Test Drive: 2014 Kia Soul SX Luxury

By Kevin Harrison

I like Kias. Yes, I said it. The company has improved significantly over the past decade or so and it now offers among the best of the best in terms of value, quality and style. Their latest new product such as the Cadenza, is proving they can play within the luxury sedan segment as well.

But there was always one product I was never quite sure of: the Soul. As much as they might make sense ergonomically for space, I was never a fan of the boxy styled small car craze when it first came out (I know that’s ironic coming for an admitted Volvo lover for 25 years now).

Regardless, there was something about the Soul specifically that just didn’t seem to jive with me and part of the reason why, especially now, is that it doesn’t really seem to fit into the Kia line up. Take a look at Kia’s portfolio and you’ll find upscale, classy models draped in LEDs, excellent leather, and tons of tech standard. The Soul, on the other hand, is driven by hip hop loving hamsters. See what I mean?

Are there any boxy cars even around anymore? The Honda Element has been dead for a while, Nissan is no longer selling the cube in our market and Scion has all but forgotten about its xB.

But Kia definitely sees something in continuing on with the Soul’s life cycle and a big reason why could be because it sells very well in Canada. But can they make it fit in with the rest of its brothers and sisters from Kia?

I drove one to find out.

The second generation Soul keeps its boxy character but it has very much been softened down with more curvacious lines. It keeps its straight lined roof so there is no mistaking it for any other vehicle and my tester’s large wheels plus LED tail lights and brake lights help differentiate it from lesser trim levels. The look has grown on me a bit over the years but I still find it to be a mostly awkward looking thing. Its redesign helps it to keep in line with the style pillar at Kia, but it’s still a ways away from looking classy or luxurious as the trim level name suggests.

Inside is a much different story, however. The same high quality luxury amenities found on the highest trim level of Kia product is finally located in the Soul as well. Good fit an finish is found throughout. And tech? You won’t be feening for it since the Soul comes with everything you’d need including cooled seats, navigation and a heated steering wheel to name a few. It’s the little touches that really make the difference such as the piano black glossiness on the steering wheel, even down to the rather pleasant sounding noise that the turn indicators make when activated. This is what truly sets a car company apart from its competition when it thinks of seemingly insignificant things that end up improving the overall experience. Overall the Soul feels well put together full stop.

One thing that hasn’t changed in the Soul is the rather good abundance of interior space. Pooches now have a bit more room in the cargo area and head room likely wouldn’t even be an issue for Zedwno Chara. The Soul’s somewhat raised ride height over traditional hatchbacks helps for effortless entry and is likely a good contender if you’re the type with back issues but refuse to move up to a true SUV.

The Soul gets two engine choices in the form of a 1.6 litre GDI 4-cylinder making 130 horses and 115 pound foot torque. If you opt for the SX trim you’ll get a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder which bumps those numbers up to a much needed 164 horsepower and 151 pound foot torque. I’m going to be honest and admit that I haven’t tried the 1.6 litre engine, but considering the 2.0 feels just about adequate, it’s the mill you’re likely going to want and need. But this is where the catch 22 comes in.

You see, 164 horsepower isn’t anything to sneeze at, especially considering the Soul’s size but we need to take into account its weight too. At just over 3,100 pounds, as I mentioned above, the Soul’s performance is merely adequate. It feels a bit sluggish off the line and when you really put your foot down it feels like you’re forcing the Soul to do something it really doesn’t want to do. This is especially true when you are in eco mode where it seems as if the Soul would just rather stay put than move at all. It just feels like a heavy car.

To boot, the six speed automatic seems to favour smoothness over anything else and that means early up shifts which of course neuters any power. So where does the catch 22 come in? Well, as you’d expect, the sluggishness could likely be addressed by equipping the 2.0 litre Soul with a manual transmission, but one isn’t available. You can get a manual transmission with the 1.6 litre, but then you lose the much needed power of the 2.0. Since my tester actually has the word “luxury” in its trim level title, it’s likely that Kia figured they had to make an automatic standard in order to really be considered luxury, but an easier thing to do would have been to just drop the word and let the Soul’s obvious improved luxury amenities speak for themselves all while still giving buyers the choice.

Ride quality is much improved as there doesn’t seem to be any hollow feeling to the suspension that has long plagued most product from Korea. While a few bumps can be felt in the ride, it’s overall quite smooth despite the large 18 inch wheels. Handling is also smooth and sharp revealing a vehicle that is decently tossible in the corners with minimal body roll and a rigid feeling frame.

One thing that still irritates me about Korean cars is their insistence on offering ‘flex steer’ capability. This basically allows the driver to choose from three modes: eco, sport and normal. This is a decent idea on paper, but in practice is doesn’t work at all. All it does is either soften or firm up the weighting of the steering. It doesn’t change the actual responsiveness. So really you get the fake feeling of sportiness when you select sport mode and an overly boosted feel when you’re in eco mode. Do yourself a favour and just keep it in normal mode and forget about it.

But in a way, that would be a bit ironic because the Soul was and continues to be anything but normal in the car industry and that is very much a good thing. First time buyers now have the choice of something interesting, functional and luxury oriented without having to default to the typical players. And more importantly, Kia finally has a version of the Soul which very much fits into the company’s mantra for quality, style, tech and value. The latter is especially true if you opt for the introductory trim level at just under 17 grand, but you can still get a nicely equipped version for just over 21 grand. Now that’s good value.

Price As Tested: $28,660

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