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Tesla’s Wild Ride Continues2021 Kia Soul Review
The 2021 Kia Soul adds new features and options. What do our experts think? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels and more.
What’s New for the 2021 Kia Soul ?
The 2021 Kia Soul adds rear occupant alert across the entire lineup along with improved shocks for a better ride. The top two trims get a remote start feature.
2021 Kia Soul – kiamedia.com | Shop 2021 Kia Soul on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Spacious interior
Packed with features
Turbo is punchy
Noisy cabin
No large flat load floor
Turbo is limited to one trim
We’d love optional AWD
2021 Kia Specs
- 147 horsepower from base engine
- 132 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 6 available trims
- 24.2 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 62.1 cu-ft of Maximum Cargo Capacity
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Standard
- IIHS Top Safety Pick
- 5-year bumper-to-bumper warranty
2021 Kia Soul Powertrain
The Kia Soul has always intended to be a stylish economy box and for the most part that’s what it drives like. Steering and braking feedback is actually just a tick above average for the segment but the lackluster base engine won’t set your hair on fire no matter how you drive it. Still, it’s a very comfortable and competent driver that provides excellent sight lines and confident handling. The base model can even be had with a manual transmission which we like.
The CVT that’s most often fitted to the Soul is like most others in that it’s a bit slow and a bit unrefined compared to a gearbox with real gears. Thankfully, the top-of-the-line Turbo model gets a 201-hp four-cylinder and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that totally wake this little car up. With that powertrain, this car will rocket from 0 to 60 in less than seven seconds which is mighty quick for a car of this size and shape.
2021 Kia Soul Fuel Economy & MPG
The base engine in the 2021 Kia Soul can get up to an EPA-estimated 28 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. Opting for the manual transmission drops those numbers to 25 and 31 respectively. The 1.6-liter turbocharged Soul gets 27 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Despite its diminutive appearance, the Soul is actually quite spacious thanks to its boxy construction inspired in part by the Scion xB. Headroom is especially impressive in both rows of seats and we’re pretty impressed that they managed to squeeze almost 25 cu.ft. worth of cargo space out of the rear storage area. What’s perhaps most impressive is how good the features of the interior actually are. The seats are supportive and comfortable even on long drives. Sure, it’s not as quiet in the cabin as more expensive vehicles, but it’s a price worth paying in our eyes.
The controls feel good to use and though they’re mostly made up of cheap materials, they don’t feel flimsy. Kia has even gone to the trouble of adding little touches that spruce up the interior like paint-matched door card treatments and high-quality seating surfaces in both rows. If there’s anything to complain about it’s got to be the lack of the rear seats’ ability to fold flat. That would really turn this tiny people mover into an even greater value proposition.
Entertainment & Technology
The Soul LX will start buyers out with a 7-inch infotainment system equipped with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It and the larger 10.25-inch system available on higher trims both use Kia’s UVO system which we like very much. It’s fast, featureful, and can easily do the job without forcing customers to feel like they’ll need smartphone integration to get the most from the system.
In addition, buyers who do go for the larger screen will get integrated navigation. Real-time traffic monitoring, and SiriusXM radio. Finally, we love that the Soul has a bevy of available advanced driver assistance features and ones that work very well for that matter. Still, we’d love to see Kia make these important safety-related technologies standard across the range like other brands like Honda already do.
Safety Features
Aside from the safety tech the Soul has a pretty good record thus far. While it only scored four stars in the NHTSA’s crash testing protocols it was awarded a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS.
2021 Kia Soul Trims & Pricing
LX – $18,765
The base Soul comes with 16-inch wheels, a black grille, a backup camera, cloth upholstery, air conditioning, and a 7-inch infotainment system.
S – $21,865
The S adds a power-adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, premium cloth upholstery, a sunroof, and safety features like forward collision mitigation, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring.
X-Line – $22,965
Kia wants the X-Line to serve those who want a more rugged-looking Soul and to that end, it gets unique exterior trim along with roof rails. Otherwise, it’s identical to the S.
GT-Line – $22,965
Similarly, the GT-Line is fitted with the same equipment but loses the roof rails in favor of 18-inch wheels, a “hot stamped” style grille, and a combination of red, silver, and gloss black exterior trim.
EX – $24,525
The EX is the first luxurious trim with its 10.25-inch infotainment system, heated seats, wireless charging pad, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear center armrest, and heated mirrors.
Turbo – $28,825
The speediest of the Souls gets simulated leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, a Harman Kardon audio system, LED headlights, a heads-up display, and adaptive cruise control.
What we think
2021 Kia Soul – kiamedia.com | Shop 2021 Kia Soul on Carsforsale.com
Even the most expensive version of the Kia Soul offers a lot of value for the money. This is a small but mighty crossover with enough technology, comfort, and utility that it could serve someone for the entire length of its impressive warranty and still be very satisfying to own. Add on top of that the excellent turbocharged drivetrain available on the top model, which gets even cheaper for 2022, and you get one of our favorite little vehicles on sale today.
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