I remember ten years ago when you could buy a car with zero luxury features for very little money, depending on the size of the vehicle. People were content with their choice, although much else in their life was as exciting as their mode of transportation. But as time, and people’s tastes, have changed, so have the cars.

Vehicles today come with normal extravagances such as power windows, air conditioning and a CD player. Of course, those of us who need it all can get home theater-quality sound systems, navigation system that can direct us around traffic, and temperature-controllable seats to make sure our fannies stay at the optimal temperature.

But more importantly, these economy cars are now fun to drive. No longer do you have to deal with numb steering, lifeless brakes, and a floppy chassis. Now, you can do the daily commute in comfort, but have fun on the weekends. Here are some cars that will give you both worlds.
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2010 Kia Soul

If you didn’t understand the title of this article, stop reading now; you won’t be interested in this new car. At least that’s what Kia says. The 2010 Kia Soul was introduced today at the 2008 LA Auto Show, and the related press release contained pseudo-l33t Speak phrases such as “L8st head-trnr will impre$ w/ personality & gr8 options ” and “Soul = Style + ValU + SafeT”

Aimed obviously at a very young audience, the Kia Soul offers an extreme design, customization options, and lots of cargo space. It will be available in four trims: Soul, Soul+, Soul! and Soul sport - same basic trims principals apply.

Built on an all-new platform, the front-wheel-drive Kia Soul offers a 120-ish horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. On all except the base trim, you can get a 140 hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. Expect over 30 mpg for both engines.

No prices have been announced yet, but expect it to be in the Scion xA/xB range.

Update: 2010 Kia Soul Sport Review

A couple more pictures after the jump: Continue Reading…

Kia showed off their new Koup Concept at SEMA this year. Unveiled at the NY Auto Show earlier this year, Kia is gauging reactions to see if they should put something like this into production.

This “hip” new Kia sports a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine pushing out 290 horsepower, moving through an AWD drivetrain and a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. 19-inch carbon fiber wheels, LED lights, and other carbon fiber trimmed parts round out the exterior, while a very modern interior with Ultrasuede seats and an eight-speaker audio system finish the interior. Most of this won’t go into production, of course. The carbon fiber will be gone, the fancy interior materials will be replaced with plastic, and the engine will likely be de-tuned.

Take a look below for more images: Continue Reading…

Honestly, I never thought I’d be writing about Kia for AutomoBlog, but their latest attempt at being sporty deserves a little bit of attention. The awkwardly named Ex_Cee’d concept comes from Peter Schreyer, who used to be the designer for VW and Audi.

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