Used 2022 Kia Soul

The Kia Soul straddles the line between subcompact SUV and hatchback. Whatever you want to call it, the boxy Soul is versatile, roomy, and an excellent value. It’s one of the best ways to get a new car that stands out from the crowd on a modest budget. Just a few things we love about the Soul include the funky look, shockingly roomy interior, and one of our favorite infotainment systems in the business.

The Soul is so individual that it has few direct competitors. The closest would be the Hyundai Kona, which is mechanically similar. One big difference is that the Kona is available with all-wheel drive (AWD), but it has less interior space. Other small SUVs with big personalities include the Nissan Kicks, Chevy Trailblazer, and — if you have a bigger budget — the Mini Countryman.

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Kia Soul before you even start the engine is how easy it is to get in and out of. The seating position is elevated higher than the average compact car, but lower than the average compact SUV. That means climbing into the Soul is about as easy as getting in the recliner in your living room.

The ride quality of the Kia Soul is more sophisticated than you might expect for a car at this price point. We wouldn’t call it luxurious, but it’s more than comfortable enough for the daily commute and long-distance cruising. The road noise in the interior isn’t too bad, but the engine can get noisy when you step on it.

The base 2.0-liter engine has performance numbers that don’t look too impressive, but the CVT automatic transmission does a good job delivering that power to the front wheels. It never feels underpowered, even on the highway on-ramp. It’s also pretty good on gas.

If you like the idea of the roominess and practicality of the Kia Soul but want the performance of a small hot hatch, then you’ll want to upgrade to the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine. It gives the Soul a lot more thrust without too much of a fuel economy penalty. The accompanying DCT automatic transmission does a good job of delivering quick shifts.

The off-road capability of the Kia Soul is almost non-existent, even on the rugged-looking X-Line model. If you want a small, practical crossover with some mild off-road chops, you’ll be better off with the Kia Seltos, which has AWD on all but one trim and has a little more ground clearance than the Soul.

The inside of the Kia Soul is spacious for its size. The boxy shape of the Soul makes for a space-efficient interior with lots of room for passengers and cargo. You can comfortably fit up to four adults in the Soul, but having all three back seats occupied would get pretty snug. You get 24.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which grows to an impressive 62.1 cubic feet with the back seats folded.

As for interior design and quality, it’s pretty good considering the price point. There are some basic materials and hard plastics, but as you work your way up the model range the interior materials get nicer. This is a functional interior with easy-to-use features.

The exterior is one of the things that people love the most about the Kia Soul. Boxy little crossovers have come and gone over the years, but the charming Kia Soul has endured. The light signature in front and back and some bold character lines liven up the design, making the Soul look boxy but far from boring.

The doors and rear hatch openings are nice and big, making it easy to load in cargo and people. If you have little ones in car seats, you’ll appreciate the wide door openings and the seating height. You’ll also appreciate the height of the load floor, making grocery bags easy to load in and out.

A nice new touch for the 2022 model is that the exterior badging now uses the new Kia logo that’s been spreading through the U.S. lineup.

AVAILABLE TURBO ENGINE

The available 1.6-liter turbocharged engine turns the Kia Soul into a veritable hot hatch with fun performance without losing its practicality.

LX TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE

The LX Technology Package is a new option for 2022. It adds more safety tech and 16-inch alloy wheels, making it a little more tech-rich while keeping the price affordable.

The base LX trim is a little light on standard features, but it has a tremendous standard infotainment system. It’s an 8-inch UVO system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, and a USB port, and it’s super user-friendly.

Other standard features on every 2022 Kia Soul include automatic headlights, power mirrors, a tilt and telescoping steering column, a trip computer, an overhead console, cloth seats, 60/40 split folding back seats, air conditioning, cruise control, and a backup camera.

There’s a new LX Technology Package available for 2022. It adds 16-inch alloy wheels, and some Drive Wise safety tech features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, driver attention warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-change assist to the base LX trim.

Moving up to the S trim adds more creature comforts to the Soul. On top of the extra safety tech added by the LX Technology Package, the S trim has a 10.25-inch infotainment system with navigation, dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, a wireless charging pad, dual USB chargers, premium cloth seats, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.

The Soul X-Line adds a rugged appearance package, but don’t get too excited. The Soul X-Line doesn’t have any mechanical upgrades that make it a better off-roader. Other than the appearance package, it’s very similar to the S trim, but it doesn’t have the premium cloth seat trim or the power driver’s seat.

The Soul GT-Line has a more sporty appearance package. However, like the X-Line, it’s just for show. Again, feature content is similar to the S trim, and the GT-Line retains the premium cloth seats and power driver’s seat. The GT-Line also adds a sunroof.

Upgrading to the EX trim will give you the most loaded Soul you can get with the base engine. On top of what you get in the lower trims, the EX model adds heated mirrors, a sunroof, a rear center armrest with cup holders, a cargo cover, heated front seats, and a 12-volt power outlet in the cargo area.

Finally, the Soul Turbo sits at the top of the model range with the exciting turbocharged engine linked to a 7-speed DCT transmission, plus many other appealing features. The Soul Turbo has an appearance package similar to the GT-Line model but adds a center-exit chrome exhaust tip. It also adds more driver assistance tech, including pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, and a head-up display.

Some other stand-out features of the Turbo model include a Harman Kardon premium audio system with speaker lights, a heated steering wheel, adjustable rear headrests, power lumbar support in the driver’s seat, cloth and faux leather seat trim, LED headlights, and LED interior lighting.

The Kia Soul has two engines available. The base engine is a 2.0-liter inline-4, which powers most Soul models. A 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 powers the top Turbo trim.

The base engine is strong enough for daily driving and is adequate for highway passing. The turbo engine is a significant performance upgrade and makes the Soul more exciting to drive, but since it only comes in the top trim, the cost of entry is a little high.

A CVT automatic transmission comes with the base engine, providing smooth power delivery to the front wheels. The turbo engine pairs with a 7-speed DCT transmission that delivers quick shifts but can sometimes be clunky.

Unfortunately, all-wheel drive is not available for the Kia Soul.

2.0-liter inline-4
147 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
132 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/33 mpg (16- and 18-inch wheels), 29/35 mpg (17-inch wheels)

1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Turbo)
201 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
195 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/32 mpg