The Kia Soul EV grabbed eyeballs at the 2020 Auto Expo, but it appears that the petrol-powered variant is coming to India instead.
The Kia Soul is earning rave reviews worldwide for its snazzy design and EV powertrain, and the same EV variant was shown at the 2020 Auto Expo as well. However, since India isn’t really set up in terms of electric vehicle infrastructure, and the government isn’t offering enough tax breaks or incentives to owners and manufacturers alike to incentivize EVs, it seems Kia will instead opt to bring the Soul in its petrol-powered guise instead.
Abroad, the Kia Soul is sold with up to three petrol variants. A 2.0-litre four-Cylinder producing 147 hp and 203 Nm of torque, a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol with 130 hp and 160 Nm, and a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol performance variant which offer 201 horses and 265 Nm of twist on tap. Kia could feasibly bring the Soul to India with any, or even all, of these petrol powerplants. While the launch of the Soul is a little ways down on the pipeline, with the Sonnet slated for launch next, we won’t know what engines the Korean brand will bring.
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What we do know is that the Soul is a feature-rich crossover and comes with an 8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, eight-way power seat adjustment for the front row, rain-sensing wipers, and switchable driving modes among other things. It also has a funky fresh design with its 17-inch alloys, signature tiger-nose grille and angular proportions. Kia also offer the Soul with a mélange of colour options for both the exterior and the interior, which is sure to elevate its kerb appeal.
Don’t expect the Kia Soul to arrive in showrooms until late next year though, as the COVID-19 pandemic has messed with every manufacturer’s timeline within the country.
Source: CarandBike
