2014 Kia Soul Honored for Outstanding Interior

It looks like designers really funked up when they created the cabin for the brand-new 2014 Kia Soul: Five years after the first Soul was recognized for having the “Grooviest Interior” among Ward’s 10 Best Interiors of 2009, the recently redesigned version has been added to the 2014 list. And it wasn’t just the inimitable interior appearance of the car that caught the attention of Ward’s experts; they also lauded its “outstanding comfort, space, ergonomics and value.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean the cockpit of the 2014 Kia Soul is lacking in the looks department. Tom Murphy, executive editor of WardsAuto World, noted that: “Gray interiors frequently leave our judges cold, but the Soul uses a 2-tone scheme that combines successfully with breakthrough aesthetic elements such as the swoopy door trim, neon-green accent stitching and an instrument panel with an upright design that connects nicely with the tall, boxy greenhouse.”

Ward’s specifically selected the 2014 Kia Soul+ model for this year’s recognition, yet shoppers should remember that even the starting point for the lineup includes standard interior features like:

• Six-speaker audio with AM/FM/MP3/SiriusXM/USB playback
• Bluetooth technology
• Steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls
• Kia’s Flex Steer system, which allows drivers to fine-tune steering performance
• Air conditioning
• Illuminated glove box
• 60/40 split-folding rear seats with adjustable headrests
• Numerous front and rear bottle and cup holders, complemented by a front-center console and rear-center armrest
• Soft-touch dash and upper-door-panel materials
• Power windows and locks
• Remote keyless entry

The 2014 Kia Soul has continued to be a strong performer in the marketplace, too, with first-quarter sales of 32,668 units that are up 12.6 percent as compared to the first three months of last year.

The party line from Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning for Kia Motors America: “The totally transformed Soul is designed to retain all of the fun-loving appeal of the original Soul while incorporating more desirable premium amenities. WardsAuto’s high praise and recognition for the 2014 Soul’s interior is evidence that our design team delivered on the promise to remain true to the Soul’s iconic personality while elevating this incredibly popular value leader to new levels of sophistication.”