KIA Soul 1.6 Burner

	The Soul Burner is not for the faint-hearted, thanks to dragon body graphics, red detailing and 18-inch alloy rims

If Kia wanted the Soul to get noticed, then it’s succeeded! After the company’s long line of worthy but unexciting models, the newcomer is a breath of fresh air.

Heavily influenced by the Soul concept that made its debut at the Detroit Motor Show in 2006, the boxy Kia refuses to fit into a defined market segment. The raised ride height and chunkywheelarches are pure SUV, while its upright lines and proportions give it the air of a supermini-MPV.

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the Kia Soul

What’s in no doubt is the visual impact that is made by the range-topping Burner trim of our test car. It’s certainly not for the faint-hearted motorist, thanks to garish dragon graphics covering the bodywork, red detailing and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The eye-popping colour scheme continues once you climb aboard the Soul. Bright red material covers the dashboard, seats and door trims. Turn on the stereo, and LED bulbs hidden in the speaker grilles pulsate to the music. But look past these gimmicks and you’ll find an interior that’s practical, solidly screwed together and full of standard kit.

The high-set driving position provides a commanding view of the road ahead, the dashboard is well laid out and the switchgear operates with precision. Only the occasional use of hard and scratchy plastics spoils the cabin’s overall classy feel. Occupants in the rear are treated to plenty of leg and headroom. However, even though the interior is packed full of useful storage cubbyholes, the Kia fails to match its Skoda challenger for ultimate versatility.

Lift the large tailgate, and there’s a mediocre 340-litre load bay – which is 110 litres down on the Roomster’s. What’s more, the Soul gets a conventional 60:40 split rear bench that can’t be folded completely flat. Matters improve once you head out on the road. The 126bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine is a development of the smooth and punchy unit already found in the Cee’d.

At the test track, the Soul covered the 0-60mph benchmark sprint in 10.8 seconds, which is seven-tenths of a second faster than the 1.9-litre-engined Roomster managed. In-gear acceleration felt even more responsive, particularly in the middle of the rev range, despite our Kia test machine having covered only 500 miles.

Turn into a corner, and it’s immediately apparent that the engineers at Lotus have done a fine job of tuning the Soul’s chassis. Despite the Kia’s upright stance, it is surprisingly agile and entertaining. The electrically assisted steering is light and direct, while body control is good. And long-distance trips aren’t a problem, thanks to a decent ride and low noise levels.

With prices starting at £10,495, the well equipped Soul represents excellent value for money. Go for the bold-looking Burner and that increases to £14,995. A five-year warranty is included, adding even more weight to the Soul’s case – although the seven-year cover of the European-built Cee’d would be even better.