Kia Soul awarded 'Top Safety Pick' from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the US

SILVERWATER, AUSTRAL - August 14, 2009: Kia Motors' affordable halo car has added a 2009 'Top Safety Pick' from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the USA to its list of accomplishments, selected as one of only 10 small vehicles to earn the organization's top honour for earning "Good" ratings - the highest achievable - in frontal, side and rear impact crash safety tests.

After less than a year on the global market, the eye-catching Kia Soul already has won numerous accolades, including a '5-Star Crash Safety Rating' from Euro-NCAP and 'Best New MPV' from the 2009 Which? Driver consumer survey in the UK.

"Despite the current economic and industry situation, Soul continues to post strong sales and is a proven consumer favourite for its head-turning style, incredible value, numerous personalization options and long list of standard safety features," said Michael Sprague, Vice President, Marketing of Kia Motors America (KMA).

"Safety in particular continues to be a top purchase consideration for consumers in today's market, and having Soul honoured with a 'Top Safety Pick' further strengthens its position as a vehicle that offers the entire package."

Ratings from the Institute are based on results from frontal, side and rear impact crash tests, with each vehicle's overall evaluation based on various measurements specific to each crash angle, and overall impact on crash test dummies inside the vehicle at the time of collision. All vehicles must have Electronic Stability Control available to be eligible.