2014 KIA SOUL NAMED ONE OF THE 10 COOLEST CARS UNDER $18,000 BY KELLEY BLUE BOOK’S KBB.COM

06/27/14 ID: 9022

Kia’s Totally Transformed Urban Passenger Vehicle is fun-to-drive and fun-to-own

  • Soul ranked third on KBB.com’s annual list
  • Second-generation Soul is stylish, tech-savvy and a great value

IRVINE, Calif., June 27, 2014 – Kia Motors America’s (KMA) popular urban hatchback, the 2014 Soul, is one of the 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000 in 2014, according to Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com.  Soul ranked third out of ten on KBB.com’s annual list highlighting the hippest and most affordable cars on the market.  Editors at Kelley Blue Book added the Soul to their list for its stylish looks and tech-savvy content. With a base price of $14,7001, the Soul offers a unique and funky design with a wide array of available features at a great value.

“The second generation Soul retains its iconic design but adds modern cues and premium features to enhance our brand’s value proposition,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of sales and marketing, KMA.  “Clearly, these refinements have done nothing to diminish the Soul’s cool factor.  In fact, the Soul’s funky persona, roomy cabin and increased cargo space have made it a runaway hit with consumers, and demand continues to climb.”

The 2014 Soul rides on a new chassis that is stiffer, longer and wider than that of the previous model.  Increased torque and significant suspension upgrades make the 2014 Soul a nimble and agile companion in congested urban environments. A wide variety of technology includes SiriusXM radio2, Bluetooth3 and Pandora4 pre-loaded into the head unit.

“The Kia Soul you see here may look familiar, but it’s been totally redesigned for 2014,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com.  “Along with a new look, the second-gen Soul offers a higher level of refinement and even more cool features.  Practicality has always been a Soul strong point, and remains a key part of the appeal.”

The all-new 2014 Soul is on-sale now in three trim levels:  Base, Plus and Exclaim.  KBB.com’s accolade comes on the heels of Soul’s best-ever monthly sales result with more than 15,000 units sold in May.

For more information about KBB.com’s 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 of 2014, please visit: http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/10-coolest-cars-under-18000-2014/.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.  KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and surpassed the 500,000 annual sales mark for the second consecutive year in 2013 following the launch of seven all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles.   KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900** flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and the Sedona minivan, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States.  Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs.

Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.


* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX Trims and certain LX Trims only) and GDI Turbo are built in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

1 MSRP excludes destination and handling, taxes, title, license fees, options and retailer charges. Actual prices set by retailer and may vary.

2 Sirius services require subscriptions, sold separately after 3-month trial period included with vehicle purchase/lease.  Subscriptions governed by SiriusXM Customer Agreement at siriusxm.com© 2014 SiriusXM Radio Inc. Sirius, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of SiriusXM Radio Inc.

3 The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Kia is under license. Other trademarks and tradenames are those of their respective owners. A compatible Bluetooth® wireless technology enabled cell phone is required to use Bluetooth® wireless technology.

4 Pandora® is a registered trademark of Pandora Media, Inc.

**2015 K900 V8 available in select trims and in select markets with limited availability.

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Information posted in press releases on the Kia Media website was accurate at the time of posting but may be superseded by subsequent releases or other information.