Disclosure: TMC was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only. Cars provided by Drive STI. Opinions are TMC’s only.
All new 2014 Kia Soul
When I was told that the Kia Soul would be staying with us for a week during spring break, I became a little giddy. How much fun would this little car be to drive around with my girls while we did all our special activities during the week? Then, I panicked. Would I be able to fit three kids into the back of a Kia Soul?
Too cute to sit in the driveway!
The answer is absolutely! Yes, it is a little tight and it won’t work with all combinations of booster and car seats, but with one backless booster, one five-point harness and one child without a car seat, it can work. Not only that, but the car proved to be a source of constant entertainment for them. From the 8″ display for navigation and Sirius/XM radio to the mood/music setting that lights up the side passenger speakers and the panoramic sunroof they loved being in the Solar Yellow Kia Soul.
The 2014 Kia Soul is redesigned. It may look the same on the outside but enough changes have been made to this year’s model to make it a legitimate player for car buyers looking for a sedan or wagon alternative. It is budget-friendly and comes with the standard Kia warranty of 10 year/100,000 mile limited powertrain, 5 year/60,000 mile limited basic warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile roadside assistance. That is nothing to scoff at in this economy. Of course, if you are buying a Soul you want the fun factor. You want a great ride with lots of interesting options to make it a standout commuter car. Does it deliver? Yes and no.
Kia Soul interior
The interior in the Soul is small. It’s narrow in the driving seat and passenger side with decent room in the back for two adults or three munchkins. Cargo space will fit about a week’s worth of groceries or three bags full of clothes and some gardening supplies if you are like me. I hauled luggage, booster seats and clothing to donate all in the back one day without having to work to make things fit. Not bad. The drive is about what I expected from Kia. Acceleration was louder and slower (the 2.0 liter engine with 164 horsepower has been revised making the car quicker than before) than I wanted from this car and road noise was noticeable. I liked how I could easily reach everything on the center dash of the car and the addition of mood lighting on the speakers was quite fun. I did turn it off one night when it was distracting me on a very dark road. That makes me sound ancient. The car has three trim packages and Push to Start plus keyless entry. All good things. Bluetooth is included along with UVO Powered by Microsoft with rear camera display. More pluses! There is a handy cargo cover in the back to hide your stuff and a useful 60/40 split in the back seat. The LED lights are also pretty cool looking in the day and especially at night.
One kid in, two more to go!
Right now there are quite a few options in the quirky commuter car arena. The Kia Soul competes with the Nissan Juke, Toyota Scion, Chevy Sonic and even the Ford Fiesta. It has more cargo space than a Juke and better gas mileage. It really boils down to personal style. Buying a Soul automatically gives people an idea about your personality. I found it also gives them the opportunity to make a lot of hamster jokes. We had a lot of fun in this little car commuting around town. Which is exactly what the Kia Soul does best. It is affordable fun with a side of whimsy thrown in and it can be a good family car with one or two kids.
For more details and specifications visit the Kia Soul website or read reviews on Cars.com. MSRP for the reviewed 2014 Kia Soul with options is $26,195.
