Kia produces some of the best mainstream cars on the market. Like Honda and Toyota, Kia makes reliable, efficient, and affordable cars. The Kia Soul is a good example. Nonetheless, is Kia Soul a good car?
Kia Soul is not only a unique car, but it is also great for those searching for a reliable, efficient, spacious, safe, comfortable, affordable, and practical car. On the other hand, it may not be appealing to people searching for a luxurious, high-performance, and stylish subcompact SUV.
History of the Kia Soul
The Kia Soul is a subcompact crossover SUV made by Kia. This car has been in production from 2008 to date. Moreover, the Kia Soul debuted at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and it is manufactured in South Korea. This SUV is also based on the Hyundai-Kia PB platform, which is closely related to the Hyundai i20 and Kia Venga.
The Kia Soul is fitted with several engines, including a 1.6-liter Gamma MPI I4, 2.0-liter Nu MPI I4, and 1.6-liter U II CRDI I4. It also has different transmissions to select from, including 5 & 6-speed manual transmissions and 4 and 6-speed automatic transmissions.
Features of the Kia Soul
Appearance
The old Kia Soul models are not as appealing as the recent models. Kia has provided a facelift to the boxy design, which stands out from its competitors. Some of its close competitors are the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona, and Volkswagen Taos.
While the exterior of the Kia Soul is not so appealing, the interior competes favorably with most of its competitors. Thanks to the spacious cabin and practical design. The car comes with colorful trims, textured door-panel inserts, heated seats & steering wheel, and a nice head-up display.
The Kia Soul may be compact but it serves its purpose very well. It has a wheelbase of 102.4-inches, a length of 165.2-inches, a width of 70.9-inches, and a height of 63-inches.
Performance
The Kia Soul performs considerably well. As expected, the level of performance varies from one trim level to another, with the most expensive trim levels offering the best performance. Some of the trims offered are LX, S, GT-Line, and EX. This car is fitted with a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine with a front-wheel drive system.
The engine delivers a maximum of 285 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque. The best-performing model delivers a top speed of 135 mph and it can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 7.95 seconds.
Comfort and cargo space
Even though the Kia Soul does not look very appealing, it is very comfortable and spacious. This car can accommodate up to five people, making it suitable for families. Additionally, it has a large trunk pace, as it comes with a total of 24.2 cubic feet of space. This is enough to carry up to seven suitcases.
Safety
Kias are very safe cars. So, if you’re a family man or just want a safe subcompact crossover SUV, the Kia Soul is a nice car to have. This is because it is fitted with various standard safety features such as lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and automated emergency braking.
Fuel efficiency
One of the biggest selling points of Kia cars is their efficiency. The Kia Soul is very efficient as it comes with an EPA rating of 29 mpg in the city, 35 mpg on the highway, and a combined 31 mpg. This is on par with most of its rivals. Therefore, the user will end up saving on fuel expenses.
Price
The Kia Soul is among the most affordable cars in its class. The base trim has a starting price of $21,085, while some of its competitors like the Hyundai Kona go for $22,595 and the Mazda CX-30 goes for $23,775. However, the higher trims like the EX go for as much as $25,385.
FAQ
Is Kia Soul worth buying?
It depends on what you’re looking for. Nonetheless, the Kia Soul offers great value for money. Thanks to the spacious cabin, quality ride, comfort, ease of maintenance, safety, and practicality. However, if you want a luxurious, high-performance, and stylish car, this is not the car for you.
What are the common problems with Kia Soul?
Kia Soul is a wonderful subcompact crossover SUV with several fascinating features. Nonetheless, it comes with different problems that users should know about. Some of them include a blown engine, engine knocking sound, loss of steering control, bumpy driving, electrical problems, failing catalytic converter, and cruise control surge.
How fast is the Kia Soul?
The 2022 Kia Soul comes fitted with a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that delivers up to 285 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque. What’s more, this car can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 7.95 seconds. Additionally, it comes with a top speed of 135 miles per hour, which is great compared to most of its rivals.
What is the high mileage for Kia Soul?
Kia Soul has been on the market for more than 14 years. As a result, you can find quality used cars with more than 150k or even 200k miles on their odometer. But if you want to land a good car that won’t develop many issues, ensure to get a used Kia Soul with less than 150k miles. This is because major problems on the Kia Soul start developing when it reaches over 150k miles.
Is Kia Soul a good daily driver?
Finding a perfect car for daily driving is never easy. However, the Kia Soul has lots of features that make it a nice daily driver. This car is affordable, fuel efficient, spacious, comfortable, practical, and cheap to maintain. Additionally, it comes with multiple safety features and the ride quality is nice.
With such exceptional features, you will enjoy driving this car in traffic or on a busy highway. Nevertheless, its looks are not very appealing. But this shouldn’t be a deterrent.
Final thoughts
The Kia Soul is a good car. Despite not having very impressive looks, this unit is very efficient, reliable, comfortable, spacious, and safe. Therefore, it is a good family car and ideal for daily driving. But like most cars, proper care and maintenance are needed for smooth driving and longevity.
