Kia Soul'ster awarded 2009 Concept Truck of the Year- Open-air variation of popular Soul urban passenger vehicle recognized for pioneering design - Kia Design Center America team lauded for high-style, beach-ready concept - Soul'ster is first Kia Motors concept vehicle to be recognized for one of the Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards (SEOUL) June 24, 2009 - Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced the open-air Soul'ster Concept, which made its debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January, was named the 2009 Concept Truck of the Year during the 2009 North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan. Honored for its beach-ready prowess and creative design, Soul'ster is the first concept from Kia Motors to receive one of the coveted Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards, proving that a small, personal-use truck can still be fun and capable. "The Soul production vehicle has provided our design team with a tremendous platform for expression, and with the Soul'ster we sought to highlight a different side of the Soul and take it to another level," said Tom Kearns, chief designer, Kia Design Center America. "It is an honor for the Soul'ster to be named Concept Truck of the Year, and further proof that Kia's global commitment to design is dramatically altering the brand's image and consumer's opinion of our company and our vehicles." The eighth annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards recognize those vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry and are organized by the South East Automotive Media Organization. A jury of more than two dozen North American automotive journalists selected the winners from 23 Concept Vehicles and 11 Production Preview Vehicles that made a North American debut during the 2009 auto show season.
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