The Kia Soul. The tiny toaster mobile brought to fame by the adorable hamsters. One of the cars that brought relevance to the Kia Motors company as it was a smashing hit. That was 2008.
A lot has happened between 2008 and now. The Soul is in its third generation, the hamster’s are no longer, the Soul remains the only survivor of the boxy cars (Scion xB, Nissan Cube, Honda Element) and EV’s are now all the rage. The first of the Soul EV’s came in 2014 with just under 100 miles of range, a soft and pillowy driving experience, quirky good looks, a strong warranty, and a fairly high price tag that eroded the value proposition. Overall, it was a decent first effort given other mainstream competition such as the Leaf and Focus Electric had equivalent range but didn’t have the quirkiness and charm of the Soul.
Pricing
This second generation of Soul EV I tested really proves that Kia’s electric game is top notch. Really, this is the best Soul you can buy, and I think it would be 100% worth it over its internal combustion (ICE) stablemates (Soul EX, GT-Line, etc.). The added cost is further offset by the fact that Kia sells a small quantity of EV’s which makes Kia EV’s eligible for the full state and federal tax credit. Pricing hasn’t been offically (and may never be) announced but it is estimated to be around $38,000. When a fully loaded Soul with ICE power is $27,550, and the possibility of the Soul EV costing just over 30k with full tax credits, the extra dough is worth it, and will pay itself back quickly for the average driver.
Design & Interior
So what makes this EV so good? There’s a lot. To begin, I think the Soul is the perfect EV platform. Beginning with the whole concept of the Soul, it is a funky, youthful, yet very practical car. I think this concept fits perfectly into EV’s. EV’s should have that techy and futuristic vibe to them. Tesla’s are instantly recognizable and have now become a part of the millennial starter pack, the Porsche Taycan and Polestar vehicles look incredible, and the Audi e-Trons look like something from a retro sci-fi. The Soul EV with its distinctive shape, big grill, LED headlight stack, and C shaped rear taillights fits in with the EV crowd, yet not overdone (ahem BMW!) and not too generic.
In my opinion, this is the best EV Kia has made to date, and possibly the best mainstream EV you can buy.
Hopping inside the Soul, you’re greeted with a nice interior, and great outside visibility brought by its square greenhouse, large windows, and SUV like seating position. Seats are comfortable and supportive for both front and rear passengers, and the box design means head and shoulder room are excellent all around.
The first thing your eyes are drawn to is its unique interior door handles and cool surrounding design. Next is the massive 10.25 inch infotainment display. Thankfully, it works just as good as it looks with quick responses, the ability to split the screen (you can divide it into three sections), and provides all the information you expect including EV specifics like range and local charging stations. The infotainment also controls the Harmon Kardon audio. A booming system with powerful yet clear bass, and piercing highs. This is a great system for Hip Hop, POP, and EDM, but lacks the refinement for more orchestral stuff. I think HK tuned this system for the kind of buyer who is interested in this kind of car, and so it’s not a demerit in my mind.
Driving the Soul EV
Driving this car is a piece of cake. You can let Kia’s competent ADAS suite do the work, providing autonomous cruising with stop and go and lane centering, blind spot detection, collision avoidance, and other niceties. One pedal driving is made easy by the paddles which can toggle how much regen you have (and are a great use of real estate on the wheel). What is very cool is that, if left in auto, the car will detect if you’re coming up on traffic and will automatically increase or decrease the regen for you.
But if you’re actually driving, you’re rewarded with lightweight, but quick and precise steering, though slightly numb, and excellent body control. Naturally, the electric motors on the Soul provide instant thrust and torque and are well calibrated. And thank god the Soul EV does away with the weird, fake, electric whirring noises the Niro EV pumps into the cabin.
Ride is on the soft side, but it never feels out of sort. The best way I can describe it, is that it feels very german: comfortable yet stable. Excellent damping, good steering, a stiff chassis with a low center of gravity (thank you batteries!) means this car is very fun to drive. This car is engaging in the corners, unlike its Niro EV stablemate which just feels heavy and bland compared to the Soul. I often found myself zipping through corners much to the dismay of the eco tires. Grippier tires would destroy the range, but it would make this car a hoot.
This Soul is very economical in addition to being fun. Packed in this little box is a 64 kWh battery which gives a range of 243 miles per Kia. Driving aggressively and at 75-80 on the freeway I was netting 3.6 miles per kWh which is about 237 miles if I were to run it empty from a full charge. Driving more economically, I was able to get 4.2 miles per kWh which would put me at 10 to 20 miles over its estimated range. More frugal drivers could probably do even better. The Kia charges with SAE J1772 connector or the SAE Combo CCS for fast 100 kW DC charging of its liquid cooled batteries.
Cons
There are a couple minor things that could be better. For one, there is a fair amount of road noise penetrating the cabin, which is to be expected given the lack of its usual ICE powertrain. However, the road noise was never obtrusive. Steering wheel controls are also hard to differentiate which led me to making changes to something I didn’t want to. You figure it out, but they could be more clear and differentiated. I wish a birds eye view camera was available, especially for a car of this type. Lastly, the trunk is a bit small. The hatchback shape of the Soul means the trunk is tall, but the trunk is not deep and not long. Thankfully the rear seats fold down if you have large cargo.
Conclusion
In my opinion, this is the best EV Kia has made to date, and possibly the best mainstream EV you can buy. What I mean by mainstream, is EV’s made by mainstream OEM’s like Hyundai, Chevrolet, Nissan, etc. and excluding what I consider “high end” OEM’s like BMW, Audi, Tesla, etc. In my eyes, the Soul EV is superior to the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf, and a solid alternative to the Kona. Further, the Soul EV is also a great, lower cost alternative to the $38 grand Tesla Model 3 Standard Range which is no longer eligible for the federal $7500 tax credit.
If you’ve gotten this far, it means you’re either really interested in this car, or may have wondered why I said phrases like “never” or “would be” throughout the review. That’s because, despite how good this car is…you can’t have it. Yep, that’s right. Kia was supposed to introduce it for the 2020 model year, but didn’t because of COVID. Initially it was supposed to just be delayed, but rumors have been swirling that it’s officially not coming to the US. I guess we’ll see but it’s a damn shame. Really, the biggest shame. This EV is soo good.
Despite how good this car is…you can’t have it
For now, efforts are being focused on the Niro EV, but the Soul is not just a much better car but retains the quirkiness and fun the Soul is known for in an efficient EV package. The Soul EV has personality and charm unlike the all serious Niro. Hopefully, Kia’s “Plan S” will bring cars like the Soul EV to the forefront of Kia’s future EV lineup. We’ll just have to wait and find out.
Used Guide
But wait, if you want a Soul, and want an EV, should you buy a used one? My answer…Maybe. The first gen Soul EV’s are very cheap, like 30,000 mile CPO models for 11 grand kind of cheap (see pricing on Edmunds here)
Buying CPO means you get the remants of the 10 year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, 1 year/12000 mile comprehensive coverage, and roadside assistance. This warranty alone means that buying a used Soul EV makes for a very compelling purchase. And even though the range is small, the small battery means it charges faster. However, if you want an EV in a similar price point, but more refined with a better interior, better packaging, and good handling, get an e-Golf (see pricing on Edmunds here)
