The accolades for Kia's new vehicle, the Soul, just keep on coming in. Its most noted attributes include its "fun-to-drive" handling abilities, ample passenger room, wide array of available features, flexibility to be customized, affordable pricing and long warranty.
For those who don't know, the 2010 Kia Soul is a four-door hatchback/wagon available in four trims: base, +, ! and Sport trim levels. Yes, some of these names can certainly be considered a bit odd or quirky. But they also reflect the rather unique look and personality of this surprisingly refreshing new vehicle.
Standard Features And Options:
Standard equipment on the base model includes full power accessories, air conditioning, 15 inch steel wheels, rear drum brakes, a tilt steering column, a 60/40-split rear seat , and a four-speaker stereo sound system with a CD/MP3 player, satellite radio and USB and auxiliary audio jacks.
The Soul + model comes with a larger engine, glow-in-the-dark upholstery, keyless entry, cruise control, 16 inch alloy wheels, rear disc brakes, tinted rear windows, a height-adjustable driver seat, Bluetooth, steering-wheel audio controls and additional speakers.
Available optional features on the Soul + are foglights, a sunroof, and an upgraded audio system.
The Soul ! gets the above plus 18 inch wheels and two-tone upholstery.
The Soul Sport comes with the upgraded audio system as standard, a sport-tuned suspension, a red-black two-tone interior, and special exterior trim accents. The Sport also has an optional sunroof.
Engines And Gas Mileage:
Powering the base Kia Soul is a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine that produces 122 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque. It's matched with a five-speed manual transmission only. The other models are equipped with a 2.0 liter inline-4 that delivers 142 horsepower and 137 lb-ft of torque. It's again coupled with the five-speed manual, but a four-speed automatic transmission is optional.
A manual Soul Sport goes from a standstill to 60 mph in a very respectable 8.8 seconds.
The EPA gas mileage estimate for the 1.6 liter engine is 26 mpg city and 31 mpg on the highway. The 2.0 liter is rated at 24 mpg city and 30 mpg highway.
Safety:
Standard safety equipment on all Kia Souls include antilock brakes (front-wheel discs on the base and four-wheel discs on the other models), stability control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags.
Interior:
The Soul's cabin is both attractively and practically designed, featuring user-friendly controls and a flair for color and style. The center stack, for example, juts out in a pod with easy to use audio and climate controls. Available features such as two-tone coloring and special upholstery gives it an imaginative advantage over many of its "all gray" or "all black" competitors.
Interior space is also impressive and its high-mounted seats provide lots of legroom for passengers.
Drive:
The Kia Soul is a surprisingly good handling vehicle that feels light on its feet, particularly with the fiesty 2.0 liter engine, and stays well-planted in the corners. With its sport-tuned suspension, the Soul Sport is especially adept on the road and definitely "fun to drive".
Update: Bad Economy Leads To Lower Soul Prices:
Auto sales have been weak for months, evidence of a continuing poor economy and an especially weak car buying trend. And once again, the combination of fierce competition and a soft market has created an ideal opportunity for nailing down great deals.
The bottom line? Car dealers will "wheel and deal" bigtime right now if you know how to push their buttons.
How To Buy A New Soul At The Lowest Price: Before listing MSRP and invoice prices for the 2010 Kia Soul, here's how to get the best possible price on one, especially given the current slow car market.
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