A supreme Soul; With a five-year warranty, a top safety rating and a sensible price tag, Kia's new family car has all the makings of a winner, says ROBIN ROBERTS.

Byline: ROBIN ROBERTS 

THE Kia Soul is going from strength to strength - and the evidence is there for all to see why.

Since its UK introduction in March, the tall hatchback has been in huge demand, with 1000 Souls having been delivered to buyers in the first 100 days it has been on sale.

As a new generation family car boasting a five-year warranty and a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, there is no doubt it sets the standard for others to meet. But they'll struggle to match it at the price of the Soul range.

There are nine versions priced between pounds 10,495 and pounds 14,995.

There is a choice of two engines: the 124bhp 1.6-litre petrol, which is the one I tested, or a 126bhp 1.6-litre diesel, which comes at a pounds 1000 premium.

Both are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, but a four-speed automatic is available on the diesel, which adds another grand to the asking price.

The four-cylinder petrol engine is an instant starter with reasonable pulling ability from low revs, but you have to make the most of its power with frequent gear changes under acceleration.

That said, the engine is quiet at low speed and when cruising on the motorway, and it's also pleasantly economical at more than 43mpg.

Wind noise is also surprisingly low for such a bluff-faced design.

A light clutch and direct, smooth gear change make effortless work of the need to stir the box, while the electrically assisted steering takes the pain out of parking in town without being too light on sweeping sections of open road.

The sophisticated braking and traction control system will keep you out of trouble, but you can enjoy the sharp responses to the handling as well thanks to the Lotus developed chassis - which will come as a pleasant surprise to many.

Secondary controls are grouped closely to the wheel and column with a lot contained on the twin stalks.

Those for the standard-fit air-con and multi-function sound system, which on the Soul 2 I tested included an iPod link, are on a separate console.

The air-con works very well to reach all corners of the big cabin without much noise from the fan.

Powered windows are standard throughout and there is remote door locking.

Depending on how the seats are deployed, luggage space rises from a minimum 222 to 800 litres. The boot also has a low sill to make for easy loading.

Access to the cabin is excellent, with the wide-opening doors making it easy to get into the supportive seats.

There's also bags of room in the front and back.

I like the low waistline to the windows and the high roof means visibility is fantastic. This is further aided by the big wipers.

The higher-than-usual driving position, coupled with the good visibility, means you are ideally placed to anticipate road conditions and negotiate traffic.

I managed well over 40mpg without trying and wonder what could be achieved with some determined, miserly motoring.

There is no doubt that the Kia Soul is a very good modern MPV.

It not only turns many heads on the road, but also comes well equipped at a price that seems excellent value for money.

If I had my way, I would only wish for a more powerful engine, as the 1.6 struggles on hilly roads when fully laden.

Factfile:

Model: Kia Soul 2 Engine: 1.6-litre petrol Power: 124bhp 0-62mph: 11 seconds Fuel economy: 43.5mpg combined CO2 emissions: 153g/km Warranty: Five years/unlimited miles Price: pounds 11,495 On sale: Now