Kia wants to sell its Soul in Ireland

A big hit with college students in the US, the Kia Soul never seemed to catch on here, despite being a reasonably priced compact SUV. That hasn't stopped Kia coming back for seconds, though: the all-new Soul was launched this week in Dublin. Though similar in looks to its predecessor, it really is all-new. The exterior has been revamped from the ground up and the cabin, also all-new, ditches the somewhat tinny feel of the old car, as well as offering more space. Prices start from €24,995 for the reasonably well-equipped EX (there is a more expensive Platinum model, too), and power comes from a 128hp 1.6-litre diesel engine with Co2 emissions of 132g/km.

Whether it will catch on this time around for Irish buyers remains to be seen, but it might prove a usefully funky model for Kia as it seeks to chase down its more successful sister company, Hyundai. Speaking to The Irish Times about the gap between Kia's and Hyundai's Irish sales volumes (Hyundai currently sells around twice as many cars here as Kia), Kia Motors Ireland MD James Brooks said: "Hyundai has 20 years' heritage in the market here, we have only 10. Added to that, they have a significant dealer network now, and a great range of cars. You can't argue with that. However, we are delighted that Kia is now firmly established as a Top Ten brand in Ireland."

Kia will also introduce an updated version of the Optima saloon later this year.