Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback Engine/Transmission X-Line 2.0L DOHC 16-valve I-4/cont variable auto
GT Line 1.6L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/7-speed twin-clutch auto Curb Weight (F/R Dist) X-Line 2,940 lb (61/39%) GT Line 3,120 lb (61/39%)
Wheelbase 102.4 in Length x Width x Height 165.2 x 70.9 x 63.0 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy X-Line 125/102 kW-hr/100 miles GT Line 125/105
kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb X-Line 0.66 lb/mile GT Line 0.67 lb/mile
SPECS 2020 Kia Soul (X-Line) 2020 Kia Soul GT-Line
Base Price/As Tested $22,535/$22,665 $21,335/$28,765
Power (SAE net) 147 hp @ 6,200 rpm 201 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 132 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm 195 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 6.9 sec 6.7 sec
Quarter Mile 15.2 sec @ 91.3 mph 15.2 sec @ 92.9 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 118 ft 119 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.86 g (avg) 0.83 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 27.5 sec @ 0.61 g (avg) 26.9 sec @ 0.66 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 27/33/30 mpg 27/32/29 mpgseats, which easily fit four adults.
Respectable cargo capacity
gives you plenty of flexibility for
hauling stuff, especially with the
cargo floor in its lowest position
and rear seats folded. The logical
cabin layout and a user-friendly
infotainment system minimize
the learning curve with the Soul’s
controls piped through the large
10.3-inch touchscreen.
Cool details such as the red
trim and contrast stitching in the
GT-Line Turbo add a sense of
youthfulness. Even the X-Line’s
more conventional metallic-look
trim garnered praise from Priddle
for breaking up the sea of black
plastic. Pulsating ambient
lighting returns and now extends
to the door trim. Unfortunately,
that’s only available on the
range-topping model. The rest of
the lineup doesn’t get this, which
is a shame considering how much
character the Soul has. Although
MacKenzie noted, “Memo to
Toyota: This is how you do quirky,”
the material quality could
use improvement. Nishimoto
described some interior cabin
bits as feeling “slightly low rent.”
The 2020 Kia Soul’s sophisti-
cated road manners surprisedA
s the last box on the shelf,
the 2020 Kia Soul is in a
class of its own. Now in its
third generation, the Soul charms
with its utility, character, and
commendable road manners.
Underpinned by a new platform
and sporting a recognizable yet
fresh exterior design, the 2020 Kia
Soul is a quirky underdog playing
in the big leagues.
Like its predecessors, the Soul
polarized opinions the moment
we laid eyes on it. Cortina wasn’t
a fan of the front-end design.
On the opposite end of the
spectrum, Theodore and Callum,
noted design experts, liked the
car’s latest evolution.
“A refreshing update of the
original,” Theodore said. Callum
described the Soul’s looks as
honest, fresh, and “done by
people who know what they’re
doing.” Once inside, Rechtin
described the Soul’s interior as
“clunky and chunky, but in a
cool way.”
In trade for the wind noise its
cubelike proportions create, the
2020 Kia Soul has a roomy interior
despite its small exterior foot-
print. Theodore appreciated the
accommodating front and rearour judges. Ride quality, in
particular, impressed—especially
considering gas-powered Souls
use an old-school torsion-beam
rear suspension. Big potholes on
our Tehachapi road loop didn’t
even register on the Soul X-Line,
Nishimoto said. Even the GT-Line
Turbo had a compliant ride
despite its sportier suspension
calibration and 18-inch wheels
shod in tires with less sidewall.
When the roads got twisty, the
2020 Kia Soul happily tackled
them. “Such great fun in spirited
driving conditions,” Loh said. “The
Soul really holds its own.”
The well-tuned CVT paired
with the base 2.0-liter I-4 is also
a surprise. MacKenzie describedit as “one of the best in the
business, adroitly working the
torque so the engine doesn’t
scream and moan under heavy
load.” Opt for the range-topping
GT-Line Turbo if you’d like a tiny
bit more speed. The seven-speed
dual-clutch automatic could
still use some fine tuning. Markus
found that it doesn’t downshift to
a lower gear when approaching
a corner, even in Sport mode.
Although the 2020 Kia Soul still
comes with a long list of standard
equipment, its value proposition
has weakened slightly. Only the
GT-Line Turbo gets the full driver
assistance suite, and the lower
trims only get certain features.
Base models of the Honda Civic
and Toyota Corolla get nearly
everything, further highlighting
that the Soul isn’t as strong in the
bang-for-your-buck department
as it used to be. Stefan OgbacGT-LinePRO Excellent CVT tuning • Iconic styling • Surprising ride and handling CON Wind noise • Weakening value proposition • Slightly cheap interior materials
Finalists I COTY
Kia Soul
JANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 85