2012 Kia Soul Gets New Engines, New Styling

Kia Australia has announced a range of updates for its funky Soul city car, which will arrive in local showrooms before the end of the year and feature a range of styling and mechanical changes.

New front and rear bumpers give the 2012 Soul a wider stance, and headlamp and tail lamp clusters feature a new design. The wing mirror casings have been reshaped, and alloy wheel designs have also been updated.

Interior upgrades include the addition of a tilting and telescoping steering column, more sound insulation and a cargo cover for Soul+ models.

The biggest changes occur under the bonnet. The old four-speed automatic has been turfed in favour of a new six-speed auto (which also features a new gear selector), and the standard five-speed manual has also been replaced by a six-speeder.

Kia's 2.0 litre 'Nu' petrol engine joins the range, producing 122kW of power and 200Nm of torque, and channeling it all to the front wheels via a standard six-speed auto.

The familiar 1.6 litre 'Gamma' petrol and 1.6 litre CRDi diesel engines continue to serve the Soul, with the US-market 1.6 litre direct-injection GDi engine not presently on the cards for Australia. The high-grade Soul+ is no longer available with the 1.6 litre petrol engine, and is now powered by either the more powerful 2.0 litre motor or the carryover 1.6 diesel.

Stability control and hill start assist have also been added to the 2012 Soul's spec sheet, significantly improving the safety and drivability of the small hatchback.

2012 Kia Soul Pricing

• Kia Soul 1.6 petrol manual: $21,490
• Kia Soul 1.6 petrol automatic: $23,690
• Kia Soul+ 2.0 petrol automatic: $26,990
• Kia Soul+ 1.6 diesel manual: $27,990
• Kia Soul+ 1.6 diesel automatic: $29,990