Kia Motors, the budget Pacific rim car company, revealed the Kia Soul concept car at the Detroit Motor Show this week. Designed in Korea and not in the city of soul itself, the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) extends the current fashion of SUV vehicles that offer drivers a high driving position and large off-road wheels with bold styling more befitting of a sports coupe. A wrap-around windscreen, muscular wheelarches and a sloped roofline offer a dynamic look. The concept is designed to capture the imagination of the active lifestyles among us, a marketing ploy currently being explored successfully by Ford and other manufacturers at the show with the CUV, the body-style of the year.

The Soul made its debut in the metal at the 2006 motor show in Detroit and builds on design cues from the Kia Mesa concept first introduced at the same show a year ago. Suicide doors at the rear, a high waistline, chunky details and good ground clearance certainly give off a certain kerb presence that will appeal to a range of customers in this growing market sector. The Kia Soul, if it were to go in to production, would offer a budget alternative to models such as the BMW X3.

Inside the Soul is just as interesting, with advanced electronics and a laptop built into the centre console. The rear door features a compartment to put damp snowboard boots or wetsuit, highlighting this car's target market.

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