BOLD as brass and representing a quite radical departure for Kia, the Soul urban crossover stomped into view five years ago as a ever-so-slightly oddball of a car.

Think of a cute supermini, ratchet it up with some SUV ruggedness and provide the load-carrying practicality of an MPV and you will have a good idea of what the Soul is all about.

In as much as it has five doors, five seats and front-wheel drive, the Soul is conventional. So is the high bonnet, rounded forms, bulging wheel arches and wide track so often seen on SUV offerings.

But Kia went whacky with some models. The Burner version, for instance, featured a 315-watt amplifier with door panel speakers that throbbed with red light as the audio system pulsed. All that was missing was a mirror ball to transport those of a certain age back to the floor of the palais de danse.

Five years on, and the Soul has grown up, become a more adult proposition and acquired some better driving manners alongside a wealth of technology,

Put the new version beside the first one and you begin to see how it has improved.

But not all the improvements are noticeable to the eye. There's a different chassis, for starters, providing a more composed drive.

The biggest news is the wealth of technology Kia has thrown at the new Soul. The mid-range model here has an eight-inch colour screen with bold colours and fresh graphics.

And that’s just a small part of the new deal for the Soul. A host of higher-quality materials and nicely weighted controls gives off a premium feel.

As with the previous model, the new Soul offers buyers a choice of 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol and turbodiesel engines. The diesel Soul returns a fuel economy high of 56.5mpg, while towards the end of 2014 there will be a electric version of the car.

Kia is offering five trim options, all featuring significant upgrades in equipment and technology compared with the previous model.

Basic standard features run to DAB radio, variable rate power steering and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, steering wheel-mounted controls, USB and AUX ports and six airbags.

The overall impression is of a chunky, solid car, and door closure is accompanied by a reassuringly deep clunking sound that confirms this view.

Storage capacity is impressive, but the big bonus comes with the plush cabin, where you feel comfortable and cossetted.

Whether it’s under petrol or diesel power there’s an overall sweetness and a sense of composure in the way the Soul drives, partly thanks to the new chassis plucked from the cee’d production line.

For those who will spend most journeys in an urban environment, the petrol version will make most sense, but the diesel is the one to go for if you intend to use it on more challenging roads. I took the diesel unit through the Yorkshire Dales and was very impressed by its pulling power and agility.

All versions of the Soul are front-wheel-drive five-door variants, and with prices starting at £12,600 for the base 1.6 petrol variant and rising to £21,550 for the flagship diesel model, there should be something to suit most tastes and requirements.

At a glance

Kia Soul 1.6 CRDi Connect Plus

Price: £17,500 (range from £12,600)

Engine: 1.6-litre diesel producing 126bhp

Transmission: Six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels

Performance: Top speed 112mph; 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds

Economy: 56.5mpg combined

CO2 emissions: 132g/km