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Pope Francis chauffeured around Korea in a Kia Soul

Korea is not without its domestic automobiles that would be suitable for transporting a visiting head of state: the Hyundai Equus comes to mind. Failing that, a Genesis sedan would do the trick. Maybe even a Kia K900 or a Renault Samsung SM7. But those familiar with Pope Francis and his taste in transportation won't be surprised that His Holiness has chosen something decidedly more modest for his visit to South Korea.
Instead of a more luxurious sedan, the Bishop of Rome has elected to be driven in a Kia Soul, giving the high-roofed hatchback a bigger boost (in the Catholic world, at least) than any quantity of animated hamsters ever could.
The Soul, which was likely reinforced somewhat if the Swiss Guard got its way, was ready for the Holy Father upon his arrival. Francis slid into the back, rolled down the window and waved back at the welcoming party, including President Park Geun-hye. The Pope will reportedly be driven around in the Kia over the course of his five-day visit.

2019 Kia Niro EV starts at $1,500 more than Hyundai Kona Electric

Pricing for the 2019 Kia Niro EV has been revealed, and it has the highest starting price of any Hyundai or Kia electric car that we know the price of right now – assuming the Soul EV won't be pricier. The base price for the Niro EV EX is $39,495 before the federal tax credit. With the credit, the price falls to $31,995. The top trim Niro EV EX Premium jumps up to $44,995 before the credit, and $37,495 after it. For the extra $5,500, the Niro EV EX Premium adds a sunroof, real leather trim, heated and ventilated front seats, eight-inch touchscreen, navigation and wireless phone charging. The standard Niro EV is still well-equipped with standard adaptive cruise control, seven-inch touchscreen, lane centering, automatic emergency braking and blind-spot warning. Each also comes with standard DC fast charging capability. In comparison, the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric starts at $37,995 ($30,495 with tax credit), which is $1,500 less than the Niro. The Kona is a bit smaller than the Niro, though it also offers more range than the Niro with 258 miles versus 239. The Chevy Bolt EV's base price is the cheapest at $37,495, but the tax credit has been reduced for the Chevy to $3,750 – and Chevy isn't dropping the price any to compensate. That means with the credit, the Bolt EV ends up the most expensive of these three at $33,745. The Bolt EV doesn't include DC fast charging as standard, either, and its EPA-rated range is a mile shy of the Niro's.

The 2021 Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage are nearly the same size inside

The 2021 Kia Seltos unveiled here at the L.A. Auto Show slots between the Soul and Sportage in Kia's crossover lineup, but it's much closer to the latter in terms of size. In fact, the interior dimensions of the two are awfully similar. Take a look at the chart below. Second-row legroom is basically the same, which I can confirm, having sat in both Seltos and Sportage back-to-back. Headroom, however, is indeed better in the Seltos. Shoulder room is even quite similar. Taking a look in the cargo area, the Sportage's advantage seems to come from being deeper. It makes up for the Seltos being boxier, which should explain why it actually has greater maximum capacity.  So, if the two crossovers provide similar interior space (even if the Sportage is bigger outside), what's the point between the two. Why pay the extra $2,000 for a Sportage? For starters, take a look at those engine specs. The base Sportage engine has more horsepower than the Seltos' turbocharged upgrade, while blowing away the base offering.  Moving away from specs, the Sportage (above right) has a higher-quality cabin. The door sills and much of the dash consist of soft, low-sheen rubbery materials. The Seltos has hard plastic in those spots with some rubbery stuff stitched and applied to the dash. And while both Kia interiors have plenty of hard plastic, the stuff in the Seltos has a higher sheen and seems more prone to scratching. It looks and feels cheaper.  Frankly, this pair is awfully reminiscent of the Jeep Compass and Cherokee. They too have similar interior space, but differ in terms of performance, capability and refinement. After the Cherokee's recent facelift, though, at least these two Kias offer more greatly differentiated styling.    Here are photos of both the Seltos and Sportage for further comparison. 2021 Seltos View 29 Photos 2020 Kia Sportage View 2 Photos