Kia dropped so many hints during the Trail’ster concept’s debut at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show that we won’t be surprised when some aspect of the off-road-themed electric all-wheel-drive Kia Soul hits the assembly line in the near future. The Trail’ster is a concept that looks awfully production-ready, inside and out.
Kia’s Soul-based Trail’ster has a beefy stance, and sits 2.5 inches higher than the production Soul on a coil-over suspension with increased suspension travel; it also wears 19-inch winter tires on each corner. Those wheels receive power through a 185-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pairs with an electric motor mounted on the rear axle for an additional 35 hp. The electric all-wheel drive assists acceleration, can drive the Trail’ster on electric-only power and also provides grip when the front wheels slip.
The inside features an impressive level of luxuriousness for a Kia Soul, which is already nice for the price after its latest redesign. The Trail’ster takes things up a notch with a rich interior clad in brown leather upholstery and aluminum inlays. I’m not sure which part of the Trail’ster concept I’d rather see hit production — the powertrain or the luscious interior — but I’m leaning toward the turbocharged, electric all-wheel drive and lifted suspension.
Check out the gallery below; Cars.com photos by Evan Sears.
