KEEPING IT BOXY, FUN

Alternative to compact hatchbacks and crossovers, Soul a pleasing mix of practical and entertaining

A dozen years down the road from its North American debut, the Kia Soul soldiers on as a pleasing alternative to the compact hatchbacks and crossovers of this world. It’s a pleasing mix of the practical and fun. A few nips and tucks have been done for 2023, but the boxy shape so many know and love remains, and that’s right on.

It comes well-equipped, especially in top-spec GT-Line trim, seen here. That includes leather seating with heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, D-shaped steering wheel, junction assist (this prevents you from proceeding through an intersection if it’s deemed unsafe to do so) and highway drive assist HDA, which will keep you centred in your lane and away from the car ahead.

Look for a 10.25-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both wired). On my GT-Line tester, I had premium Harman-Kardon audio. (That’s the only way to get it. Kia’s does not tend to offer many option packages, so if you want certain things, you have to up the trim.)

The seats are a little flat, so you really feel as though you’re sitting atop the vehicle, not inside it; some of the materials used inside are a little on the cheap side and the rear cargo floor is short, an issue helped by the adjustable cargo floor.

At the end of the day, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

The car looks funky. Even after all these years — the Kia Soul debuted in North America in 2010 — it still looks like it belongs firmly in the present. The shape has remained relatively the same, but smart stylistic moves, such as a gradual evolution of the vertical tail lamps that have a wraparound effect for 2023 and stylish wheel designs, are good, modern takes.

This year also sees the addition of a new front fascia with LED headlights, new fog lights, and new twotone colour choices. My tester didn’t have the latter, but the Surf Blue paintjob it wears is a great fit. There is still nothing out there quite like it, and, even though many have abandoned the formula — think Nissan Cube or Scion xB (from Toyota) — the Soul has managed to soldier on through all of it.

Even the interior gets some outthere touches such as the ovalshaped gauge hood and matching infotainment display surround, bright orange inserts on the door panels, red contrast stitching specific to the GT-Line, and HVAC/ speaker assemblies at each corner of the dash, which look unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Simply put: after looking at the Soul’s exterior styling, nobody should be surprised the interior looks quite like this.

As much as I love what they’ve done with the styling for this latest iteration, I am somewhat dismayed they killed the optional turbo powertrain in 2020.

It provided a firecracker of a ride to go with the looks, but, as Kia simplifies and electrifies, it seems there just wasn’t any more room for it.

So, what we’re left with is, either the full-EV model or a single gas motor: a 2.0 L four, good for 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, which makes its way to the front wheels via an “intelligent,” continuously variable automatic.

By “intelligent,” Kia is saying that the transmission adjusts its attitude, depending on how the driver is driving, for smoother operation and better power delivery.

Not sure if I felt that during my drive per se, but what I can say is that this is a CVT that feels just a little more athletic than the typical transmission of this kind. It doesn’t get in the way of the forward progress as much as so many of these have in the past. While I do bemoan the lack of paddle shifters — many CVT-equipped vehicles have these — it’s not a deal-breaker, in this case.

Even without the turbo, the Soul has its peppiness. While you can tell the engine is working harder to get you there, the Soul will dance if you want it to. That’s especially the case when it comes to the steering, which is very responsive and even has a bit of weight to it. Activating Sport mode, kicks things up a bit. I spent a lot of time in this setting.