Road Test: 2020 Kia Soul X-Line

A Box of Value-Packed Goodness

When the first-generation Kia Soul hit the streets in 2010, it was part of a trend in cool, quirky cars like the Scion XB and the Nissan Cube.  Fast forward 10 years and more than a million Souls later, and the 2020 Kia Soul is in a class all by itself.  All of its original competitors have thrown in the towel, and the instantly recognizable and ubiquitous Kia is the sole survivor!

For 2020, the 3^rd generation Soul has a very carefully calibrated styling update that keeps its slab-sided, boxy shape fresh and hip, with just the right amount of attitude.  But is the Soul a CUV, a hatchback, an SUV or a crossover?  It’s just that androgynous mystique that makes it so popular. The Soul is available in six different trim levels, 16 different color combinations, three different interior colors, two powertrains and three transmission choices–there is a version that will suit every taste and personality.

Because it is technically a subcompact, pricing starts at an affordable $17,490 for the base LX trim, and goes up to $27,490 for the GT-Line Turbo.  Our test vehicle was the mid-priced Soul X-Line priced at a very wallet-friendly $22,656, including destination charges.

Inside the Soul

For 2020, the Soul rides on a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase. While that doesn’t add up to more usable interior space, the rear seating is spacious and comfortable.  Because the Soul is essentially a rectangular box, cargo capacity compares to a midsize crossover.  With the rear seats up, there are 24 cubic feet of capacity, and with the rear seats down, it expands to 62 cubic feet. 

Combine that space with doors that open a bit wider than before and a larger rear hatch; its cargo capacity is enormous.  The Soul has plenty of headroom both in the front and back, with even the tallest passengers forgetting that they are sitting in a subcompact car.

The driver and front passenger looks are very audacious with lots of chutzpah.  The interior has stylish trim in black or silver, with tasteful cloth inserts and a large center console. A 10.25-inch multimedia display, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, and heated front seats are available. Even the lower trim Souls include hill-start assist control, tire pressure monitoring, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, keyless entry, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, cruise control, 60/40 split rear seats and auto-on/off headlights.

Music has been an overarching theme for Soul since its inception, and it’s no different this time around. For the third generation, Kia turned up the volume on the interior design.

Drawing inspiration from the “emotional visualization of sound,” the Soul’s interior space contains shapes and textures that reflect acoustic-inspired elements to create a full sensory experience. The center door panels have mood lighting with a rainbow of customizable colors that can synchronize to the beat of the music playing through the Soul’s audio system.  Also available is an eight-inch head-up display and a killer 640-watt Harmon Kardon sound system with 10 speakers, including a tuned center speaker and subwoofer.

Outside the Soul

The Soul’s 2020 exterior is still instantly recognizable, but with a more modern 21^st-century high-tech look.  It looks wider, but the only measurements that increased are length and wheelbase. The Soul’s look is enhanced with slimmed-down lighting in the front and a prominent two-tone grille enhances the effect. In the rear, the taillights almost wholly wrap around the rear glass for a very eye-catching look.

Soul buyers can choose from six trim levels that add additional features and equipment to customize their style and vibe.

The GT-Line includes a sporty front and rear fascia, 18-inch wheels, fog and LED lights, larger disc brakes, a sport-tuned suspension, red highlight, and an available 201-horsepower (hp) 1.6-liter turbocharged engine.

Our X-Line tester included rugged body cladding with extended wheel arches. The EX trim included optional two-tone roof treatment.

Soul power and handling

The Soul is available with two engine choices. The LX, S, X-Line, and EX trims include a 2.0-liter 147 hp and 132 pound-feet (lb.-ft.) of torque multi-port inline-four. That gives the Soul enough power to get around, but it’s no barnstormer. The GT-Line is available with the 2.0-liter engine, but is also available with a 1.6-liter turbocharged GDI direct-injection inline-four. That engine boasts 200 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque for more power and performance.

All Souls are FWD only. The base Soul LX 2.0 engine is the only trim level available with either a six-speed manual transmission or with an Intelligent variable transmission (IVT), Kia’s version of a continuously variable transmission (CVT).   The S, X-Line, EX, and GT-Line 2.0L trims are only available with the IVT transmission. The GT-line 1.6T gets a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DST).

• The 2.0 engine, six-speed manual fuel economy is EPA rating is 25 mpg city/31 highway/27 combined.
• The 2.0 engine IVT’s fuel economy EPA rating is 27 mpg city/33 highway/30 combined.  
• The 1.6 turbo fuel economy is a bit less with 27/32/29.
• Our actual mileage with the X-Line averaged about 30 mpg. 
• All Souls have a 14.3-gallon fuel tank that can give the Soul an over 400-mile cruising range.

What’s the Soul like to drive?

The Soul that Kia provided us was the middle-of-the-brand X-Line model with the 2.0-liter engine and IVT transmission. Not a barnstormer, it felt strained, loud and harsh when it came to acceleration. The 2.0 “gained speed” rather than accelerated. The IVT transmission performed like most CVTs in compact vehicles, hanging on high rpm as it gained speed before settling down to cruise. It’s quite adequate and unobtrusive for around-town use and didn’t feel like it was running hard unless real acceleration was needed.  The CVT took about eight seconds to reach 60 mph, so it was just fine for urban driving.  We didn’t get to drive the 1.6T GT-Line Soul. Still, experiences with other Kia models that use the Turbo and the DST transmission show it to be a competent performer, especially when combined with the GT’s sports suspension.   

The overall handling experience is good, but it’s no Kia Stinger. The suspension features MacPherson struts in the front and a rear torsion beam axle. Steering is power rack and pinion, with power disc brakes on all wheels. Depending on the trim, the Soul comes equipped with either 16, 17 or 18-inch wheels.

The ride quality is good with reasonable chassis control, but with noticeable wind and road noise.

Soul safety equipment

Kia is known for its extensive standard safety, security and driver-assist systems, and the Soul is no exception.

Every Soul has front, rear and side curtain airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners, a rear-camera display and rear-occupant alerts.

The Soul offers a suite of available Kia “Drive Wise” features including: adaptive cruise control, driver attention warning systems, forward collision assist with pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic and blind-spot collision avoidance, lane-changing assist and lane-keeping assist. The Soul received a 4 Star rating on its crash testing  with the federal government, but is a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing.

Soul Pricing

Soul LX 6 M/T                         $17,490

Soul LX IVT                              $18,990

Soul S IVT                                $20,290

Soul X-Line IVT                       $21,490

Soul EX IVT                              $22,690

Soul GT-Line 2.0L IVT             $20,290

Soul GT-Line 1.6T DCT            $27,490

Destination Charge                 $1,120

Our X-line test car included floor mats @$130 for a total, including destination charges, of an MSRP of $22,615.

Overall, we enjoyed our time in the 2020 Kia Soul. It’s an exciting and head-turning update to the legendary high-value car inspired by dancing hamsters. It makes the Soul a car to consider if you are in the market for a subcompact vehicle.

Story & Photos By Gary Lieber

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Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

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