(SEOUL) August 13, 2009 - With 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 Which? Driver's 2009 consumer survey in the UK. Kia Motors' affordable halo car now adds a 2009 'Top Safety Pick' from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to its list of accomplishments, selected as one of only 10 small vehicles to earn the organization's top honor for earning "Good" ratings - the highest achievable - in frontal, side and rear impact crash safety tests.

"Despite the current economic and industry situation, Soul continues to post strong sales and is a proven consumer favorite 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 honored 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.

Kia Motors' newest five-door is a perfect embodiment of the brand's current design-led transformation with its fun and unique design. In addition to immense style and value, Soul also offers consumers the same high level of standard safety equipment as all Kia vehicles, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags, an Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, an impact-absorbing steering column and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system also come standard.

Editor's notes: Standard equipment based on U.S. model and may vary depending on country.

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Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. Nearly 1.5 million vehicles a year are produced in 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia today has over 40,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$14.5 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup -- as well as a EUROTOP partner of UEFA. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.