2020 Kia Soul Review

　　

2020 Kia Soul Review

byCameron RogersManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　A decade ago, before "subcompact crossover" entered the public lexicon, a handful of unusual imports defied traditional classification. Were the Honda Element, Kia Soul, Nissan Cube, Scion xB hatchbacks, wagons or SUVs? It's still hard to say. But we do know that the Soul, which is the only vehicle of the batch still around, shows that Kia has a successful formula on its hands.

　　The 2020 Kia Soul, which is fully redesigned this year, has a lot going for it. Drivers in congested urban areas will enjoy its nimble size, responsive engine and controlled ride over bumpy pavement. Outside the city, the Soul shines with crisp handling and responsive steering. You can up the Soul's fun factor even more by equipping it with a punchy turbocharged engine and a sport-tuned suspension.

　　No matter where you live, the Soul's roomy cabin and useful cargo space make it a perfect everyday car. We also like its competitive pricing, which undercuts most rivals without sacrificing interior materials quality or feature content.

　　As with any budget-priced small car, there are a few drawbacks. All-wheel drive is not available, which might be a deal-breaker for buyers in places that experience icy or snowy road conditions. And that sport-tuned Soul, the GT-Line Turbo, suffers from a clunky-shifting transmission and a harsh ride quality. But overall we think the 2020 Kia Soul rises above other subcompact crossovers thanks to its blend of practicality, affordability and emphasis on fun.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.8

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Soul drive? Maximum acceleration from the 2.0-liter engine is a little lacking, but the Soul feels perfectly spry around town. The steering is natural, and cornering abilities are better than expected. In most cases, the CVT automatic feels like a traditional automatic. In zzdcar track testing, the Soul posted a 0-60 mph time of 8.8 seconds, which is a respectable time for a little SUV.

　　The steering features a light effort that builds up naturally when you move from center. The Soul has cornering abilities similar to sportier rivals such as the Mazda CX-3 and Mini Countryman. The only true downside is the touchy brake pedal, which takes some getting used to. The brake response builds too quickly, so you have to be smooth on the brakes to avoid lurching. Unlike some other subcompacts, the Soul doesn't offer all-wheel drive.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Soul? Despite a lack of adjustments, the front seats don't reveal any pressure points even after you've been sitting for hours. The rear seatback angle is fixed but is set at a comfortable angle. The ride is firm and controlled but never harsh. Unlike some rivals, the Soul doesn't shudder like it's falling apart when it's driven over square-edge bumps.

　　The X-Line's single-zone manual climate control is basic, and rear passengers might run a bit warm because there are no rear air vents at this trim level. The upright windshield generates a noticeable — but not irritating — level of wind noise, and some tire noise is evident, too. Simulated gearshifts mean the engine doesn't drone at full throttle as with other CVT automatics.

　　

Interior

8.5/10

　　How’s the interior? From an ergonomic standpoint, the simple interior design means there's not much to mess up. Navigating through touchscreen menus is easy thanks to an intuitive interface and physical buttons for high-level functions. A height-adjustable front seat and a generous range of steering wheel adjustment help accommodate drivers of all sizes.

　　The tall roof and wide door openings allow easy access to the front and rear of the deceptively large cabin. There's lots of headroom and legroom in front and back — four adults will have no problem taking road trips. All windows are tall and narrow with the exception of the small, upturned window in the rear three-quarters view.

　　

Technology

7.0/10

　　How’s the tech? The X-Line, like most Soul trim levels, has a basic six-speaker audio system. Without a dedicated subwoofer, bassy sounds come out of the speakers but lack punch. At least the speakers don't rattle at high volume. At this trim level, there's only one USB port, but it's illuminated so you can see it at night. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

　　A blind-spot monitor is standard on the X-Line. If you can do without the X-Line's styling upgrades, the less expensive S and the 2.0-liter GT-Line both come with automatic emergency braking and lane departure mitigation. More features, such as a second USB port, navigation and voice controls, are available if you pay extra for a different trim.

　　

Storage

7.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The Soul has a deep cargo well that gives it more cargo room than other small SUVs, though it's weird you can't get a cargo cover on X-Line and lower trims. Though this configuration has impressive volume (24.2 cubic feet), there's a large hump at the base of the rear seats when you fold them, which limits utility.

　　Storage space is decent for the class, with front-seat occupants receiving a good number of bins and cubbies. Installing a car seat is tough despite a roomy back seat — the anchors are inset quite far and access to the tethers is hampered by this trim's non-adjustable headrests.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA rates the CVT automatic-equipped Soul at 30 mpg combined (27 city/33 highway), which is slightly better than most competitors. However, we weren't able to replicate these numbers in real life. Over 350 miles of driving (100 of which were on the highway at a reasonable pace), we averaged just 26.8 mpg.

