Kia Soul (09 on) - Review

Review by Simon Harris on 26 February 2009

Last Updated: 05 January 2010

The Kia Soul is a practical small car. It's not much longer or wider than a Vauxhall Corsa, but it's usefully spacious and stands out for people who'd rather choose something more distinctive than a run-of-the-mill small hatchback. There is a choice of a petrol or diesel engine and sitting above the normal trim levels, the Soul launched with three different limited editions: Samba, Shaker and Burner - reflecting its youthful image. Plenty of rear passenger space, a decent boot plus a well put together interior make the Soul a great small family car, while a smooth ride and light steering make it ideal for town and city driving. In January 2010 the standard warranty on new models was upped from three years to seven years, making it even better value.

4 out of 5

Other Kia reviews

4 out of 5

Summary

New price range:

£12,500 - £18,695

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Used price range:

£6,121 - £13,623

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See 25 new models for sale from £10,311

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Distinctive looks, practical interior, plenty of customisation options, long warranty

No especially economical engines, petrol engine too noisy at speed

Driving & Performance

Performance

4 out of 5
"A 124bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 126bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine are offered with the Soul. The..."
Handling

4 out of 5
"The Soul's wide stance and relatively long wheelbase for a small car means it's composed on the..."

Comfort

Comfort

4 out of 5
"The interior of the Soul is spacious and airy so four adults can sit comfortably with good headroom..."
Practicality

4 out of 5
"The Soul offers as much boot space as the Kia Ceed with the rear seats in place, plus luggage space..."
Equipment

4.5 out of 5
"Soul 1 models (only available with the petrol engine) come with 15-inch steel wheels, a CD/radio,..."
Behind the wheel

4 out of 5
"The Soul has a high seating position giving the driver an excellent view of the road ahead. The..."

Costs

Running costs

3.5 out of 5
"The Soul costs about the same as a conventional small hatchback (with the same specification) to..."
Green credentials

3 out of 5
"The highest carbon dioxide emitter in the Soul range is the diesel automatic, with 155g/km of CO2."

Safety & Reliability

Safety

4.5 out of 5
"The Soul was crash tested in 2009 under Euro NCAP's more stringent criteria. This is one overall..."
Reliability

4 out of 5
"Kias tend to be mechanically strong, but the Soul was originally backed up by a five-year/unlimited..."

Buying & Selling

Buying new

4 out of 5
"Kia expects to sell about 3,000 Souls in a full year, which means there will be little pressure for..."
Buying used

4 out of 5
"With the exception of steel wheels on the entry-level Soul 1, all models are well equipped and..."
Selling

3.5 out of 5
"Soul 2 models will be easiest to sell, and the diesel is a more pleasant engine than the revvy 1.6..."