip or any other barkada trips you have been for the past moments. Ouch...

Road trips aside, Kia says that it will do about an energy consumption of 5.0km/kWh or an equivalent of 148km on one full charge. 148km on one full charge, that's more than what you got from the Renault Samsung SM3 ZE or the Chevrolet Spark EV and in theory, that will cover from my house in Muntinlupa up to the house where my grandparents stay in Cabanatuan...well, that's about 140km covered but you can charge it while you're staying for the night but I don't hold much hope.

Also, it features a next-generation of Kia's regenerative braking system which regains 12% percent of the car's kinetic energy when braking or coasting. It features four different regeneration modes and the mode that produces the most regeneration is the one where the Brakes setting with Eco-mode "On". It's all in the name of science for this car, eh?

Power comes from the electric motor that generates about 81.4kW (111HP) of power output and 285Nm of torque. It will do 0-100kph in a minimal 12 seconds and a top speed limited to 145kph so it's not what you called fast and because it has a single-speed gearbox that you expect from most electric vehicles...that pretty much sums it up but look at this way...this Soul EV has the similar torque that you got from a hot Volvo V40 T4 Polestar but who cares about it?

There's a rule in some parts in the world that most EVs need to emit a sound for the safety of pedestrians in mind but for the Kia Soul EV, they're way ahead of them because it comes with a rather controversial Virtual Engine Sound System which mimics the noise of an engine at speeds up to 12kph when the car is in reversed.

2015 Kia Soul EV interior

So, what to like about the Soul EV? Well, what I like about the Soul EV is the range that will keep me going from my house to Cabanatuan in a single full charge, it's loaded with technology, it's always ahead of my thinking because it has some safety features that will keep the Soul EV the safest EV money can buy. What I don't like about it is that it's not quite fun to drive, the rear space is too small because of the battery, and it's more expensive than the regular Kia Soul. It may not be one of the best EVs in the market but it's worth being a game-changer in the world of electric cars.

Available colors: Snow White Pearl + Electronic Blue and  Caribbean Blue + Clear White

Photo: Kia Motors

Kia All New Soul

In the previous model, the Kia Soul (쏘울) is one heck of a boxy crossover which tries to blend into the urban atmosphere from its spunky character within and as years gone by, it's still more of a spunky character but having been around for five long years, the Soul has been totally transformed for its first ever full model change and here it is...

2014 Kia Soul

Well, here it is and I can't say whether if this full model change really is refreshing or revolting but generally, it feels a bit more revolting than refreshing and judging by its looks, the new generation Soul took some further inspiration from the Trackster Concept from the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. I'm not so sure why but I think the new model tries to be more of an acceptable part of the clique if it got any. The big science question is...what's new for the "All New Soul"?

2014 Kia Soul

Like I told, the new Soul took some styling cues from the Trackster Concept, giving this compact crossover more spunky than the previous model and when it comes to banana milk fandoms and K-Pop fandoms, you can't really tell the difference. Personalization aside, the new Soul can now be available with some stylish two-tone coloring and as for the available 18-inch wheels, they can be colored in either gray, red, or black. Here's a fast tip; if you're going in yellow, don't go for red. It won't win you many friends.

On the inside, well, things really shaken up a little because the new interior looks more conservative and more clique-friendly than the old model and getting in and out isn't much of a fuss unless they're on the right settings.

The new Soul features next-generation UVO infotainment system which comes with a smartphone app that provides new levels of connected car telematics, a suite of new safety and security features, navigation, infotainment, and so much more. The new UVO really made the new Soul aimed squarely on today's millennials and with UVO, there's so much you can do with it such as using your smartphone as a car key and when some nasty thieves stole your Soul, UVO's got your back.

2014 Kia Soul interior

One thing you will notice on the all new model is the Advanced SPAS (Smart Parking Assist System). This next-generation parking safety system uses some sort of witchcraft to detect parking spaces and in case you don't know how to park your car by yourself, the new Advanced SPAS can park either parallel or now reverse by itself hands-free. This is just like the episode when Jeremy Clarkson demonstrates the Cee-Apostrophe-D's SPAS on a parking space. Silly, sinister, but true. You could just finish changing up your clothes just before this Soul's parked by itself. Clever, isn't it?

