Kia Soul Officially Discontinued After 16 Years

After 16 years and over 1.5 million units sold, the Kia Soul will disappear from the market when production ends later this month.

As Carscoops recalls, the Soul debuted in 2009 with styling that was anything but conventional. Kia’s design team in America said that the “boar with a backpack” inspired the shape because they wanted this car to be tough and practical without being too big. When the concept made it to production, that shape stuck and proved to be a huge hit.

“The Soul has been one of the cornerstones of Kia’s foothold in the United States, and this unique vehicle—and the marketing that supports it—has helped propel Kia to where it is today,” said Eric Watson, vice president of sales at Kia America.

“Kia is on pace for its third consecutive annual sales record and record market share, thanks to the early success the Soul has built. We’re proud of the legacy the Soul will leave behind when it leaves our lineup, but we’re equally excited about the future of Kia’s broad and award-winning SUV lineup.”

There are still several thousand Souls on dealer lots across the US, and they’re still something special. These models combine practicality, style, efficiency, and individuality in a truly affordable package.

• Also See: Kia Discontinues The Ceed And Ceed Station Wagon Models