Got what I got the hard way
And i’ll make it better each and every day
So honey don’t you fret
‘Cause you ain’t seen nothing yet.
I’m a Soul man.
- Sam and Dave
The hamsters are gone but the Soul remains
Remember the commercials featuring hamsters driving a Kia Soul a decade ago (ten years already?!)? Kia found measurable results with that monster campaign; buyers loved the hamsters. In an article on Fortune.com, one Kia dealer manager said that people often entered his dealership and wanted to drive the “hamster car.” This subcompact SUV and its quirky identity made an impression.
In the last ten years, the versatile and zippy Soul has continued to improve and evolve. The 2020 Kia Soul kicked off a new generation with a redesign of the exterior and more options inside. Some outlets call it an SUV and Kia calls it a hatchback on its site, and one thing is clear: it’s not easy to put this unique vehicle into any one category.
Six trim levels and an impressive bargain
A few summers ago, I had a red Kia Soul for a few weeks while I was staying in Indiana for the summer and my mom fell in love with that car. And aside from one torrid long-term affair with a Honda Accord, she and my dad are no-nonsense GM buyers. To this day, however, Mom remembers that Soul fondly.
For model year 2020, the Soul is available in six trim levels. It’s slightly unusual in its hierarchy because the X-Line, GT-Line, and EX build on the S line and not each other, as most brands do. Look carefully at the comparison of all the trims if you have your eye on one of these hatchbacks.
- LX: Highlights include rear privacy glass, 60/40-split-folding rear seat, six-speaker sound system, seven-inch touchscreen display, a rearview camera, hill-start assist, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- S: Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
- X-Line: 18-inch wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, fog lights, roof rails
- GT-Line: GT-Line Sunroof package with keyless entry and ignition, unique grille, and drowsy driver warning system
- EX: LED running lights, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, 10.3-inch touchscreen display, navigation system
- GT-Line Turbo: Adaptive cruise control, heads-up display, upgraded 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio, chrome exhaust, and sunroof
The Soul starts at $17,490 at the base level and ratchets up $10K and more to the GT-Line Turbo.
Who is a good match for a Soul?
The Soul is a great match for teen drivers. In fact, U.S. News and World Report called the 2020 Kia Soul the best SUV for teens in the $25K to $30K price range. I’ll see that rating and give you one better: this is the perfect car for your college student. It has plenty of room for cargo (including a 60/40 split seating arrangement), fits into any parking space they need to squeeze into, and is sporty enough to be cool. This is also a great little vehicle for a small family. In its comprehensive car seat check, Cars.com gives it a B rating for every kind of seat except a booster, which gets an A.
Drive Mode loves
- The LX comes with a six-speed manual transmission as standard
- Lots of head room
- Fun, sporty drive experience
- The interior styling of the Soul has texture and personality, and the number of exterior paint options is dizzying. We’re big fans of the two-tone options, especially the Cherry Black/ Inferno Red combo.
- Kia’s warranty: 100,000 miles of powertrain protection
Drive Mode suggestions for improvement
- With the automatic transmission on the GT-Line trum, we had a few issues with the shift points
- Noisy cabin
Music pairing
In a song, the 2020 Kia Soul has to match up with “Soul Man” by Sam and Dave. In a genre, well, maybe it’s the hamsters or something but Skrillex and Diplo seem like a brilliant choice for this fun little car.
