2014 Kia Soul + on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Minivan market not what it used to be, but margins make up for it

Residual values for last year's minivans are higher than they were in 2000.
Much like the station wagon was the shuttle of Baby Boomer generation, the minivan has been the primary means of transport for Generations X and Y. Just as the boomers abandoned the Country Squire, though, those kids that were toted around in Grand Caravans and Windstars are adults, and they certainly don't want to be seen in the cars their parents drove.

Music-inspired Kia Souls overload our senses

SEMA has been pretty mellow this year in terms of over-the-top mod jobs. Sure, there have been some questionable choices, but none have been quite as questionable as the vehicle you see above. This is one of five versions of the redesigned Kia Soul that have been rolled out for the show, all of which take their inspiration from music.
The Vans Warped Tour Soul is the airbrushed vehicle you can see above. Its questionable paint job is accentuated by eight eight-inch Infinity speakers in the side windows, a slide-out barbecue and a 50-inch flat panel monitor on the roof. We imagine this is what happens when you let Xzibit near your Kia Soul. The Vans Warped Tour car also features LED ambient lighting, and the wheels are moderately sized for a SEMA vehice - just 20-inches.
The Amped Soul (above, left) isn't a car, so much as a car-shaped enclosure for several very big speakers. The passenger-side B-pillar has been removed, and the rear door has been replaced with a suicide door, allowing the driver to put the massive stereo on display. LED lighting and four twelve-inch Infinity subwoofers have been fitted, as well as a JBL Pro Live "club-sized stereo." Those gold wheels are 22-inch Forgiato, three-piece items.

Wonder Woman Kia Sportage is anything but invisible

The spectacular partnering of Kia and DC Entertainment (the company we grew up loving as DC Comics) continues here at the New York Auto Show, with this Wonder Woman-inspired 2013 Kia Sportage. Ardent Autoblog readers will undoubtedly remember the fruits of earlier Kia/DC efforts: Batman Optima, Flash Forte Koup, Green Lantern Soul, Cyborg Forte, Aquaman Rio and Superman Optima Hybrid. (We're still trying to figure out who Cyborg is, too.)
The Wonder Woman Sportage, sporting the Amazing Amazon's particularly patriotic livery, is perhaps the most, eh, eye-catching super-Kia to date. (Actually, no, none of the superhero rides seared our eyeballs like Supe's hybrid.) Red, white and blue paint with spangled sides, an aggressively low body kit and a WW logo grille really sell the theme. Of course, The Lasso of Truth is represented too, showing up in the design as a subtle gold line that wraps around the bodywork.
As with the earlier DC concept cars, the Wonder Woman Sportage's real goal - aside from entertaining the kid-contingent of auto show goers - is to raise awareness for the We Can Be Heroes charity. The DC charitable program seeks to raise money and awareness about the hunger crisis in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. Get a better look at Wonder Woman's crossover in our attached galleries and find the Kia press release below.