2009 Kia Rio 4door 5speed 4cylinder Engine on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Kia Trail'ster Concept brings traction for the Soul in Chicago

Kia teased its hybrid all-wheel drive Trail'ster concept prior to the 2015 Chicago Auto Show debut, but the company kept some of this off-road Soul's biggest features a secret. Designed both to go off the beaten path and drive efficiently in the city, the company's designers in California added 2.5-inches of extra ground clearance and aluminum skid plates to give the hatchback a more rugged appearance. Drivers can also let the weather into the cabin thanks to a retractable canvas roof. However, the Trail'ster's most intriguing feature is its drivetrain. With a platform still based on the production Soul, up front there's a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with stop/start churning out 185 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic gearbox. The gas engine exclusively runs the front axle; at the rear there's an electric motor with 35 hp and 100 lb-ft with a 1.2-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery under the cargo floor providing assistance. The whole system produces a total output of 220 hp and 285 lb-ft of twist, and the Kia claims, the concept could even run two or three miles purely on electric power. There's no physical connection between the internal combustion engine at the front and electric in the rear. Under low-throttle situations, the electric motor runs exclusively, but under most driving conditions, the all-wheel drive system provides extra traction and a bit more acceleration. Kia claims that if it put this layout into production it would offer 25-30 percent better city fuel economy and a 5-10 percent improvement on the highway compared to the current 2.0-liter powertrain in the Soul. That works about to about 30 miles per gallon city and 34 mpg highway, based on the maximum figures. The automaker isn't saying anything official yet, but it's at least hinting that a system like this could end up in the Soul one day. "The Trail'ster concept is a near-future look at how the production Kia Soul would logically evolve into an AWD-capable version that's built to escape the city streets and roam into the mountain wilderness," Tom Kearns, chief designer at the Kia Design Center of America, said in the model's announcement.

2021 Kia Seltos prices possibly leaked

An anonymous tipster sent Motor1 a list of MSRPs for all six trims of the 2021 Kia Seltos. We can't know if the prices are all correct, but Motor1 seems to have solid underground connections into Kia's back rooms lately, and if nothing else, the numbers give us a reference for when official pricing drops. When the Seltos debuted at last year's L.A. Auto Show, the carmaker said the all-wheel drive variant of the base-model LX and the front-wheel drive version of the S will both start under $22,000. Based on the anonymous figures, a $10 bill makes Kia an honest source, both trims starting at $21,990 before destination. The reported $1,120 fee for handling takes the sum to $23,110, and puts the Seltos $2,000 under the similarly sized but more powerful Sportage. Claimed pricing for the entire lineup after destination runs: LX AWD $23,110 S FWD $23,110 S AWD $24,610 EX AWD $26,410 S 1.6L Turbo $26,610 SX 1.6L Turbo $29,010 At the time of writing, Kia has the Seltos on its U.S. website, but the information isn't all laid out yet. The starting MSRP is listed as $21,990 at the top of the page, but near the bottom of the page, the SX Turbo is listed for that price, which can't be correct. The relevant links all lead to broken pages. The base LX packs the base 2.0-liter with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque running power through a CVT, yet clearly isn't a stripper model; it adds adaptive cruise control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 17-inch wheels to its all-wheel drive system. The S forgoes the all-wheel system to plump up on options. Installing AWD to the entry-level motor requires an additional $1,500. The upgraded 1.6-liter with 175 hp and 195 lb-ft shifts through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and only comes in AWD, and it takes the surcharge to $3,500. As Motor1 also notes, the Seltos LX AWD and S FWD are more expensive than FWD and AWD versions of the Hyundai Venue and Kona, Nissan Kicks, Ford EcoSport, Mazda CX-3, and Toyota C-HR. When it comes to practical concerns like fuel economy, though, the Seltos fares well. Looking at front-drive competitors, only the much more expensive Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid and the smaller, cheaper Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue top the Kia, and the Buick Encore ties it. With all-wheel drive, the Seltos is also competitive. The non-hybrid Subaru Crosstrek's 30 mpg combined beats the Seltos by just one, and the more expensive Honda HR-V is tied with the Kia.

Kia Soul getting turbo power, possible AWD

It's been a long time coming, but it appears we might finally see a turbocharged Kia Soul next year. Kia officials reportedly confirmed the hotter Soul to Motor Trend recently, and also stated that the company is (still) investigating the use of all-wheel drive for the next generation of its boxy hatchback.
The turbo Soul will arrive with the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder found in the Forte, rated at 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. According to Motor Trend, Kia wanted to launch the hotter Soul this year, but didn't have the retuned steering or suspension calibration, as well as the larger brakes, ready in time. Transmission pairings weren't discussed, but Kia does mate both its six-speed manual and automatic units to the 1.6T.
As for all-wheel drive, this isn't the first time we've heard reports on this front, and it seems like a pretty natural fit, to us. Adding AWD would allow the Soul to better compete with vehicles like the Nissan Juke and the upcoming Chevy Trax and Jeep Renegade. But as of right now, a four-wheels-driven Soul hasn't been given an official go-ahead.