Pope Francis chauffeured around Korea in a Kia Soul
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/kia/" rel="tag">Kia</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/celebrities/" rel="tag">Celebrities</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/south-korea/" rel="tag">South Korea</a></p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-14/latest-popemobile-is-a-kia.html"><img alt="Pope Francis Visits South Korea - DAY 1" data-caption="SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 14: Pope Francis (inside a car) arrives at Seoul military airport on August 14, 2014 in Seoul, South Korea. Pope Francis is visiting South Korea from August 14 to August 18. This trip is the third trip abroad for the pope following Brazil and the Middle East. This is the third pontifical visit to South Korea. (Photo by Song Kyung-Seok-Pool/Getty Images)" data-credit="Getty Images" data-mep="398049" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/2904x1928+0+149/resize/628x417!/format/jpg/quality/85/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/midas/80235dbc1b99ab353b06d3d7e 3398270/200582676/453580740.jpg" /></a><br />
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Korea is not without its domestic automobiles that would be suitable for transporting a visiting head of state: the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/hyundai/equus/">Hyundai Equus</a> comes to mind. Failing that, a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/hyundai/genesis+sedan/">Genesis</a> sedan would do the trick. Maybe even a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/kia/k900/">Kia K900</a> or a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/14/renault-samsung-previews-new-sm7-w-video/">Renault Samsung SM7</a>. But those familiar with <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/pope/">Pope Francis</a> and his taste in transportation won't be surprised that His Holiness has chosen something decidedly more modest for his visit to South Korea.<br />
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Instead of a more luxurious sedan, the Bishop of Rome has elected to be driven in a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/kia/soul/">Kia Soul</a>, giving the high-roofed hatchback a bigger boost (in the Catholic world, at least) than any quantity of animated hamsters ever could.<br />
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The Soul, which was likely reinforced somewhat if the Swiss Guard got its way, was ready for the Holy Father upon his arrival. Francis slid into the back, rolled down the window and waved back at the welcoming party, including President Park Geun-hye. The Pope will reportedly be driven around in the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/kia/">Kia</a> over the course of his five-day visit.<br />
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Francis has consistently elected to use decidedly less impressive forms of transportation than his predecessors. He was known to take the bus while serving as a cardinal in Argentina, and even when he's needed a private car (now that he is, after all, the monarch of a sovereign city-state), he's chosen a humble <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/ford/focus/">Ford Focus</a> or a 20-year-old <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/fiat/">Fiat</a>, and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/09/pope-urges-followers-to-drive-humble-cars/">encouraged his followers</a> to do the same.<br />
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This in contrast with the popes that have come before him, many of whom have been driven around in specially built <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/mercedes-benz/">Mercedes</a> SUVs. <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/10/renault-donates-all-electric-popemobile/">Benedict received an electric Renault Kangoo</a> from <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/carlos+ghosn/">Carlos Ghosn</a>, and while we're sure he seldom (if ever) drove it, John Paul II received a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/ferrari+enzo/">Ferrari Enzo</a> from <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/luca+di+montezemolo/">Luca di Montezemolo</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/michael+schumacher/">Michael Schumacher</a>.<p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/08/15/pope-francis-kia-soul-korea-report/">Pope Francis chauffeured around Korea in a Kia Soul</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Fri, 15 Aug 2014 09:30:00 EST. Please see our <a href="/rss-term-of-use/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/08/15/pope-francis-kia-soul-korea-report/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20946992/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/08/15/pope-francis-kia-soul-korea-report/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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