Memo to KIA President Pete Schreyer

[Neanderthal]

First, congratulations on your ascention. May you have continued success in your new post as President.

Now, to the point. Specifically the Souls.

I have three suggestions for improved excellence.

1.) Replace current engines with the 176, 200, & 270 HP Optima engines.
[1.2) Bring us a diesel!]
2.) Fit quality tires (e.g. Michelin Defender or MXV4) as standard equipment.
3.) Improve strut and shock quality.

I'm not pleased that the EPA MPG "errors" now match my real MPG. I'd say there's something wrong with a strategy wherein a 2013 Soul 1.6 138 HP rated, gets about the same Fuelly MPGs as a 2012 Impala 3.6 with 300 HP.

My proposed solution: Ditch the underachiever 1.6 Gamma and 2.0 Nu in Soul (and Forte) iterations. UNLESS the Nu has a 2.4, 2.4 GDI, and 2.0t in the works...

1.)Base Soul gets 176 HP 2.4 Theta, + gets 200 HP GDI, ! gets 270 HP 2.0t.

With the added power and torque, the cars can be geared so they're cruising at 1800 RPM or lower at 60 MPH.

OK, hopefully the power and MPG problems are now solved.

2.)Replace the low-performance Nexen etc. tires with Michelin MXV4 or Defender.
The stock tires tend to be somewhere below #20 at the Tire Rack customer ranking scheme.

I replaced the Nexen 195.65.15 stock tires with 215.60.15 Michelin Defenders.
If I were doing it again, I'd probably use Primacy MXV4s in 205.65.15s. Either way is far far far superior to the stockers.

The ride and sound quality after that simple Michelin fix was either remarkable or astounding. Take your pick.

Third. Improve jounce and rebound, move the stock strut/shock combo up a grade or two.

I'd also eliminate the spare tire cavity and expand fuel capacity to 15 gallons.
Develop an optional Continental Kit, or work with some aftermarket company. Hump on the trunk might actually improve the horrid aero of this car.

Big enough for a space saver spare. PT Cruisers had Continental Kits not long after they came out. It appears the aftermarket isn't interested this time around.

Thanks for listening/reading! You da man!

--Hambone M. Neanderthal XXIII, esq.

[patrickbec]

You wil end up paying as much for this Korean crap as you would a Ford or Chevy if they do everything you say. And I say crap following having driven a lot of the current Kia fleet (albeit as rentals).

[Neanderthal]

Substituting one production engine for another production engine would entail certification and engineering costs. The difference in the cost of parts is likely insigniificant.

If KIA had done this when they upgraded the engines for MY 2012, they probably wouldn't be having EPA and real world MPG problems today.

Substituting quality tires is likely not prohibitively expensive given the quantities involved. Same with struts/shocks. The improved driving experience would likely improve the quality of chatter amongst the testing homies, and thus sales.

Remember, the name is sales numbers and satisfied, returning customers.

I've drive a lot of the KIA fleet too, have to disagree with you. But enjoy your Cadillacs. It's hard to argue with a fanboiz.

[Ruperts Trooper]

You wil end up paying as much for this Korean crap as you would a Ford or Chevy if they do everything you say. And I say crap following having driven a lot of the current Kia fleet (albeit as rentals).

But all the similar size Chevrolets are Korean designs now anyway !!

Peter Schreyer, as President of Kia Motors worldwide, has no say in which engines Kia America chooses to sell in their own market. By comparision to other world markets, North America still largely ignores diesels in cars so until public demand changes it's just not profitable for Kia, Hyundai or anyone else to make their existing diesels available - especially as they'll need to be built in Korea, and brought in for final assembly - at least initially as it'll need diesel production facilities in North America if and when diesel ever takes off.

Hyundai-Kia have already achieved something that GM have yet to do, design and build in-house a successful range of diesel engines for use in cars, after decades of experience with licence-built engines from VM Motori. Since 2009 they've been building, and selling in large numbers in "Rest of the World" the 2.0 / 2.2 R-series I4 and the related 3.0 V6 S-series turbo-diesels to replace the now-outdated VM Motori engines that perversely Hyundai still build for GM Daewoo to put into Chevrolets!

GM has used a succession of other diesel car engines, from Isuzu, VM Motori and Fiat and indeed now owns the rights to these engines but never developed them themselves - no wonder GM Europe (Opel/Vauxhall) struggles in markets dominated by diesels, which is everywhere except North America.

[trev0006]

Thats right, the Saturn back in the day was Toyota. Looks like in the future the small domestics will all be foreign based cars.

But all the similar size Chevrolets are Korean designs now anyway !!

Peter Schreyer, as President of Kia Motors worldwide, has no say in which engines Kia America chooses to sell in their own market. By comparision to other world markets, North America still largely ignores diesels in cars so until public demand changes it's just not profitable for Kia, Hyundai or anyone else to make their existing diesels available - especially as they'll need to be built in Korea, and brought in for final assembly - at least initially as it'll need diesel production facilities in North America if and when diesel ever takes off.

Hyundai-Kia have already achieved something that GM have yet to do, design and build in-house a successful range of diesel engines for use in cars, after decades of experience with licence-built engines from VM Motori. Since 2009 they've been building, and selling in large numbers in "Rest of the World" the 2.0 / 2.2 R-series I4 and the related 3.0 V6 S-series turbo-diesels to replace the now-outdated VM Motori engines that perversely Hyundai still build for GM Daewoo to put into Chevrolets!

GM has used a succession of other diesel car cheap tires and engines, from Isuzu, VM Motori and Fiat and indeed now owns the rights to these engines but never developed them themselves - no wonder GM Europe (Opel/Vauxhall) struggles in markets dominated by diesels, which is everywhere except North America.

