Kia?s Soul is perhaps the company?s signature model. The stylish little boxover has done well for the brand; it was the first product to suggest that Kia wasn?t content to sell value-oriented variants of Hyundai models. And now, nearly a decade into its run, the Soul is getting an expected shot of zoot, courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group?s 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, backed up by the corporate seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The 201-hp powertrain will take the new Soul SX to 62 mph in a claimed 7.8 seconds; the boxlet will now top out at 124 mph. To put the ?X? in SX, Kia has added a more aggressive-looking front bumper, twin pipes out back, sportier side sills, and model-exclusive 10-spoke, 18-inch wheels. Just in case all that didn?t let the public know that you sprang for the turbo, the Soul badge is rendered in red. Inside, orange highlights complement the black cloth/leather upholstery?s orange accent stitching, and presumably for the sake of sport, there?s a flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Elsewhere in the Soul range, Kia adds a spate of updates. While we expect to see most of the features here in the U.S., finalized Yankee specifications will be announced later this year. Outside, the revised Souls get butchness-quotient-boosting skid plates front and rear, optional HID headlights with LED DRLs, and optional 10-spoke aluminum wheels in 16- and 17-inch sizes. Three new paint colors hit the palette: Mysterious Blue, Russet Brown, and Wild Orange, wi...