Kia is saying goodbye to the very popular Soul, one of Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds' most recommended SUVs for its great warranty and outstanding pricing. The Soul - which started off as a boxy concept vehicle 16 years ago - will end its run after the 2025 model year.
The Soul certainly stood out from the crowd, a clear sales success with a huge impact on the brand. Kia says more than 1.5 million Souls have been world since 2009 - with its U.S. sales nearly tripling during its lifetime. Its success story was about more than sales numbers - but also its inarguable influence on pop culture inarguable - fueled by some of the most memorable and effective automotive advertising in the history of the automotive industry. Yes, we're talking about the famous dancing hamsters who helped propel the Kia Soul to stardom.
“The Soul was one of the cornerstones in Kia gaining a foothold in the United States and this one-of-a-kind vehicle – and the marketing supporting it – helped Kia move to where it resides today,” said Eric Watson, Vice President, Sales, Kia America. “Kia is steadily progressing towards its third consecutive annual sales record and all-time high market share, and that is possible thanks to the early success carved out by the Soul. We are proud of the legacy Soul will leave behind as it exits our lineup, but equally excited for the future of Kia’s expansive and award-winning utility vehicle lineup.”
“Boar Wearing A Backpack"
The Soul's story dates back to the mid-2000s when Kia says it set out to design a global car that stood out from the status quo of compact hatchbacks. SUVs were continuing their climb towards market dominance at the time, and so Kia decided to combine the nimble efficiency of a small car with the versatility and proportions of an SUV.
As for its design, here's where things get interesting. While watching a nature documentary on the life of wild boars, Kia says the team at Kia Design Center America was inspired by the idea of a “boar wearing a backpack” given this animal’s strength and attitude relative to its size and translated that idea into a mechanical form. Kia says the 2006 Soul production model was incredibly true to the original concept.
Everyone's Favorite Dancing Hamsters
Who could forget Kia's life-size dancing hamsters? They were part of Kia's highly successful Kia Soul marketing campaign highlighting the Soul's sound system with in-speaker lighting.
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The “Ham-stars” cruised to playlists ranging from Black Sheep’s classic hip-hop track "The Choice Is Yours," LMFAO's smash hit "Party Rock Anthem,” to Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades.” The hamsters quickly became advertising legends, with the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame naming them the first-ever "Rookie of the Year.”
Soul Concepts Over The Years
Kia took the wraps off a number of Soul-based concept vehicles through the years, including:
- The 2009 Soul’ster, an unexpected pickup/utility variant of the Soul.
- The 2012 Track’ster, with a turbocharged 250-horsepower engine, two-doors, and AWD system. It also featured design cues that would make their way into the second-generation Soul in 2014.
- The more rugged Trail’ster concept with an e-AWD system debuted at the 2015 Chicago Auto show. While all-wheel drive would not be offered in the Soul, demand for an all-wheel-drive Kia subcompact SUV led to the development of the Kia Seltos.
- The Soul Turbo with a more powerful engine debuted in 2017.
A Success Story
In 2018, Kia announced that more than one million Souls had been purchased by passionate owners ahead of the introduction of the third-and-final generation, which debuted in 2019 as a 2020 model. While more refined, the gen-3 Soul still embraced the fun and funky spirit that made the Soul such a sales success throughout the years. Kia says even though it was often marketed towards younger buyers, it also attracted an older demographic as well.
End of Production
The Soul is expected to end production this month, and with just a few thousand units remaining at dealers around the US. These are the last examples of Kia’s spirited runabout with a big personality, everyday functionality and efficiency.
