Soul, Cube Gain Speed on xB, Element in Boxy Vehicle Battle

Kia Motors America’s Soul and Nissan North America Inc.’s Cube small cross/utility vehicles are proving formidable foes to their boxy, established competition, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.’s Scion xB and American Honda Motor Co. Inc.’s Element.

On the market for just four months, the Soul quickly is closing in as the top-seller of small, boxy CUVs in the U.S. for 2009. Soul sales through June stood at 11,174 units, just 392 shy of the xB’s 11,566, Ward’s data show.

“I ...