I see plenty of battered pickups up by Fenton, Michigan - but I don't often catch Kia prototypes roaming the freeway.  That changed the other night, when I briefly caught a 2010 Kia Soul cruising along M-23.

From a long ways back, I almost didn't recognize the Soul.  Yes, I've seen the photos that Kia released before its upcoming launch in Paris, and I've also seen the Soul concepts from the 2008 Geneva show in person.  Still, from a few car lengths away, the car looks bigger and bulkier - perhaps almost like an SUV - from behind.

That may well be something Kia wants in the car, though.  Yeah, it's a front-wheel-drive five-door hatchback, but the beefy C-pillars, chiseled fender forms and argent bumper guards make suggest it has some truck influence.  Think of a 21st-century Simca Matra Rancho, but with a lot less ground clearance.

I wish I could have snapped a few front-end photos as well, but upon realizing I held an SLR camera in hand, the driver sped right off.  Funny; you'd think if he were truly concerned about photography, all that camouflage so carefully strewn across the rear seat would actually be on the car.