2010 Kia Soul
Kia’s Funky Wagon Shines
Funky little wagons are proliferating. Toyota started the trend five years ago with its Scion xB. Honda followed with the Element. These funny looking boxes on wheels were imported to attract young buyers. Now, Nissan has joined the fray with the Cube, and Kia has brought out the Soul. Kia’s Soul is the latest one to come my way, and it’s a charmer. This car offers off-beat styling, lots of room inside, and is fun to drive.
Like the others in its class, it’s tall, with a roof that is 63.4 inches off the ground. Its nose is blunt and its backside appears chopped off. Viewed in profile, it displays a slightly wedge shape. When I look at the Soul, I think of a bulldog pup.
On the inside, there’s loads of room. Passengers sit upright in chair-like seats. Legroom, front and rear, is more than adequate. The driver’s seat has a height adjuster. However, even adjusted fully, tall drivers may wish for more thigh support. The rear seat will hold three adults, if they are not too large. There’s no hump in the floor, so foot space is not an issue.
Storage space is also very good for a small vehicle. The glove box is large and has two tiers. There are also cubbies in the center armrest and on the dash. The cargo area will hold 19.3 cu-ft of your worldly possessions (53.4 cu.-ft. with seats folded down) and there’s another storage bin beneath the floor.
Kia equips the base model Soul with a host of standard features. Power locks and windows, air conditioning, and AM/FM/CD/MP3 with Sirius satellite radio are all included. There’s also an extensive list of safety features like anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and side-curtain airbags.
If you move up to the Soul+, you get a bigger 2.0-liter engine, keyless remote entry, privacy glass and 16-inch wheels. Go up another level to the Soul! (Exclaim) and a sunroof, fog lamps and 18-inch wheels are added. Soul! buyers also get a jazzy two-tone sand and gray interior. (The interior alone is worth the extra money—the lower priced cars are pretty drab.) Finally, there’s the Soul Sport, which is equipped with a sport suspension, rear spoiler, 18-inch wheels and ground-hugging bodywork. The Sport is also easily identified by its bright red and gray upholstery.
Kia powers the base model with a 1.6-liter engine that generates 122 hp. It’s available with a five-speed manual transmission only. All other models come with a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder motor with 142 horses. The manual gearbox is standard; a four-speed automatic is optional. My test car, with the 2-liter engine and automatic transmission, felt quite lively. It accelerated briskly onto freeways, and pulled well going up hills, while delivering between 24 and 30 mpg.
The Soul is light on its feet, making it fun to drive. It willingly takes on a back road and negotiates corners without excessive body lean. The Soul feels very predictable in its handling. It also delivers a reasonably comfortable ride. My Soul+ test car was slightly bouncy on uneven roads, but smooth on highways.
Soul pricing starts at $13,995 for the base model. The + begins at $15,645. The ! and the Sport go for $17,745 with manual transmission. An automatic will add another $950.
Snapshot Review:
Funky Looks
Roomy Inside
Decent Power
Fun to Drive
