RideLust

Jalopnik managed to get their hands on the first official production photos of the U.S.-bound 2010 Kia Soul, and I am pleased to note that Kia seems to have spent some time assessing the aesthetic preferences of the average American car buyer and has made design changes accordingly. Unlike the sleek, slightly urban Kia Soul that debuted at the Korean Auto Show back in September, the North American Kia Soul appears to be a little bigger and badder. Hyped as an “urban crossover passenger car,” Kia’s original intention appeared to be to market the Kia Soul as a Scion xB knockoff, but the overwhelming consumer response seemed to indicate that the U.S. market had reached its limit of queer little cars. Shifting their focus slightly, Kia now seems to be capatilzing on the fuel-efficient, off-road quality of the 2010 Soul – and that’s something we’re interested in.

Gallery after the jump