The Kia Soul, first introduced as a 2010 model, was a refreshing take on a small car, one that combined the tight footprint of a subcompact with the kind of interior space – at least in terms of headroom – for which crossovers and SUVs are better known. Two years in, Kia has updated the boxy Soul with new engines and refreshed exterior styling.
The styling changes are minor and, on paper, even the new engines don’t look much different. The choices remain a pair of four-cylinders, displacing the same 1.6 and 2.0 litres as before, but both bring more power, and the 1.6-litre (the same one used in the Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent) gets direct fuel injection.
My tester was a 4U model with the 2.0-litre engine, which produces a respectable 164 horsepower and 148 foot-pounds of torque – increases of 22 and 11, respectively. It’s a strong engine, moving the little Soul easily, especially at around-town speeds. The optional six-speed automatic (which replaces last year’s four-speed) is a smooth worker and is well-matched to the engine. Mechanical noise is apparent, but not annoying; this engine is much smoother than the one it replaces, so that high-revving hard-running is more satisfying. The result is a car that seems quieter in acceleration than last year’s Soul.
An “active eco” mode, activated by a button on the dash, dials back throttle sensitivity and instructs the transmission to upshift as early as possible with a view to saving fuel. I tried it and was annoyed by how the transmission would indeed upshift early, only to have to downshift again to give me the acceleration I was asking for. I’d say the drivetrain does its best work with the active-eco setting turned off, unfortunately.
Even with its extra power, Kia says the new 2.0-litre is notably more fuel efficient, with Natural Resources Canada ratings of 7.9L/100 km in city testing and 5.9L/100 km in the highway driving simulation. Those are big improvements over last year’s 8.5/6.6L/100 km ratings, but my tester averaged no better than 10.0L/100 km in city driving (with the active-eco system turned on!), which I attribute to the car’s low odometer reading (about 1,500 km when I picked it up) and the fact that the engine probably wasn’t fully broken in yet.
An “idle stop and go” (ISG) system, which shuts the engine down at stoplights, will be available later in the 2012 model year in automatic transmission-equipped Souls with the 1.6-litre engine.
That feature will earn the Soul fuel-consumption ratings of 7.0L/100 km (city) and 5.4L/100 km (highway), according to Kia.
Still, this car is a better performer than the 2010 model I tested (in similar trim, with the old 2.0-litre engine and four-speed automatic); in that car, the transmission felt lazy and the overly-sensitive throttle made it hard to drive smoothly around town.
Interior space is notable, with loads of headroom front and rear. Rear-seat legroom is impressive for a car of this size, as is the 546 litres of cargo space, which expands to 1,511 with the rear seats folded.
The cargo area is accessed through a lightweight tailgate that reveals an opening a good foot narrower than the space inside it. Finding space for stuff inside the Soul is no problem; getting larger items through the door could be, though.
The Soul’s ride also belies its small-car roots, with a compliant suspension that keeps things comfortable.
One surprise was finding out that my 4U tester had a “sport-tuned” suspension; this is a nimble enough vehicle, but Kia has a much different definition of what constitutes a sporty ride than many other automakers, whose “sport” models usually come with a kidney-killing ride.
Less satisfying is the amount of noise the suspension transmits through the body structure; potholes and the like send loud clunks and clomps into the cabin, and the rear end can get unsettled on broken pavement. I’d place part of the blame for the noise and unsettled ride on the 18-inch wheels that came standard on my 4U trim tester; the 16-inchers fitted to the lesser 2U model (not to mention the softer suspension) should make a difference in the refinement department.
Pricing for the 2012 Soul starts at $16,595 and includes niceties like heated front seats, telescopic steering, power locks, windows and mirrors, a USB stereo input and Bluetooth connectivity.
My 4U tester with automatic transmission came with an MSRP of $22,695 and included 18-inch wheels, leather-trimmed steering wheel and shifter, sport-tuned suspension, power sunroof, a driver’s seat armrest, backup camera and a very pleasant-sounding eight-speaker stereo.
Mood lights in the front doors can be set to pulsate along with the beat of your music; this is a cute feature, but the light is distracting in night-time driving.
The Soul remains an impressive package, despite having its roots in the last-generation subcompact Kia Rio, a car that has since been redesigned and much improved.
New powertrains help keep this boxy little car up-to-date, and though the 2.0-litre engine endows this little car with impressive performance, I’d suggest sticking with the adequately-strong 1.6-litre and enjoying the reduced fuel consumption it should provide in real-world driving.
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