The Kia Soul: The Last of the Breed
The Kia Soul is one of the best-selling cars in its class. It is also an anomaly. Not too long ago, it was not. Looking back to the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, cars went from generally “boxy” in shape to sleeker, more swept designs. With the push to make cars more efficient and improve aerodynamics, cars have come a long way in terms of exterior design since then.
As cars continue the trend to improve fuel efficiency to this day, sometimes car designers even take ludicrous measures to reduce drag, direct airflow around the car, and plug holes that would otherwise cause the owner of a vehicle to waste an extra .00000002 gallons of fuel. Despite this, there was a time, not too long ago, when the boxy vehicle crept back into the picture.
Ok… So SUVs and minivans are the exceptions here. I mean, they are kind of “supposed” to be boxy. It’s almost their job. They are meant to haul more things and definitely more people than a regular car. Let’s also not get started on the Jeep Wrangler. Generally speaking, even SUVs today have become almost more of a fashion statement than a functional tool. They almost have to be. They are the most popular vehicles in America now. We’re talking about cars, though.
The Honda Element is not a car, but it definitely rode more like a car than an SUV. For that reason, we will consider it to be the first of the “box car” craze that was re-ignited in the early 2000’s. It was truly box-like in shape. While it offered all-wheel-drive, there were many that opted for the two-wheel-drive version.
After that, the Scion Xb entered the race. This is kind of where it became cool to have a truly boxy vehicle. Scion was the new kid on the block. Even though the brain behind Scion was a Toyota, they catered to the young people of America, and did a pretty good job of it. Offering exceptional cars at pretty affordable prices, Scion made the Xb very accessible to the budget minded college student or recent graduate. Additionally, the Xb was so usefully practical that the average college student could use one as a dorm room as well as set up a study area, sleeping quarters, and kitchen in its cavernous interior. It was spacious.
Next came the Kia Soul, followed by the Nissan Cube. Unfortunately for Nissan, the Cube was just a little too trendy to really appeal to many people, and it flopped. The Kia Soul did not flop. Not quite as boxy as the Xb or Element, and by far not as cube-like as well… the Nissan Cube, Kia toned down the angular lines of the typical “box car” to give it some smooth edges. It still retained the general boxy look, but the car had character and just enough style. The Element had neither character nor style. The Scion evolved too much from what it was into what it shouldn’t have been, and eventually faded into the sunset just as Scion did in 2016.
We are now left with the Kia Soul. A “box car” at heart, it is a just a good car, generally speaking. It is trendy, affordable, and has enough style to set it apart from any other car on the road. It is definitely not the most attractive car on the market today. However, it is painfully usable, and it is used by people from all walks of life. It is easy to get into for those who may be older. The car offers many features for the price, making it appealing to those on a tight budget who want a reliable car (Kia is one of Consumer Reports top brands). It is a lifestyle car, quick to accommodate the avid biker, kayaker, or vacationer. The Soul is also fairly efficient, and easy to drive.
The Kia Soul brings the total package with some flair to boot. Even though it is a popular, affordable car, there is no longer anything like it on the road. It is like the Jeep Wrangler, which carries on the traditions of the past with its old-school style. The Kia Soul is indeed an anomaly, but it is a fairly common anomaly. Anybody can get one without breaking the bank, but rest assured that if you do get a Kia Soul, you will be getting one cool automobile that is unlike anything else on the road.
–SWF
