The Kia Soul will be on the receiving end of several updates going into the 2017 model year, much like the Rondo will be as reported on earlier. They both will be making their official debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show on September 29th.
The 2017 Soul hasn’t changed much by way of features or visuals but the update surrounds the funky compact crossover’s powertrain. Namely the addition of the 1.6-litre T-GDI turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a twin-clutch automatic that transmit power to the front wheels.
It’s the same engine and transmission package that Kia uses on the pro_cee’d GT and has been left in the same state of tune. This means 150kW of power and 265Nm of torque that makes the rather unassuming Soul capable of an impressive turn of speed.
7.5 seconds is all it needs to sprint from rest to 100km/h and the top speed is thereby raised to 196km/h. Kia has wisely chosen to fit the new turbocharged Soul with uprated brakes too, with the front discs being larger and ventilated.
While upon first glance, the Soul seems to have not undergone any or many exterior changes, closer inspection reveals redesigned front and rear bumpers with a new metallic skid plate up front to complement the inclusion of Kia’s new ‘tiger-nose’ grille design.
The 2017 Soul’s interior gains new cloth upholstery either in a single or two-tone colour scheme. New switchgear adorns the dashboard as well which is also contrasted with new gloss black and metallic highlights and trim pieces.
Depending on trim level, various sizes of touchscreen displays (5-inch, 7-inch, or 8-inch) are used for the upgraded HMI system (Human Machine Interface) which now supports an updates navigation system and compatibility with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Additionally, both front seats will be eight-way power adjustable along with the inclusion of rain-sensing wipers and a Drive Mode Selector on models fitted with the 7-speed DCT.
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