2010 Kia Soul

by Keith Burton  - GCN Automedia 
Filed 7/28/09

I know what Korean automaker Kia was thinking when they named their newest CUV. They thought it would be cool to do a little double meaning since Korea's biggest city is Soul, and in America, well, we all know what "soul" means among the hip crowd.

But I would offer yet another meaning for "Soul." How about "fun." The Soul is another one of those box-type vehicles that has drawn a certain crowd of supporters. It is in the same ilk as the Toyota XB, the Honda Element and another newcomer, the Nissan Cube. But Kia went off on a bit different trail. The Soul is rakish in a way that makes the box your shoes came in good looking.

With a snout that is somewhat reminiscent of the popular Mini, the Soul pleases the eye with all sorts of interesting exterior details. We like the way the roof slants back toward the rear and the way the A-pillars lean steeply rearward to meet the roof. The line is similar to that of the Land Rover Sport, a MUCH more expensive SUV. There are even neat little fake intake ports along the side, just like the Land Rover.

But if you are among a growing number of folks who like the outside of the Soul, the inside will really please you. Kia wisely chose to go a bit upscale with this interior with a high grade of plastics complete with the type of finish you would find on vehicles costing much more. The dash design is particularly striking and well laid out. There are also all sorts of places to put stuff, including a double-tiered glove compartment. The instruments are placed logically and all the controls switch with a smoothness unexpected in a vehicle that fully loaded, comes in at less than $19,000. The seats are full and covered with a fine-woven, durable looking fabric. The interior is also available in a number of different looks, depending on which model of "Soul" fits yours. We liked the cool red and black theme that is available on the Soul "Sport" version. But regardless of what model appeals to you, the Soul is a nice place to spend some time.

What is really getting some folks attention is the up-level stereo system available. Besides satellite radio, CD and a subwoofer, you get really cool back-lit speakers in the doors that pulse with a red light in beat with the music. Or if you want to light them up without the pulsing, there is a dial on the dash to select the speaker light choice or turn them off. In a day when it seems only the expensive vehicles get cool eye candy things, here comes Kia with something we can all afford.

Powering the Soul is a modern four-cylinder over head cam engine. You have two choices, a 1,159 cc producing 115 horsepower, or a  1,975 cc producing a 142 horsepower. We recommend that you go with the bigger engine versions. With that engine, the Soul is satisfyingly quick around town. And on the highway, doesn't work so hard at freeway speeds. We still would like a bit more power out of the engine, or another gear. At highway speeds the Soul's engine makes a bit of noise, but it isn't too bad.

The Soul in all versions is fun to drive. It has a surefooted feel for a relatively tall vehicle and the engineers seem to have found the sweet spot in steering feel that many other manufactures have recently missed in their smaller, more inexpensive vehicles.

The rear hatch opens vertically, and there is a remarkable amount of space behind the rear seat, even though it doesn't look like it when looking at the Soul in profile. There is also a nice covered storage area with individual compartments.

Overall, it seems that Kia may have a winner here with their new Soul.

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