[Mr. Burns]

You rejected the 5 series, E-class, CLK, CTS, IS, 7 series etc... as cars that don't appeal to you in any way and yet you're going on about the KIA Soul? This thing?



A girl I knew had one of those. She and her friend arrived in it. When her friend got out she said "Is that your new car? It's SO cute!"

[Neanderthal]

You rejected the 5 series, E-class, CLK, CTS, IS, 7 series etc... as cars that don't appeal to you in any way and yet you're going on about the KIA Soul? This thing?



A girl I knew had one of those. She and her friend arrived in it. When her friend got out she said "Is that your new car? It's SO cute!"

If you don't care for my posts, Burns, I suggest you activate your IGNORE function.

All you ever want to do is pick a frikkin fight. Get a damn life.

I could give a rat's ass about a Mercedes or any of your other fanboiz cars, or your decrepit pretty-boy Lexus for that matter, which I'm sure you have a meaningful relationship with.

[Mr. Burns]

If you don't care for my posts, Burns, I suggest you activate your IGNORE function.

All you ever want to do is pick a frikkin fight. Get a damn life.

I could give a rat's ass about a Mercedes or any of your other fanboiz cars, or your decrepit pretty-boy Lexus for that matter, which I'm sure you have a meaningful relationship with.

It's not to pick a fight, it's genuine curiosity. A fight is started depending on how you take the initial post. Based on the above, it seems not well.

[YEH]

If you don't care for my posts, Burns, I suggest you activate your IGNORE function.

All you ever want to do is pick a frikkin fight. Get a damn life.

I could give a rat's ass about a Mercedes or any of your other fanboiz cars, or your decrepit pretty-boy Lexus for that matter, which I'm sure you have a meaningful relationship with.

Don't worry about Burns, he's just all askew b/c you like to post about Hyundai/Kia.

Schreyer won't have much to do w/ specific engine/tire choices and the like for the US market, but the 2G Soul is supposed to get upgraded powerplants (tho, the 2.0T isn't likely), better suspension tuning and a more aggressive styling treatment a la the Track'ster concept (I totally agree that they need to scrap those horrible OEM Nexens).

AWD is also rumored as well as a possible performance version.

Now, what Schreyer likely will be able to push thru is the green light for the GT concept.

But all the similar size Chevrolets are Korean designs now anyway !!

Typical post from a troll - the Sonic and Cruze can be regarded as "Korean crap" (neither is actually crap).

[Mr. Burns]

*Puts flame suit on and runs*

[Ruperts Trooper]

Typical post from a troll - the Sonic and Cruze can be regarded as "Korean crap" (neither is actually crap).

Hardly a troll - a big customer of Vauxhall, ie GM Europe, from 1985 to 2007 - during those days Daewoo would take obsolete Opel/Vauxhall designs, build them badly and re-import them into Europe but sell them cheaply - things have changed since then - they use current platforms but old VM Motori diesel engines - they build them better but not as well as Opel/Vauxhall and not close to Japanese and the quality Korean brands - oh yes, they rebranded as Chevrolet which took an iconic US brand not sold in most of Europe and stuck on budget-built cars which has just cheapened the Chevrolet brand and done nothing for Daewoo's brand image here.

Now? Recognising that Hyundai-Kia want to move up not only to match Opel/Vauxhall and Ford, which they now do, but move on and challenge the premium brands - so I bought a Hyundai - on principle I did compare with the Vauxhall Antara and Chevrolet Captiva but they're still cheap Koreans, unlike the Hyundai which is a quality Korean.

The only Chevrolets we get in the UK are Spark, Aveo, Cruze, Trax, Orlando and Captiva - a couple of dealers bring in Camaro and Corvette which are still regarded as iconic Chevrolets but totally unsuited to Europe.

[tgferg67]

Suggesting a 2.4L base engine in a vehicle with a curb weigh of only 2700lbs - when buyers are looking for fuel economy? The Equinox weighs 1000 lbs more and has a 2.4L base engine.

[Neanderthal]

Suggesting a 2.4L base engine in a vehicle with a curb weigh of only 2700lbs - when buyers are looking for fuel economy? The Equinox weighs 1000 lbs more and has a 2.4L base engine.

A larger engine does not necessarily mean lower MPG. And buyers, Soul buyers in particular, are looking for more than just MPG.

I suggest it because the 1.6 and 2.0 mills are getting under 30 MPG highway EPA. Did you read the first post?

Since the small engine working hard concept didn't work here, I suggest a larger engine loafing may improve matters not only for customers but for KIA and their MPG issues.

It's not the engine size that matters, it's the result. See old saying, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog" saying for further details.

[tgferg67]

The city and then the combined mpg would take a big hit with a 2.4L. It's all relative, if their 1.6L is not very fuel efficient then the 2.4L...

[YEH]

Hardly a troll - a big customer of Vauxhall, ie GM Europe, from 1985 to 2007 - during those days Daewoo would take obsolete Opel/Vauxhall designs, build them badly and re-import them into Europe but sell them cheaply - things have changed since then - they use current platforms but old VM Motori diesel engines - they build them better but not as well as Opel/Vauxhall and not close to Japanese and the quality Korean brands - oh yes, they rebranded as Chevrolet which took an iconic US brand not sold in most of Europe and stuck on budget-built cars which has just cheapened the Chevrolet brand and done nothing for Daewoo's brand image here.

RT - I wasn't referring to you as a troll (even tho I had quoted you), but Patrick.

I find you to be not only one of the most informed posters on GMI, but even-handed and balanced in your posts (which I enjoy reading).

I just quoted you b/c you brought up a salient point in response to Patrick.