Kia
has been swiftly increasing its sales in the U.S., especially with the release of the K5 and the all-electric EV6. The Soul SUV is one of the automaker's defining vehicles, and it's still alive and kicking in 2022. However, you may have noticed that the advertisements have left out some important characters.
The News Wheel
first reported in 2019 that the Kia Soul hamsters were absent from the car's latest marketing campaign. It was a little jarring for long-time fans who had stuck with the hamsters for a decade. Will the hamsters ever get to ride inside the Kia Soul again?The history of the iconic Kia Soul hamsters
The Kia Soul hamsters made their debut in a 2009 commercial advertising the brand-new 2010 Kia Soul. It shows the three cruising inside the car, setting themselves apart from their brethren with regular hamster wheels.
The Kia Soul hamsters would later show off their lip-syncing skills on the "This or That" advert played during the 2010 Superbowl. This hamster trio quickly rolled its way into the hearts of Kia fans.
In 2013, Kia gave each one a glow-up with new threads and a lime-green Kia Soul to share, replacing their red model. The 2013 commercial also showed off the hamsters' dance moves to the tune of LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem".
In 2014, the Kia Soul was redesigned to be less top-heavy and got a wider wheelbase. This, combined with a stiffened suspension, smoothed out its ride quality.
To complement those changes, the Kia Soul hamsters also got some of their fluff removed. In a training montage set to Lady Gaga's "Applause", the hamsters hit the gym before the redesigned Soul's red-carpet debut.
By the end of the commercial, the hamsters have skinnier human-like proportions to fit inside some snappy black tuxes. We'd argue that their makeovers are a little uncanny, but the audience outside the venue cheers anyway.
Fans weren't too happy with "the new species"
For the 2020 model year, Kia decided to take the Soul's marketing in a different direction.
In "The New Species of Soul" commercial, we see a turbo model racing across a technicolor landscape. No hamsters here, though a chameleon makes an appearance towards the end of the advertisement.
Pretty much every re-upload of the commercial on YouTube
features disgruntled hamster fans in the comments. As one fan eloquently states, "no hamster, no like". Some comments even claim that Kia Soul sales have been slow ever since the hamsters disappeared. Interestingly, GoodCarBadCar
does report a sharp decline in the Soul's sales from 2019 to 2020. That coincides with the beginning of pandemic-related hassles, so it's hard to say if hamster-less marketing was responsible. MORE: Here's Why 2022 Kia Soul Didn't Get the Best Review by Consumer Reports
Where have the Kia Soul hamsters gone?
According to Kia's new campaign, the species "that is most adaptable to change" will be the only one to survive. Understandably, with no hamsters in sight in the new commercial, people wondered if the hamsters were doomed to extinction.
However, Kia claims that it loves the hamsters just as much as concerned fans. The automaker said that it was the one that had to "adapt" because the hamsters were out on a road trip.
Kia didn't give any hints about when we'll see the hamsters again. The only thing we know for sure is that they'll definitely get a warm, fuzzy reception upon their return.
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