IT’S A BEST BUY BECAUSE:
Soul delivers impressive passenger room, flexible cargo space, and lots of upscale available features in a tidy, affordable package.
BUT…
Fuel economy trails subcompact-
class leaders, and most optional features can only be had by purchasing pricey option packages.
WORTH NOTING:
With its slightly elevated ride height and tall “box-on-wheels” body shape, the Kia Soul straddles the line between a subcompact car and a subcompact SUV. Since it doesn’t offer all-wheel drive, we’ve placed it in our subcompact-car class.
WHAT IS IT?
The original Soul joined Kia’s lineup for 2010 as a quirky, unconventionally styled subcompact with boxy proportions that gave it surprisingly good passenger and cargo space within its small overall footprint. Soul’s practical packaging, memorable marketing, and high feature-per-dollar ratio, along with Kia’s strong warranty, helped make the Soul a marketplace success.
A redesigned Soul debuted for 2014 on a slightly larger chassis that was 30 percent stiffer than the original model. The styling was all new too, though the new Soul retained the same boxy profile and exuberant design spirit of the original.
The base-model Soul is powered by a 130-horsepower 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine, while the midline Plus and line-topping Exclaim models get a 164-hp 2.0-liter four. A broad range of optional equipment is available, including rare-for-the-class features such as a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, and a cooled glovebox.
WHAT’S NEW?
Official information on the 2017 Kia Soul was unavailable as of this writing. For 2016, the Soul saw just a few updates, such as available forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and a Designer Collection appearance package that included 18-inch black-spoke wheels and a two-tone paint scheme in either white with a red roof or red with a black roof. The 2017 Soul may see a mid-cycle refresh, gaining styling updates and perhaps a few new safety and technology features.
FUEL ECONOMY
Official 2017 EPA numbers were unavailable as of this writing. For 2016, the Soul was rated at 24 mpg city/30 mpg highway with the base 1.6-liter engine, and 24/31 with the Plus and Exclaim’s 2.0-liter. During Consumer Guide® evaluation, a Soul Plus with automatic transmission returned 23.4 mpg; a Soul Exclaim with automatic averaged 22.8. Both tests consisted of mostly city driving. All Souls use regular-grade gas.
VALUE IN CLASS
It’s easy to see that the Kia Soul has a lot of personality, but it’s also one of the most comfortable and refined subcompacts around—particularly in optioned-up form. The ride is decently absorbent, the handling is reasonably nimble, and the cabin is surprisingly spacious. The engine can grow a bit noisy at times, and the sticker prices escalate quickly as options are added, but the Kia Soul is still one of the most compelling vehicles in its class.
| BASE PRICE RANGE | $15,900 – $21,300 |
| BODY STYLES | 4-Door Wagon |
| AVAILABLE ENGINES | 130-Hp, 1.6-Liter 4-Cyl.; 164-Hp 2.0-Liter 4-Cyl |
| DRIVE WHEELS | Front Wheel Drive |
| BUILT IN | South Korea |
| EPA FUEL-ECONOMY RANGE | 24-31 MPG |
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