　　

Value

8.0/10

　　Is the Soul a good value? The Soul is quite inexpensive for a subcompact SUV. A midtrim model especially comes with a bunch of features but is missing a few key amenities such as adjustable rear headrests. Most buyers would be better served by the slightly more expensive but much more feature-rich EX trim. As usual, Kia's warranty is class-leading.

　　

Wildcard

8.0/10

　　The continuously variable automatic transmission isn't exactly fun to use, but it is well-tuned and a bit more responsive than other CVT automatics. There's also not much power aboard — get the GT-Line Turbo for a peppier engine. Still, even the midtier Soul is fun to toss around corners and has a pleasant ride.

　　The Soul uses its boxy shape to its advantage by providing lots of interior and cargo room. Styling is distinct and unmistakable as a Soul. Upper trims get beat-synced speaker lights and ambient lighting, which are unique selling points in a homogenous class.

　　

Which Soul does zzdcar recommend?

If you're typically driving solo or with one passenger, the S model is a perfectly fine way to go. For more family- or friend-oriented duty, the EX is what you want. Along with a ton of extra convenience features, it adds a rear armrest and adjustable headrests (less expensive models come with fixed headrests). You also get a cargo cover and a removable cargo floor, which helps create a flat load space when you lower the rear seats.

　　

2020 Kia Soul models

The 2020 Kia Soul is available in LX, S, X-Line, GT-Line, EX, and GT-Line Turbo models. The trim structure is surprisingly confusing, with the X-Line, GT-Line and EX models all building off the S trim rather than each other. The LX is rather basic, but selecting the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) adds a few extra features. The S primarily adds advanced driver safety aids. The X-Line is the rugged-looking variant, while the GT-Line gives off a sporty vibe. Finally, the EX adds extra luxury features, and the GT-Line Turbo is a combination of the GT-Line and EX trims plus a more powerful engine.

　　Most Souls are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (147 hp, 132 lb-ft). The LX comes with a six-speed manual transmission as standard. A CVT automatic is optional on the LX and standard on all other trims with the 2.0-liter engine. The GT-Line Turbo has a powertrain unique to this model: a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder (201 hp, 195 lb-ft) paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All Souls are front-wheel-drive, and all-wheel drive isn't available.

　　The base LX model comes with 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, rear privacy glass, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, Bluetooth, a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and a six-speaker audio system. Standard safety features include a rearview camera and hill start assist.

　　Selecting the LX model with the CVT automatic also adds an engine stop-start feature, body-colored mirrors and door handles, remote locking/unlocking, cruise control, selectable driving modes, and a storage console under the armrest.

　　Stepping up to the S trim gets you alloy wheels, upgraded cloth upholstery and a lengthy list of advanced driver aids. These include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and a drowsy driver attention warning system.

　　The X-Line is the rugged-looking model, with unique 18-inch wheels, special exterior body cladding, foglights, silver mirror caps, roof rails, the LX's cloth upholstery, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It lacks a few of the S trim's driving aids, however, and only has the blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.

　　The GT-Line adds sporty exterior accents, different 18-inch wheels, foglights, gloss-black mirrors, a triangle-pattern grille, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel. The forward collision warning, lane departure warning and drowsy driver warning systems are standard here. A sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, a wireless charging pad, and the blind-spot monitor are available via the GT-Line Sunroof package.

　　The EX model gains 17-inch wheels, upgraded headlights, LED daytime running lights, foglights, a triangle-pattern grille, heated mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a wireless charging pad, a second USB port, a rear center armrest, adjustable rear headrests, a removable cargo floor and a cargo cover. The infotainment system also gets an upgrade, with a 10.3-inch screen, HD and satellite radio, voice recognition and a navigation system. All of the advanced safety features are standard as well.

　　The top-trim GT-Line Turbo essentially blends the GT-Line's appearance with the EX's features, then adds the more powerful turbocharged engine. Feature content is identical to the EX, with the exception of the GT-Line's 18-inch wheels, LED exterior lighting (head-, tail- and foglights), a chrome exhaust, a sunroof, LED interior lighting, cloth and faux leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver's seat, a heated steering wheel, and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. The GT-Line Turbo also has pedestrian detection for the forward collision system, adaptive cruise control and a head-up display.

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2020 Soul Highlights

Trim: LXGT-LineSX-LineEXGT-Line TurboLX

　　

Base MSRP	$17,490
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	27 MPG
Cost to Drive	$137/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	24.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles