Is the Kia Soul the Car for You?

The old Kia Soul was a decent car. But did the new model lose any of the charm of the original? And did it make many, if any upgrades? Here’s the verdict.

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Design

There was never any need for a huge overhaul in terms of the design. The previous Soul model was a nicely designed car that left a lasting impression on the car market. The most instantly noticeable difference to the new Kia Soul is its size. It’s now much more bulky and uses its shape much better.

It uses a floating roof design which means the roof area is black while the rest of the car is a different colour. The overall, although not hugely different from the previous model, feels much more complete and confident. The lines are smoother, and the details are in place. It’s a small but important improvement.

Running Costs

The starting price of the car is pretty low, especially if you can take advantage of the RRG Motability scheme. And how much the car costs to run will depend on which Soul you go for because there’s more than one. There are petrol, diesel and electric options to choose from.

You may think that the diesel would be the worst option when it comes to cost. But you’ll be filling the car up more regularly and spending more money if you buy the petrol. The diesel options uses its fuel much better. The cheapest is, of course, the electric car, but you have to consider all the drawbacks that come with driving electric cars.

Driving

There’s a couple of steering options to try out and switch between. There’s a button on the steering wheel that lets you choose between normal or sport steering. But, in truth, the change is minimal. The balance and weighting of the car seem to shift but to most drivers, the difference will be barely noticeable.

The Soul does still drive well though. The gears are powerful but shift very easily, it uses a six-speed manual gearbox. When you hit higher speeds and are cruising on the open road, the engine is surprisingly quiet, and the cabin is kept well isolated from any outside noise.

Interiors

The new Soul is both longer and wider than the old model, so it offers more internal space now. When you get inside the new model, you’ll instantly feel the difference of all that extra space. There’s much more legroom and headroom, so you won’t feel cramped or claustrophobic as you drive.

It’s not just the space that’s improved either; the overall finish offered on the interior design has also been upgraded. The dashboard has been redesigned and made to feel much more upmarket. It’s not flashy and as with all Kia cars it’s kept pretty simple. But it definitely feels to be of a much higher quality.
A lot of people dismiss the Kia Soul, but it’s a solid car with very few drawbacks. It can be an ideal family car and an able rival to the Nissan Juke.