Low running costs, low price tags, more luxury and supermini styling – the new 2012 Kia Soul certainly promises a lot for curious towcar buyers considering going Korean.
Introduced in 2008, the Soul has recently run into some sturdy competition in the urban crossover market, with the launches of the Nissan Juke and the Mitsubishi ASX.
For this reason, Kia has pulled out all the stops for the 2012 version, which features practical touches such as folding electric door mirrors as well as more glamorous flourishes including LED lights and 16-inch alloy wheels.
When it comes to towing, there are a range of 1.6-litre engines offered to get the job done, from a powerful 138bhp petrol unit that can do 44.1mpg, to an even thriftier diesel alternative, which can deliver an impressive 57.6mpg.
Carbon emissions in the diesel are also carefully capped at just 129g/km, down 8g/km from the previous model, meaning this small but stocky towcar is exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty during its first year on the road.
A match made in Korea
What’s more, despite being under 14-foot long, the Soul has a maximum towing weight of 1,300kg, which equates to roughly 1,100kg at a 85% match – meaning you can choose from a decent range of entry-level ‘vans, including the Elddis Xplore 304 and the Bailey Orion 400-2.
Other key advantages include a long wheelbase and a wide track, which Kia claims makes for stable handling and a comfortable ride. To back this up, the Korean manufacturers have fine-tuned the suspension of all their right-hand drive models to react well to the UK’s bumpy roads.
As regards reliability, Kia boasts an industry-leading fully-transferrable seven-year warranty that covers you for up to 100,000 miles of driving.
Finally, there is a wide range of electrical wizardry to help keep you safe, from Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) to Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).
Perhaps the most appealing thing about the new Kia Soul is the price, as brand new 2012 models are available now for just £12,495 on the road, ranging up to £17,795 for the premium trim, automatic version.
With caravan weights coming down across the board and the ongoing need to cut fuel costs, this could well be the way to go for many cash-conscious towcar buyers in 2012.
