Review: Kia Soul
Electric Kia Soul Review
Kia has risen to become one of the leading brands in the world of electric vehicles. It has been producing them for a little while now, of course, which means it has had time to develop the technology while rivals have scrambled to get their own entries into this flourishing market.
The Soul, as a quirky crossover, was one of its earlier electric models and now it has been reinvented with more range and better technology. Is it any good, though? We’ve been finding out.
What’s new?
The new Soul has definitely grown up. It’s significantly larger than before, coming in 80mm longer than its predecessor. An extra 20mm has been added to the wheelbase, too, so this isn’t quite as compact as it once was.
However, you’ve still got some very quirky styling - the kind that made the Soul such a stand-out model in the first place - while the suspension and onboard technology have been improved to make this car more comfortable and easier to live with than ever.
What’s under the bonnet?
There’s some clever stuff going on underneath the Soul’s bubble-like exterior. There’s an electric motor with 201bhp and 395Nm of torque, equating to a zero to 60mph time of 7.6 seconds which is more than respectable for a car in this segment. A 64kWh battery pack delivers 280 miles of range, too.
Recently, Kia has introduced a smaller-battery, cheaper version of the Soul. This variant uses a 39.2kWh battery, which brings a range of up to 171 miles. For drivers who aren’t doing frequent long-distance trips, this could prove to be a great option.
What’s it like to drive?
You’re getting a quiet, comfortable and easy driving experience with the Soul. The steering is nice and light, but it’s sharp and accurate so it’s very easy to place the Soul on the road. You’ve also got some decent response from the accelerator, too, with the instant nature of the electric motor’s torque delivery meaning you can easily zip away from the lights or find a gap in the traffic.
Kia has done well to isolate many exterior noises from entering the cabin, while the revised suspension setup does a great job of removing the worst of the UK’s road imperfections from thudding through to the interior.
How does it look?
The Soul's design really turns heads
In terms of design, the Soul is definitely out there. It’s got more than a hint of the original but upgraded with sharper headlights and razor-thin rear lights. The ‘floating’ style roof - where the top half of the car appears separate from the bottom half - looks great, too.
We quite like the chunky wheel arches, too, while the plastic mouldings along the bottom of the car help to give it a more off-road-inspired look. In all, it’s a car that’ll definitely get people talking.
What’s it like inside?
Kia has really pushed hard when it comes to interior quality and that’s definitely noticeable inside the Soul. There are loads of upmarket materials used throughout and this is combined with a solid sense of build quality to make a very high-end feeling place. There’s loads of space, too, with headroom being particularly good.
Those in the rear have more than enough space to stretch out, too, though the boot is a little disappointing at just 315 litres. Rival offerings deliver a touch more luggage room.
What’s the spec like?
Kia has recently revised the specifications for the Soul. You’ve now got two options to pick from - Urban and Explore. The Urban is only available on the smaller battery version but brings standard features such as LED lights, an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as adaptive cruise control.
Step up to Explore - unique to the larger-battery version - and you’ll get a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen, full black leather and heated front seats. There’s a great number of driver assistance features, too.
Kia Soul Verdict
Kia has really finessed the formula with the latest Soul. It’s just as quirky to look at as ever, but it’s now got a more refined driving experience that’ll mean it feels more comfortable to drive over longer distances. Plenty of range is a great bonus, too.
The interior feels like a big step up and, after all, this is the place where you spend most of your time. As a new entry into the EV segment, it’s really accomplished.
Kia Soul Lease Deals
If you're tempted by the Kia Soul why not view our latest electric Kia Soul lease deals.
