Review of the new Kia Soul Echo

Next to all the lime greens, banana yellows and game show host oranges that are available as paint options on new cars these days, plain old black and white can seem a little passe. But that would be to ignore the fickle finger of fashion because just as the range of colours offered to car buyers appeared to reach its most vibrant, black and white became cool again.

In particular, it's the combination of white bodywork with black wheels that has been popping up all over the motorshow stands and, increasingly, on production cars too. As a small 4x4 that prides itself on maintaining a youthful edge, Kia's Soul was never going to resist the craze for long and the Echo models give buyers a chance to indulge in the monotone trend.

The Soul isn't a 4x4 but it does employ 4x4 elements. It looks like one, it has the driving position of one and it has lots of the practical features that have helped make 4x4 models popular. Think of it as a supermini that looks and feels a bit 4x4 and you'll have a decent handle on where the Soul is coming from. The Echo derivatives form part of the Soul's Originals line of special models with enhanced styling features. Versions dubbed Burner, Shaker and Samba have preceded it, each with their own colour schemes and, often, body graphics.

The Soul is powered by one of two engines, a petrol or a diesel. Both have a 1.6-litre capacity and both produce around 125bhp which throws the age old petrol vs diesel debate into sharper focus than usual. The petrol option is a little brisker from standstill to 62mph with a 10.4s time compared to the diesel's 10.7s but the diesel will feel stronger in real world driving conditions thanks to its superior torque. It also has the greater top speed, topping out at 112 while the petrol hits the wall at 110mph.

".if you're looking for the height of automotive fashion, good old black and white is the way to go"

These competent engines are let down to an extent by the Soul's road manners. Kia has attempted to create a sporty flavour that would add to the car's appeal amongst the younger fashion conscious buyers it's targeting. In reality the ride is going to be on the firm side for some tastes and it's made worse by the larger 18" alloy wheels on the Echo model. All would be forgiven if the Soul handles with some relish but its high-sided body leans more than we'd like when cornered with vigour and the steering doesn't have the weight and feel that would inspire confidence. On the plus side, the light helm is ideal for city driving as is the wide field of forward vision. The thick C-Pillars make seeing out of the back more problematic.

It's the appearance of the Soul Echo models that will attract most buyers. The basic design is adventurous for a small 4x4 with a number of unusual features including a 'floating' roof courtesy of blacked-out window pillars and the square boot opening that's indented from the plane of the lights and the bumper. In Echo guise, the paintwork is either Clear White or Quartz Black and depending which option you choose, the alloy wheels, door mirrors and roof stripe are in the opposite colour.

The Soul is only a fraction longer than a Ford Fiesta supermini but its boxy dimensions help it trump any supermini you'd care to mention for interior space. The boot has a huge opening, a usefully high loading lip and compartments beneath the floor, while space in the back seats is also plentiful. There's nothing inside that might damage Kia's newfound reputation for solid materials and quality construction. In the basic forms, the look is not particularly flashy but Echo models bring a more upmarket feel with leather trim and a high gloss black dashboard.

For a car in the £15,000 ballpark, the Soul Echo is both visually eye-catching and well equipped. As well as the styling accessories outside and leather trim inside, there's Bluetooth connectivity, an iPod connection, air-conditioning and privacy glass in the rear windows. Six airbags, ABS and ESP stability control are also included as standard while a trip computer is also thrown in.

Models that can manage to capture the public's imagination and gain a trendy image can usually rely on firmer residual values than more middle of the road alternatives. Kia will be hoping that the Soul falls into this category but only time will tell.

In terms of running costs, the 1.6-litre diesel engine returns a creditable 54mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 137g/km which is competitive with rival models and selecting the optional four-speed automatic gearbox doesn't have too detrimental an effect. Economy of 48mpg and 155g/km is what you get from the self-shifter. The petrol engine comes up with 43.5mpg and emissions of 153g/km.

Forget the day-glow paint jobs that adorn some new cars these days, if you're looking for the height of automotive fashion, good old black and white is the way to go. The Kia Soul Echo models offer precisely this in vogue colour scheme together with a more up-market interior than the lower specification models. Accessible pricing and distinctive design also add to this Soul's appeal.

Buyers looking for a compact, fun and fashionable 4x4 will find most of what their looking for in the Soul Echo. The fact that it isn't actually a four-wheel-drive will be of little concern to the urban customers Kia is targeting but they might be more put-off by the less than polished driving experience. The ride is firm but at least the light steering and high driving position help when negotiating busy streets.

TOP 5 SOUL DEALS

The results below show the top SOUL deals on buyacar

Kia Soul 1.6 CRDi 2 5dr diesel hatchback
Price £11,980 Read Soul Reviews	Save £2,715
Kia Soul 1.6 CRDi Hunter 5dr diesel hatchback
Price £13,580 Read Soul Reviews	Save £2,615
Kia Soul 1.6 GDi 1 5dr hatchback
Price £10,311 Read Soul Reviews	Save £2,179
Kia Soul 1.6 GDi 2 5dr hatchback
Price £11,158 Read Soul Reviews	Save £2,432
Kia Soul 1.6 CRDi Inferno 5dr diesel hatchback
Price £15,505 Read Soul Reviews	Save £3,190
VIEW MORE DISCOUNT SOUL DEALS