Funky, cool – oh how cliched are those words? However, they really are the best ones to describe the latest offering from Kia – the Soul.

Hmm another odd name. But again another apt description, writes motoring editor Sharon Walters.

This car doesn’t readily fit into any of the motoring industry’s neat categories – it has the footprint of a supermini but the flexibility of an SUV – and Kia labels it an ‘urban crossover’.

It has five doors, five seats and front-wheel drive, and is just over four metres long, thus fitting it into the supermini slot. And then it looks like a small but perfectly formed SUV. Hence the ‘urban crossover’ handle.

Confused? Well you may be until you get in and drive one.

Because that is where the Soul bit comes in. Think of what you imagine the essence of soul to be.

According to the Longman dictionary, among other things, it is a spiritual principle of life – in other words what makes each of us individual.

And that is just what Kia’s Soul is: an individual car that stands out from the crowd and one that is designed for you to personalise and make your own, rather like the Fiat 500.

I have driven both engines, 1.6 petrol and 1.6 CRDi, and they are perky and peppy. Handling is good and the car is a happy Soul both around town and cruising at 70mph.

Kia has a simple three-tier line-up for the UK with a programme of special ‘Original’ models that will be refreshed every 12 months or so.

There are two traditional models in the UK, badged Soul 1 and Soul 2, and there are three ‘Originals’ – Samba, Shaker and Burner. Let’s just say the Burner will get you noticed even more!

There is very good standard spec across the range including six-speaker RDS radio with CD player, MP3 compatability and USB and AUX.

Prices start at £10,495 and you get a five-year, unlimted-mileage warranty.

This is a very different tack for the normally traditional Korean firm to take. It’s a bold one without doubt, and one which has every chance of succeeding even in these recession hit times.

Look out for more detailed driving impressions soon.

See more pics of the Kia Soul in our gallery below…