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The “Amana on Wheels” boxy-like-a-refrigerator styling of the original Scion xB has lately spawned some imitators from some Scion competitors, all of which should reach the market in the next couple of years.
In many cases, these xB-wannabes seek to replicate the simplicity, smallness, and efficiency of the original xB, since xB version 2.0, introduced as a 2007 model, is bigger, heavier, and practically slurps gas compared to the original. (Must be that new Camry engine under the hood, we think.)
Not to be outdone by Nissan’s Cube small-box-on-wheels, due to arrive sometime in 2009, Kia is introducing the Soul, whose production version will début at the Paris Motor Show in early October.
The Soul has already been seen as several design concepts at previous car shows, however. In a break from the usual automotive tradition, Kia decided to brand the production version of the car with the same name as the show car. (In many cases, the name changes from concept to production—for example, Ford flexed its nomenclature muscles and mutated the concept Fairlane into the production Flex.)
The original concept Kia Souls were shown in three different versions—the “Burner,” “Searcher,” and “Diva,” each targeting a different type of buyer. It’s not known if that approach will follow into the production model, but the versatility of the interior space and instant recognition of the exterior design will.
The chief designer at Kia Motors Europe, Gregory Guillaume, had this to say about his company’s upcoming model, which begins production later on this year: “The all-new Kia production car will be a car that defies classification and encourages customers to build an emotional bond with their new purchase by providing a creative platform that they can customize to match their car to their own character. It will appeal especially to the young-at-heart—whatever their age.”
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