I think the Kia Soul is like the Daihatsu Materia. Or the Fiat Multipla. You love it or you loathe it. That simple. I love it - but I was a fan of the Materia and Multipla as well.
Yes it's different - kind of a cross between a Sirion, maybe, and a Materia- but I like that look, that sort of boxy, upright impression. Besides, it's cute. No other word for it.
And despite what Kia says in its marketing blurb, I think it's going to hold more appeal for women than men, because cars like this generally do.
The perky little 1600 with its oodles of space inside (you won't believe how much head and leg room you'll have in here) burbles, quite effortlessly, like the clappers when you need some speed and is equipped with an impressive array of standard equipment that should keep any driver happy.
I must say, initially I thought the price tag of R189 000 a tad steep: perhaps it was the plasticky feel to the interior - but then again, you are getting a whole heap of other features which you'd pay extra for in any other car, so factor that in.
For instance, the CUV (crossover utility vehicle) comes with dual crash bags, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake pressure distribution (the Soul also achieved five stars in Euro N-CAP safety testing) and there are controls for the audio system on the steering wheel and a lovely big driver's footrest.
Acres of glass provide a nice airy feel to the car - and you'll have no shortage of cupholders and stowage space. (Our cubbyhole, when opened, revealed a delightfully vivid red interior, which matched the inside of the little stowage compartment on the dashboard).
Everyone in the office loved the look and shape of the Soul: with those jaunty flared wheel arches and cute little Noddy face, it's definitely got loads of visual appeal, and they all wanted to know if the performance matched the looks.
I was able to give a very emphatic yes. Despite the amazing spaciousness of the vehicle, it's not a large car, so it's brilliant for parking and manoeuvring through peak hour traffic.
The Soul is one of those cars that makes you smile when you see it - and let's face it, don't we need more of that in our lives...
This hatchback - only a little more than four metres long - is fun, way different from the rest of the pack, and flaunts its unconventional looks with pluck and style. And the cherry on the top is it delivers a really nice ride.
You gotta love it!