Kia is showing off its future hybrid technology by taking the tarmac-friendly Soul crossover and turning it into a wannabe-Wrangler. The Trail'ster concept, revealed at the Chicago Auto Show this week, uses a new all-wheel drive hybrid drivetrain that is set to be fitted to production Kias in the very near future.
We are used to a relatively simple front-drive diesel Soul in our market, but the Trail'ster bins the diesel engine and instead uses the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol unit from the cee'd GT hot hatch. But, the Trail'ster has another trick up its sleeve - or more accurately, under its bum... Back there, you'll find a 36hp electric motor (powered by a small stack of lithium ion batteries) that drives the rear wheels. Added together, the whole powertrain makes a healthy 222hp and 285Nm of torque.
The rear motor works in three modes, either helping the petrol engine with acceleration, powering the back wheels when they are needed for extra traction on slippery surfaces, or acting as a generator to recharge its own batteries. Kia claims that the combo makes for 30 per cent better urban fuel economy compared to the US-market 2.0-litre petrol turbo Soul.
On the styling front, the standard Soul has been significantly ruggedised (that's a word, right?) to turn it into the Trail'ster. Massive aluminium bash-plates to protect the underside have been added, as have big LED spotlights and more ground clearance. The colour scheme, white on the top, brown on the bottom, is meant to evoke a snowy mountain view (or a Cornetto, surely?) while inside there are brown-leather-wrapped seats and a big red button to start and stop the engine. There's even a full-length canvas sunroof to give it even more of an outdoor air. And indeed, some outdoor air.
Kia will almost certainly put this car into production soon - the hybrid system seems pretty much production ready and we would expect it to make its debut on the new Optima, which is due next year. As for the Trail'ster itself, it's pretty much a dead cert for the US market, where the Soul has proved massively popular. Here in Ireland, where the car has struggled to catch on, it's a somewhat less likely addition to the Kia line-up.
Anything else?
"The Trail'ster concept is a near-future look at how the production Kia Soul would logically evolve into an AWD-capable version that's built to escape the city streets and roam into the mountain wilderness," said Tom Kearns, Chief Designer, Kia Design Centre of America (KDCA), where the car was designed. "It takes the go-anywhere capability of an SUV and reimagines it within a compact and sporty package with an expressive design to match."
"This powertrain strategy of a downsized turbo and 'Through-the-Road' hybrid power yields a dual benefit of increased performance - torque and traction - and optimised efficiency. This is AWD being done the advanced, intelligent and responsible way, while sacrificing nothing."