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Character. What does that mean? When I google it, this comes up: the combination of qualities or features that distinguishes one person, group, or thing from another. Some people and some things in life have this in abundance.

Think of people like Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Munroe, or more recently, Lady Gaga. I have tried to pick extremes and people whose characters are famous rather than infamous. If we look at this concept of famous extreme characters in cars, models like the VW Beetle, the Porsche 911 or the Ford Mustang pop into my mind.

People either love or hate a character especially if it’s distinctive. Being distinctive means you standout and that can put the fear of God in some, but if it means that you are true to who you are and genuine about your character, you will be remembered! Once established people don’t want that character to change. Think about Renee Zellweger’s most recent tweaks to her face. We know and love her as Bridget Zones, the quirky blonde who suffers insecurities we can all relate to. After her plastic surgery and injectables, she looks like a standard glamourous Hollywood starlet, with little character.

The KIA Soul is a character. Immediately as you look at it, it stands out. It’s playful. The Soul’s square design though retro has been cleverly detailed with hidden and obvious creative nuances that make it look futuristic. From the side it looks like a compact Range Rover Evoque, and from the side rear quarter view it is reminiscent of BMW’s soon to be launched futuristic looking electric vehicle, the i3. Head on, I see an Anime cartoon. This car is very unique, but not too unique that it would appear or function in an off-the-wall manor. It has four doors, a generous boot and can easily service a family of a mom, dad and three kids. Its exaggerated roof height means that even adults of 6’5” have comfortable headroom – as pointed out by KIA’s Marketing Director, David Sieff, who happens to be a giant.

The KIA all new KIA Soul replaces the 2008 outgoing model. The new Soul won’t shock you like Renee Zellweger; its makeover is subtle! Though the enhancements are discreet, they are progressively modern without losing its character. Now built on a new platform, the Soul’s drive has been improved over the car it replaces. It is faster, quieter, more efficient and ultimately a far more refined vehicle to live with. Three engines are on offer: a 1.6 and 2.0 petrol and now a 1.6 turbo diesel engine too. The Soul’s three engines can be driven through two gearboxes: both 6-speed, one manual and one automatic. The KIA Soul comes in three model variations: Start, Street and Smart.

All 2015 KIA Soul models come as standard with KIA’s class-leading 5-year/150 000km warranty, as well as a 4-year/90 000km service plan and 3-year/unlimited roadside assistance, offering customers complete peace of mind motoring.

* The START specification package is only available for the 1.6-litre petrol models.

** The STREET specification package is only available for the 2.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel models, and is linked to a 6-speed manual transmission.

*** The SMART specification package is only available for the 2.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel models, and is linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

KIA Soul micro site