Korean cars: Wimpy no more

Hyundai and Kia are finding new identities and shedding their reputation of being just makers of cheap cars.

Check out the Kia Soul on AOL Autos

While Hyundai's big splash in the U.S. auto market has gotten most of the attention lately, its sister brand Kia has quietly been finding its groove.

For example, the funky Kia Soul, a competitor to boxy wagons like the Toyota's Scion xB and the Nissan Cube, takes sort of a middle road. It's less conservative in style than the new xB but not as overtly strange as the Cube. (The windows match on both sides and there's no shag carpet on dashboard.)

Inside, the Soul is a available with a high-contrast two-tone interior and stereo speakers that light up to the beat of your music.

The Soul is responsive at low speeds and fun to drive around town. It's less sedate than the Scion, which feels almost like a small crossover SUV, but much better at highway speeds than the Cube which drives, as its name implies, like a giant box on wheels with plenty of wind noise and wobbling.