2010 Kia Soul Review

PROS  Good fuel economy, Functional interior, Highly maneuverable

CONS  Noisy engine, Spongy front seats, Limited front-seat travel

Once dominated by plain-Jane economy four-door sedans and two-door hatchbacks, the entry-level market has recently blossomed with a flurry of new and exciting entries. The recent renaissance is a result of  rising gas prices and buyers looking to be more expressive with their vehicle purchase.

The trend toward unique subcompact offerings started when Toyota launched the Scion brand in 2003. Two vehicles were initially offered.One was a traditional economy-minded subcompact and the other was a boxy compact wagon called the xB. The xB caught on with younger buyers looking for a blank canvas to customize with interior and exterior trim pieces and special wheels and tires.

Soon other automakers began to take notice of Scion's success and started offering similar vehicles. Nissan introduced the Cube and Kia bared its Soul earlier this summer. Like all of these unusual subcompacts, Soul is a front-wheel drive four-door wagon with a single-piece rear liftgate. It seats five on twin front bucket seats and a split-folding three-place rear bench.

Four models are offered, base, Soul+, Soul!, and Soul Sport. The base comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 122 horsepower. Other models get a 2.0-liter four that has 142-horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard with both engines. Optional on the 2.0 is a four-speed automatic.

Standard safety features on all models include antilock brakes, stability control, front-seat active head restraints, tire-pressure monitor, and dual-front, front-side airbags, and curtain-side airbags. Rear-view monitor and park assist are not offered.

The base lists for $13,300 and includes air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, power windows, power door locks, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with digital-media player connection, satellite radio, rear wiper/washer, and 195/65R15 tires.

The Soul+ has a starting price of $14,950 and adds to the base cruise control, height-adjustable driver seat, power mirrors, keyless entry, steering wheel radio controls, Bluetooth cell-phone link, rear privacy glass, 205/55R16 tires, and alloy wheels.

Soul! has a list price of $16,950 and adds to the Soul+ leather-wrapped steering wheel, power sunroof, upgraded audio system with iPod adapter, floormats, fog lights, and 225/45R18 tires.

The Soul Sport also has a starting price of $16,950 and adds to the Soul! rear spoiler and sport suspension. However, it does not include a power sunroof. Factory-installed options include the automatic transmission, upgraded audio system, and floormats. There are many dealer-installed customization options available. All models have a destination charge of $695 and are assembled in South Korea.

Get Up and Go  So far I've only been able to test the 2.0-liter four that's found in all models sans the base. When matched with the manual transmission, it provides the Soul with surprisingly good acceleration. By my count, Soul can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about nine seconds, which is quicker than Nissan's Cube but a tick behind Scion's more powerful xB. Passing response is lack luster but likely adequate for most buyers.

Select the four-speed automatic and things slow down a bit. That's not uncommon in this class, but a little frustrating because the automatic saps whatever passing power the engine does have. In addition, the automatic isn't the smoothest shifting and you'll be wishing for an additional gear if you do a lot of highway driving.

EPA numbers are quite impressive. The 2.0-liter/four-speed combination is rated at 24 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. Those numbers slot between the xBs 22/28 rating and the Cube's 28/30 rating. Kia says that both engines will run fine on regular-grade gasoline.

In real-world driving, your fuel economy will depend on the type of driving you do. If you spend most of the time in stop-and-go urban environments, you'll be lucky to reach the EPA's 24 mpg rating. On the other hand, if your commute includes lots of open-road highway driving, you might be able to average more than 31 mpg.

On the Road  Most Soul models are stable and comfortable on all but the roughest of roads. The Soul Sport has more impact harshness than you'd expect, but isn't as rough riding as a traditional sport sedan. There is also more frame flex than in most compact wagons, sometimes leading to quivering over bumps. That's none too settling and unusual for a unibody vehicle.

Soul's dimensions are quite compact, leading to a very nimble urban-focused vehicle. Body lean is less than expected and the steering is delightfully direct and dead accurate. Brakes have ample stopping power and the tires have enough grip to manage quick twisty-road driving. Out on the open road, the slab-sided design and short wheelbase make Soul feel less comfortable but still quite competent.

Unfortunately, Soul is noisier than expected in both urban and highway driving. The engine groans in hard acceleration and buzzes at highway speeds. Thankfully wind and road noise are nicely muted when compared to other subcompacts.

Behind the Wheel  Soul's fresh contemporary styling carries over inside. Materials are appropriate but uninspiring. The pod-like design is pleasing to the eye and quite functional. Traditional white-on-black gauges face the driver from behind the steering wheel. Audio and climate controls are oversized and placed at the top of the center stack. Window, lock and mirror switches conveniently placed on the door armrests and steering-wheel mounted controls for the audio system and Bluetooth phone are an unexpected plus in this price class. There is also a large center armrest.

Front seats are appropriately sized but a bit springy. Support is good on twisty roads. Hearoom is ample and leg room adequate. It would be great if the front seats went back about two more inches though, as taller drivers are forced into a knees-up driving position. Outward visibility is good, but large rear pillars create a blind spot to the rear quarters.

Rear-seat occupants will find good seat comfort and more head room than expected. Even with the front seats all the way back, moderately sized adults have good leg room. The Soul is too narrow to seat three adults across, but two fit just fine.

Ultimate cargo space falls short of competitors from Nissan and Scion, but the Soul offers a useful amount of room behind the rear seats and a nicely configurable cargo area. The rear seatbacks fold flat and there's a convenient underfloor cargo bin. Up front there's a two-tier glovebox and lots of open and covered bins. Rear-seat cupholders are mounted in the doors and they are hard to access.

Bottom Line  Automaker profits are slim in this ultra-competitive entry-level market, so it is important to offer something unique to young buyers starved for style and features. Soul more than lives up to that billing as it manages to be unique without being quirky--other than the gimmicky flashing speakers.

Soul flourishes in urban environments, where its trim dimensions and high build are best put to use. Compared to Nissan Cube, Soul is more conventional and, perhaps, a little more functional. On the flip side, it's a little more off-beat than Scion xB. Prices are quite reasonable and every Soul comes with a long list of standard safety features and Kia's impressive warranty. If you're looking for something different, Soul's a solid bet.