Kia Soul


Debut: 2019
Maker: KIA
Predecessor: Soul Mk2



 Published on 4 Jun 2019
All rights reserved. 


Funky styling continue to be the strength of Soul.


It is easy to understand why we loved the last 2 generations of Soul: funky, stylish, spacious and practical. Pretty quick, too. While they could not match the best European hatchbacks for handling and refinement, they satisfy the needs of 95-percentile motorists, and they feel more youthful than anything built by the Japanese.

The latest Soul follows the same winning formula. It keeps the same tall and funky proportion, but there are plenty of subtle changes to make it even more stylish, such as slimmer headlights, blackened C-pillars (hence a “floating roof”) and L-shape taillights. The bonnet gets curvier at its leading edge, creating a sleeker perception. The front grille gets larger and, when it mates with the optional rugged body kits (on X-Line trim), makes the car very much like an SUV. It is not, of course. Few small cars could have the same presence. More radically styled than any European rivals, the new Soul will continue to appeal to young drivers.



X-Line has rugged body kits to mimic an SUV.


The new Soul is made larger again. Following a 20mm boost in the last generation, it gets another 30mm extra wheelbase. Overall length is extended by 55mm. So large that we have to reposition it from B- to C-segment. Strangely, the extra wheelbase does not bring any more rear legroom according to tape measure, but the Soul has always been providing ample knee and head room for 4, so it is not a problem. The extra dimensions do enlarge luggage space a little. Access to the boot is made easier by a wider and deeper tailgate. 

Just as before, the cabin is not high on build quality. Most plastics are hard, if well grained. However, it feels solid and durable. You get a 7 or 10.3-inch touchscreen on the center console, depending on trims and how much you pay. Its operation is responsive and easy to learn. Android Auto and Apple Car Play are integrated flawlessly.



Nothing premium here, but spacious and easy to use.


The new car is built on the platform of Kia Forte (K3), which is shared with also Hyundai Elantra. It rides on conventional strut suspension up front and torsion-beam axle at the rear. The monocoque chassis employs yet again more high strength steel, hot stamped steel and structural adhesives to improve rigidity, though Kia did not reveal any figures. In general, it rides and handles nicely. A crossover-like ground clearance provides plenty of suspension travel, hence a compliant ride. Meanwhile, body roll is not excessive for a car so tall. The steering is quick and accurate, if quite numb and over-assisted. The sportiest GT-line has a slightly stiffer suspension setup, so it has slightly better roll control, which is perfectly capable for the class – just don’t see it as a hot hatch. Its classier tires, sized 235/45R18, offers bags of grip. The balance is biased towards security though, with no intention to interact with the driver. For driving, it is no Golf GTi or Mini, of course.

Refinement is certainly improved from the last generation, but there is a little more wind noise at speed and tire roar (when equipped with the wider tires) to remind you that it is not quite as sophisticated as European hatchbacks.



Ride and handling are nice but not class-leading, obviously.


The Soul shares its engines with Forte as well. The mass market model is powered by a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle GDI engine with 147hp, mating to 6-speed manual or Hyundai group's chain-driven CVT. While it makes less power and torque than the old, Otto-cycle engine, it returns better economy. Moreover, 0-60 mph taking just over 8 seconds is by no means poor for a compact car. If you want more power, you may upgrade to 1.6 GDI Turbo engine. It offers 204hp and 195 lbft of torque, good for 0-60mph in less than 7 seconds. Nevertheless, there is a little turbo lag low down, and the compulsory 7-speed dual-clutch transmission sometimes interrupt the power flow with its wrongly timed gearchanges. Moreover, the GT is priced close to the level of Golf GTI in the US market, so it will be harder to sell.

The last powertrain is electric. Soul EV has been around since 2014. Now the second generation has massively improved the technology. Its front-mounted motor is upgraded, boosting output by nearly one fold to 201hp, accompanied with a remarkable 291 lbft of torque. Battery capacity is also doubled from 32 to 64kWh, offering a driving range of 450km (280 miles) in WLTP cycles or 243 miles in EPA cycles, which is a lot. Despite a kerb weight of 1.7 ton, the car is capable to do 0-60 in 7.2 seconds with some tire-smoking fun, yet it will commute and cruise quietly. Coupling to a reasonable price (for an EV) and low running costs, it is a smart buy.



Soul EV has doubled power and battery capacity.


However, the downside for the EV is that it doesn’t turn as well as its lighter siblings. Handicapped by the heavy battery, it feels bulkier, rolls more, understeers more and the steering is even more disconnected from the road. The ride suffers a little more from bumps, even though the rear suspension has been upgraded to a multi-link setup. In fact, the sweetest Soul is the leanest, cheapest version. Performance and sophistication might be nice, but we’ll choose European hatchbacks instead.
Verdict:
Specifications





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout

Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
Soul 2.0
2019
Front-engined, FWD
Steel monocoque
Mainly steel
4195 / 1800 / 1600 mm
2600 mm
Inline-4, Atkinson-cycle
1999 cc
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
-
-
147 hp
132 lbft
6-speed manual (CVT)
F: strut
R: torsion-beam
-
205/60R16
1270 kg (1290 kg)
120 mph (est)
(8.0*)
(24.7*)
Soul 1.6T
2019
Front-engined, FWD
Steel monocoque
Mainly steel
4195 / 1800 / 1600 mm
2600 mm
Inline-4
1591 cc
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
Turbo
DI
201 hp
195 lbft
7-speed twin-clutch
F: strut
R: torsion-beam
-
235/45R18
1375 kg
135 mph (est)
6.4* / 6.5**
17.0*
Soul EV
2019
Front-engined, FWD
Steel monocoque
Mainly steel
4195 / 1800 / 1600 mm
2600 mm
Electric motor
-
-
-
-
201 hp
291 lbft
1-speed
F: strut
R: multi-link
-
215/55R17
1685 kg
104 mph (limited)
7.2 (c)
-




Performance tested by: *C&D, **MT





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