LA 2008: Kia’s offers ex-Scion buyers a Soulful alternative

Click above for more live shots of the Kia Soul in LA

Toyota has taken a bit of heat for seemingly ungreening its Scion xB, which used a small, efficient engine housed in a small, efficient package that seated four occupants comfortably with room left over for their various belongings. Now, many believe that the current xB has been enlarged from the size of previous models to its detriment and has gotten a 2.4-liter injection of power that reduces efficiency noticeably. For those who wish Scion had left things well enough alone, Kia and Nissan have both introduced new boxy vehicles to take the place of the first-gen xB. We witnessed the live unveilings of both new models here at the LA Auto Show and we think they both offer a unique alternative to the standard-fare hatchback or small sedan that many are turning to in an effort to save on their monthly gas bills.

Kia is stretching a bit with its model designations in an attempt to appeal to the young audience they are targeting with the Soul. Let’s see, there is the base model, the Soul+, the Soul! (exclaim) and the Soul sport. Standard is a 120 (or so) horsepower 1.6L four cylinder and a 5-speed manual transmission. An optional 2.0L with about 140 horsepower mated to either the same stick or a 4-speed automatic isn’t expected to hurt overall economy all that much, with both models expected to crest 30 mpg on the highway. Want one? The 2010 Soul will debut in just a few months.

Gallery: LA 2008: Kia Soul live debut