Kia has Soul

The name might not survive, but the Kia Soul is definitely being turned from a motor-show concept into a compact four-wheel-drive production model.

The Soul, known internally at Kia Motors as the AM, is confirmed for Australian roads and will slide into action below the Sportage and Sorento. Details are scarce, but the AM will cost more than $20,000.

It is one of a growing group of models being added to the Kia line-up before 2010.

“Next year we'll be launching the AM crossover, which looks much the same as the Soul,” Kia Motors Australia president S.K.Lee says.

“Before the end of this year we'll launch the Rondo, a small seven-seat people mover. It will be priced in the mid-$20,000s. We hope to show it at the Australian International Motor Show.”

The Rondo and AM are locked and loaded, but Kia Motors Australia is still finishing a business plan for the local arrival of the cee'd range.

Lee says the objective is to take only the hottest cee'd models, a three-door coupe and convertible just revealed as the Pro-cee'd, but the cars will not arrive before 2010.

“It's still under consideration. Not finalised yet,” Lee says.

“We are looking especially at the three-door car we will see at the Frankfurt Motor Show. But there is a capacity issue. The factory in Slovenia is at full capacity, but ... maybe we can negotiate.”

Lee says the Pro-cee'd would give Kia a boost as it tries to build its sales to more than 35,000 cars by 2010. “It's not a volume car, but it will give us a halo effect. Cee'd is not an all-round player,” Lee says.

“We are not bringing the volume cars. We are considering and negotiating with the mother company for the late part of 2009.”