2024 Kia Soul

　　

2024 Kia Soul Review

byChase BierenkovenContributor

　　Chase Bierenkoven has been writing about cars in his head since he was a child. Now, he does it for real, covering automotive news and producing reviews for outlets like zzdcar, Forbes Wheels and CarBuzz. Chase's career as an automotive journalist began in 2020, and he has already written scores of road tests. Some favorites of Chase's include the Dodge Challenger 392, Mazda Miata, Kia EV6 and Bentley Bentayga. Outside his work with cars, Chase is often found justifying his latest broken German sports car to anyone that will listen or enjoying the outdoor spaces of his native Colorado.

　　, rating written byChase BierenkovenSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　The 2024 Kia Soul is the last of the quirky compact hatchbacks that emerged about a decade ago. Competitors like the Scion xB and Nissan Cube are long gone, so now the Soul mostly competes with subcompact SUVs like the Hyundai Kona and Chevy Trailblazer. The Soul lost some of its quirky charm last year as part of a styling refresh, but the Soul is still a small, usable hatchback with a spacious interior offering stellar value.

　　

zzdcar Spotlight: Standard features on a budget

If the Kia Soul excels at one thing, it is offering a great run of standard features at a low price. The Soul comes with a large 10.2-inch screen in most trims, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard. The Soul has great driver assist systems, too. They are consistent and don't sound any false alarms. We're especially impressed with the lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. And even the base Kia Soul LX has nice textures and interior materials that make the car feel more expensive than it is.

　　

Competitors to consider

The Soul's primary competitors are small SUVs like the Kia's own Seltos and the Mazda CX-30. The Seltos is a larger and more spacious SUV with a very similar array of great standard features, and it even offers standard all-wheel drive. And check out the Mazda if you want something sporty; its available turbocharged engine packs plenty of punch. Check out our Expert Rating of the Kia Soul below to learn more about how the Soul stacks up.

　　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

　　7.9

　　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 8.5 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-30 and Mini Countryman. While the Soul stops well in panic situations, the only true downside is the touchy brake pedal at low speeds, which takes some getting used to. Unlike some other subcompacts, the Soul doesn't offer all-wheel drive.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Soul? The front seats are reasonably comfortable 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 bigger bumps.

　　At highway speeds, 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 like some CVT automatics.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below