The Soul’ster, which first appeared at the Detroit Motor Show in January, is a part cabriolet and part ute based on the Kia Soul crossover.
Kia says after the stir it caused at the Detroit Show, the company is seriously considering putting the vehicle into production.
The eighth annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards recognise those vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry, with a jury of more than two dozen US automotive journalists selecting the winners from 23 Concept Vehicles and 11 Production Preview Vehicles that appeared during the 2009 auto show season.
According to juror Lou Ann Hammond: “The Kia Soul’ster shows the playfulness of the designers from the initial design of the Soul.”
Meanwhile, the Soul production car is also grabbing awards. The latest comes from the American car dealer bible Kelley Blue Book, which selected the Soul for its 2009 Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under US$18,000 list.
The Soul was lauded for being a cool, affordable ride with a growing emphasis on personality, versatility and technology.
Todd McDonald, General Manager for Kia Motors New Zealand, says the awards show Kia is proving itself as a brand that can excite customers and win awards at the same time.
“Kia is increasingly seen as a trend-setter, a car maker that people increasingly associate with excitement, technology and fresh design ideas,” he adds.
“And should Kia decide to put the Soul’ster into production we would be very keen to introduce it to the New Zealand market.”
See new and used Kia Soul for sale here.
