Soft opening latch for an automotive vehicle

A system for releasing a compartment door having a striker comprising:

• a cinch lever;
• a cinch actuator coupled to the cinch lever;
• a latch comprising a rachet and a pawl coupled to the compartment door in a closed position while the cinch lever, the cinch actuator, the ratchet and the pawl are in a home position, and the ratchet is closed with the striker fully engaged;
• a controller programmed to activate the cinch actuator to engage the cinch lever to hold the ratchet in a fully closed position;
• said controller programmed to move the pawl to an open position;
• said controller programmed to return the cinch actuator and the cinch lever to the home position to move the ratchet from the home position to a secondary position while returning the pawl to the home position,
• said controller programmed to control a release actuator configured to position the pawl in the home position while the ratchet is in the secondary position
• said controller programmed to control the release actuator to release the pawl to the opened position to cause the ratchet to move the latch to a fully opened position releasing the striker from the ratchet;
• said controller is programmed to retract the cinch actuator while maintaining the pawl in the home position;
• engaging the ratchet with the cinch lever at an engaged position;
• and
• the controller is programmed to move the pawl to the open position while maintaining the cinch lever in the engaged position to hold the ratchet and the striker in the home position.