Cube v. Soul - A duel of cool

KIA Cube Soul - Rocker, Shocker and O.T.T. An inexperienced car freak would have been fully justified in thinking that Nissan had frantically made some desperate changes following their presentation on day one of the L.A. Auto Show, because the Cube was something that one - err - had to get to used to. Nope - big mistake! The badge up front is not a Nissan one, but proudly boasts the legend "KIA"! A different company, different country and completely different philosophy, even if that doesn't become apparent right away.

Still, with the aid of a little concentration, a very close eye and a certain degree of fantasy, you can see some differences. Unlike its competitor, the KIA Soul is a touch more rounded off at the edges, In the case of the Cube, the windows are visually separated, whereas the Soul shows a flowing transition. On top of that, the Koreans offer a wide range of options in models, colours and equipment.

Would you prefer the 1.6 litre engine with 118 HP or can you handle the 2.0 litre power pack with its 142 HP?

Manual or automatic? The combinations available are apparently almost unlimited, because with their KIA Soul, the Koreans are going for the young market and offering them everything to gladden their hearts. Once you have made your choice from the Rocker, Shocker and O.T.T. models, you can really get down to business with the myriad options. For instance, there is a USB port for all those who prefer not to listen to music from a mobile phone. Connect an iPod and you can operate it directly from the steering wheel, which must be a reassuring step in the direction of collision-free motoring.

If KIA were to put in a kettle, you could virtually move into the new Soul with your mates and live there. But hang on - there's the USB port! With what we've heard about USB central heating, USB microwaves through to USB washing machines, surely some kind soul can come up with a USB kettle?

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