Kia Soul driving impression
It’s really fascinating being a motoring journalist. You would think people would take your advice seriously, but this is not often the case. Many of my friends come to me for car-buying advice but very few actually take the advice I offer them. Buying a car is a peculiar thing. People have generally already made up their mind about what they want to drive. No matter what you tell them, no matter the fact that you may have driven that particular car or know insights in to a certain manufacturer, if someone wants what they want, there is no changing their minds. In fact, most people just want you to tell them what they want to hear so that they can justify their purchasing decision.
People also have their own preconceived ideas about certain brands. The idea, whatever it is, seems to be cemented in their minds. There’s no changing it. Toyota’s go forever. Land Rover’s always break down. Never buy a French car. Volkswagen has the cheapest parts. There are no parts available for Kia. I have heard it all, time and time again. When I suggest to someone to have a look at Kia, I often get the same response; “Really? No I’m not really a Kia fan. They are cheap cars and you can never get parts for them.” It fascinates me that someone who has no connection to the motoring industry can, with confidence, tell me the detailed issues of a manufacturer, generally based on past successes and failures of that manufacturer, and by past I mean way back when neither myself nor this other person were even born.
From the moment Peter Schreyer took over the design of Kia my mind shifted. I looked at Kia in a whole new light. And then the Kia Rio arrived; this was and still remains one of my favourite cars on the road. So it goes without saying that I am indeed a Kia fan. Yet I have never been a big fan of the Soul, but only in the looks department. So I was intrigued to see the new generation Soul in the metal at the launch this past week, expecting to remain unconvinced.
I can’t say I have gone entirely over to the other side, but I have started to warm to the look and I can appreciate the stand out factor that it oozes. It is different. People either love the look or hate it. The Nissan Juke comes to mind.
But one thing I am not torn on is the interior. It is most certainly a step-up from its predecessor. It has a premium quality feel about it and as for space, well there is oodles of that. Leg room, headroom, rear legroom…all over really. There is no shortage and you can comfortably seat four people in that car. The previous Soul suffered from a rather noisy cabin, but this generation has stepped up its game and the calm, quiet cabin is thanks to improved NVH (noise vibration levels).
With most Kia products, the standard features list is nothing short of impressive (again, I think of the Kia Rio). Some standard features on the Soul include 17-inch alloy wheels, ABS brakes, front fog lamps, high-mounted rear stop lamp, electric heated folding door mirrors , windscreen auto-defogging system, 60/40 split folding rear seat backrest, air-conditioning, audio system with six speakers, MP3 / Aux connectivity, electric front and rear windows , Bluetooth® hands-free system, dual front airbags, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. The Soul comes in three trim levels, Start being the entry level, Street and Smart being the top spec.
If I were to buy the new Soul, I would opt for the Diesel derivative. The petrol just didn’t have enough oomph for me and even though the diesel lagged a touch in the performance side of things, it still boasts 94 kW and 260 N.M. It’s not a car built for performance, so don’t expect it and you won’t be disappointed. This is a fun family car. I would think young kids and teenagers alike would benefit from the funky, unique look while mom and dad would enjoy the easy drive while still maintaining a youthful feel (none of us want to feel like we are getting old!). It’s for an urban lifestyle and its iconic design theme will no doubt appeal to those already trying to stand out.
Pricing:
KIA Soul 1.6 MT START* R239 995
KIA Soul 2.0 MT STREET** R274 995
KIA Soul 1.6D MT STREET R299 995
* The START specification package is only available for the 1.6-litre petrol models.
** The STREET specification package is only available for the 2.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel models, and is linked to a 6-speed manual transmission.
The SMART specification package is only available for the 2.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel models, and is linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission.