2010 Kia Soul: Funky And Smooth

What's New About the 2010 Kia Soul:
As the Korean automaker continues to distinguish itself from its more upscale sibling – Hyundai – with sporty economical vehicles, the Soul is the latest boxy ride to go head-to-head with Nissan’s Cube and Scion’s XD.

Must Have Goodies:
The Soul Sport we reviewed was dressed out with every imaginable feature available from Kia. In addition to the Sport being equipped with an optional $700 power sunroof, the funky looking vehicle was loaded with a number of standard features, too: a/c, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Bluetooth, a 315-watt Sirius Satellite CD/MP3 player with 8 speakers, cruise control, tilt steering, remote control mirrors, power windows, power door locks, fog lights, bottle holders, which were located in the doors, and a rear privacy glass to hide your cargo.

Moreover, the red-and-black instrument panel, door panels and interior door handles of the Soul was also outfitted with matching manually adjustable red-and-black sport seats. The color coordinated interior further emphasizes why this vehicle has a soul …. No pun intended. The cool looking Soul contained all of this plus more, while riding on 18-inch alloy wheels.

What Rocked:
The Soul is Kia’s most sporty, hippest, fun-to-drive vehicle to date. What rocked is that the high-quality speaker system, which allows for four different mood settings for the two-front speakers located in the doors. Like in a night club, the two-front speakers light up to the beat and mood of the music. How cool is that? And the interior gas and brake pedals were outfitted in metal, further emphasizing that you were rolling around in a cool ride. We also like the forward – placed center console, which housed the a/c, booming stereo system and a storage compartment. Furthermore, the 5-speed manual transmission was easy-to-drive and the size of the vehicle made it easy to navigate. Lastly, the vehicle is easily capable of seating five average size adults comfortably.

What We Hated:

For those looking for leather seats or a navigational system, you won’t find these features on the Soul’s option list. Any Juice: The Soul is available with either, a 1.6-liter, producing 122 horses or a 2.0-liter, which is capable of putting out 142 horses. While its not a street racer, power is adequate for this vehicle.

Verdict:

For anyone who is familiar with Kia, it’s a well known fact that the automaker has one of the best warranties in its class. The overall fit, finish and ride of the all-new Kia Soul seems to be above average. While the Kia is the latest entry into the compact crossover market, it will definitely appeal to a more youthful demographic than its competitors, the Honda Element, the Nissan Cube and the Scion xD.

In fact, the Soul offers more horsepower than the Scion and Cube. The Soul, just like its name, definitely has soul, being the first Korean vehicle to evoke passion for the Kia brand. The Soul is available in four trim packages, with either an automatic or manual transmission. Pricing starts at $13,300 and can easily rise to $19, 295. Even at $19,000, this vehicle is a worth every penny. If you haven’t taken Kia seriously before, its time you do. With in due time, this brand will be in the same league as both Toyota and Honda.

Other Competitors: Honda Element, Nissan Cube and Scion xD