Kia Soul Review

The tested vehicle for this review is the Kia Soul Exclaim. When I was at the LA Auto Show last year there were three cars that really stuck out in my mind - the Ford Transit Connect, the Nissan Cube and the Kia Soul. All these vehicles are small boxy machines but, in my opinion, showed a direction that some of the auto industry is going. While I have yet to drive the Ford or Nissan, this week’s Curbside review is on the Kia Soul.

The Kia Soul isn’t something revolutionary or new - it’s a simple two-box design. What made it exciting, for me, was the packaging and pricing of this vehicle. For about $18,000 you get a really well-equipped vehicle that has a distinctive style and practical design that are real winners.

What’s Hot

Kia, Korea’s other car maker, has taken the ideology that brought cars like the Scion xB to market, and stepped it up a notch. The Soul is similar in form to the original xB in that it’s a smaller vehicle that’s stylish in its boxy shape. While the xB was a fairly bare bones car that encouraged owners to customize it with aftermarket stuff, the Soul is a very well equipped car that’s fine right out of the box, so to speak.

The tested Soul featured a tri-tone interior of a houndstooth cloth, solid cloth and two colors of material on the door and instrument panel that really stands out. The first time I saw the interior on the Soul at the Auto Show, I was really impressed. There are several color combinations of this interior but it doesn’t look like your typical bland small car interior, even though there is no fake wood or imitation carbon fiber or any other things that look like other things.

Whoever did the interior should get two weeks’ additional paid vacation and a handsome raise.

Another interior feature that is more whimsy than anything are lights in the speakers that can be set to flash with the beat of the music, or to fade in and out in a “mood lighting” setting. Okay, so this is goofy but the standard SIRIUS satellite radio is a plus as is the USB connector for things like iPods and such. Unlike Microsoft’s fancy Synch system, Kia’s included audio system had no problems indexing and playing all the thousands of songs in my 80 gig iPod Classic.

There are actually four versions of the Soul with the base model starting under $14,000. The tested Exclaim model carries the base price of $17,900 and there is one additional model above and one below the Exclaim model.

While the interior offers a lot of unexpected pluses like a cargo organizer in the back, what’s under the hood is essentially what you’d expect from a 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Speed demons aren’t really the likely customer base for this car but it gets where it has to and I averaged 29.85 miles per gallon while the Kia was with me.

There are a lot of minor points that really make this a car you’ll want to drive for a long time. For example, the headrests on the front seat have a ratcheting mechanism where you can move them closer to or further from your noggin. The audio system has a scrolling feature that displays track information even if the track has more information than what can be shown at once.

Another minor point is the prop rod to hold the hood up, which is on the hood where it stays touchably cool instead of across the radiator where it’ll melt your fingers off when you touch it. It’s these little cool features that make you like your car in a few years that seem to be missed by major manufacturers.

What’s Not

It’s probably obvious how much I like this vehicle but the thing I liked least I didn’t realize until after I returned the Soul. The ride is a bit harsh, but that came about after trading it for the smooth-riding Dodge Dakota. A firm ride is not at all unusual in smaller cars, which all have a nervousness to them.

In Summary

I recently drove a hybrid compact SUV from a nameplate that’s supposed to be high-end and, in comparison to the Soul, it felt so cheap. That wasn’t the case here - the Soul feels well made.

I have a friend who’s an advocate of “buy American” and “shop local.” She drives a Kia, as does her son. The reason? A good vehicle, covered by a ten-year warranty at a really great price. That’s the Soul, but with some added flair and style.

Article written by Anthony B. Barthel, Curbside's Publisher

See a photo gallery of Kia Soul images

Fact Sheet

Base Price: $17,900

Price As Tested: $18,595

Major Options: None

Engine: 2.0 Liter Four-Cylinder Engine

Transmission: Four-Speed Automatic