2014 Kia Soul interior

The new Soul is available in two engine types available and be warned Filipinos, you can't have them because one: GDi engines don't work on Philippine soil and two: doesn't work in a Euro 2 country in the Philippines. Yep, the All New Soul features a 1.6L GDi petrol engine that generates 132PS of power and the 1.6L VGT diesel EcoDynamics engine churning 128PS of power. In the diesel model, bearing the EcoDynamics banner, it comes with Idle Stop and Go function which cuts the engine off when stopped and then starts it again when setting off, to save fuel. Rule of thumb though, you can't have it because of the fuel issues you're facing now, Filipinos. The 1.6L GDi engine doesn't work on dirty Philippine fuel, especially the ones with manganese on it, while the 1.6L VGT engine doesn't work in the Philippines because this engine is Euro V compliant and not compatible in a Euro 2 country like the Philippines. You have been warned. Questions on that?

Pricing? Get this, the new model starts at 14,450,000 Korean Won so that makes it more of a fair value than Nissan's very own bet, the Juke. Just to tell you, while these two are catastrophically ugly, the Soul is much more fair than the Juke and unlike the Juke which relies on bland XTRONIC CVT, the Soul is mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed auto so therefore more engaging to drive than the Juke. However, when it comes to their fun-to-drive factor, both of them will never get the nod because judging by their performance figures, they're just too...regular.

So there you go, if you want a compact crossover but don't have the budget to buy a Juke, get yourself a new Soul. May not be good looking at first but it's more than enough to bring your friends for a road trip, just to let you know.

Available colors: Electronic Green, Acid Green, Toffee, Inferno Red, Mustard, New Vanilla Shake, New Vanilla Shake Two-Tone Roof, Newport Blue, Newport Blue Two-Tone Roof, Clear White, Clear White Two-Tone Roof, Clear White Red Zone Package, Bright Silver, Titanium Silver, and Cherry Black.

Photo: Kia Motors

PARTY ROCK!

The Hamstars are back on the latest Kia Soul commercial aired on North America.

On that ad, there was a war going on but with the Hamstars driving the 2012MY Kia Soul, with the song, Party Rock Anthem, playing, PARTY ROCK!

This is one of the coolest TV ads ever seen from the coolest compact crossover from Kia, the Kia Soul!

Kia Soul Minor Change

2012 Kia Soul

Debuted since Autumn 2008, the Kia Soul is the kind of crossover that does everything with style thanks to its Peter Schreyer design that keeps it stylish. Now for the 2012 model year, the new Soul is back with even more style to wow the crowd than before. On the exterior design, the 2012 Soul receives some revised projector headlamps, redesigned front bumper, new set of rims, side lamps, and redesigned tail lamps. On the interior side, expect small updates occur to the 2012 Soul such as a new instrumental panel, heated steering wheel, and new blend of two-tone seats that provides a perfect balance of style and comfort. Did you see what I mean?

The 2012 Soul is now armed with the fuel-efficient Gamma 1.6 GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine that provides the enhanced power output of 140PS/6300rpm, torque output of 17kg·m/4850rpm, and it comes with the standard 6-speed automatic transmission. The fuel economy of the new Soul is 15.7km/L but with the standard idling stop function on the new Kia Soul ECO Plus, the fuel economy has improved to a whopping 16.9km/L. This is the most crucial effort to make the 2012 Kia Soul more fun and economical with the good combination of a gasoline direct injection engine and idling stop function. Two times the charm, huh?

My Comment:

The facelifted 2012 Kia Soul is made to be even more stylish than before and with the standard Gamma 1.6L GDi engine, power output and fuel economy has been improved to be labeled as a true eco-car sold in South Korea. If you need more fuel economy, the Soul ECO Plus has more because of its idling stop function that shuts off the GDi 1.6L engine automatically when stopped at the red light, if you know what I mean.

I can't wait for CAC to bring the facelifted Soul soon to the Philippines but unfortunately we can't get the Gamma 1.6L GDi engine because of the country's dirty fuel. Let's see if Ms. Ginia Domingo, CAC president, has the chance to put the Soul minor change to the query of upcoming Kia models soon to arrive in the Philippines. Everything seems to be bullish now.

Photo: Kia Motors