KIA Soul Aims to Inject New Spirit into UAE Hatchback Market

Popular compact model restyled and re-launched

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 26, 2014: Al Majid Motors Co. the sole distributor of KIA Motors in the UAE, has launched its popular compact model the all-new Kia Soul. The rejuvenated and restyled KIA Soul was unveiled at Dubai Festival City during the ‘KIA on Tour Roadshow event,’ with the award-winning automobile manufacturer aiming to inject new spirit into the UAE’s hatchback market.   

The all-new Kia Soul has been completely redesigned and incorporates a host of cutting-edge technologies. Its performance has been upgraded and owners now also having the flexibility of personalising their vehicles with an array of options. In addition to a choice of alloy wheel sizes and configurations, a new SUV Styling Pack has been made available, helping the vehicle stand out from the crowd with piano black bumper garnishes, side skirts, wheel arches and a black painted roof. KIA says that the all-new Kia Soul offering will breathe new life into the UAE’s hatchback sector.

“The new Kia Soul is a marked improvement over its previous incarnation. With respect to its outward appearance, the Soul is the first Kia model for which the roof can be ordered in a contrasting colour, so the model marks an important styling milestone for us as a motor manufacturer,” said Mohammed Khader, President of Al Majid Motors Co, KIA. “But its improvements go far beyond the mere cosmetic. The entire vehicle has been redesigned, including its platform, body and interior. The all-new Kia Soul may share the same shape that proved to be such a selling point for its predecessor, but it is an entirely different beast in terms of construction, refinement, performance and safety,” he added. 

The Kia Soul’s steering, handling and ride have been greatly improved courtesy of its all-new platform, which supports a re-engineered bodyshell. These measures that have resulted in a 29 per cent increase in torsional rigidity compared to the outgoing model. Further refinements to the ride have been achieved through the adoption of new suspension and engine mountings. Driver and passenger protection has been enhanced, with the car now the safest in its class. The model’s reengineered structure that uses a much higher percentage of high-tensile strength steel has resulted in it being awarded a five-star safety rating by the United States’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“We have redesigned the Kia Soul to further its appeal as a funky and personal automotive mode of expression. It is the perfect statement for the trendsetting urban centres of the UAE, so it made sense to launch the model at our KIA on Tour Roadshow,” said Khader. “The all-new Kia Soul has already generated a great deal of buzz and we anticipate that its host of improvements allied to its value-for-money price tag will see it steal a march on other hatchback offerings, positioning it as a market-leader in its class,” he added.

The all-new Kia Soul was revealed at Dubai’s Festival City at the weekend, with the venue being second on the current KIA on Tour Roadshow, which commenced on March 7th at Al Qasba, Sharjah. On March 21st the Roadshow travels to Manar Mall, Ras Al Khaimah, before finishing up at Bawadi Mall, Al Ain, for one week from April 4th. All Roadshow timings are from 3-10pm, with visitors having the chance to win two tickets to the FIFA Football World Cup final. Kia is a major sponsor of the tournament, which takes place in Brazil during the summer.