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It’s hard to miss a 2014 Kia Soul [2] on the road. Their bright colors and interesting shape make them a standout.
This green (Alien II is the color name) Kia Soul was dropped off in my driveway last Monday. After a quick tutorial the keys were handed over. Having already enjoyed a week with a Kia Optima Hybrid [3] I was ready to test out this Kia Soul for the week.
In the spring our afternoons are generally spent in the car getting from one field to another. At first glance the Kia Soul appeared too small to work for our family. With three boys, and a lot of equipment for soccer, baseball, and karate we need space for our “stuff”. The true test would be whether this car could handle carpools, equipment and a lot of boys.
Overall the Kia Soul [2] was a pleasant surprise in many ways. I was hoping to find a few green attributes, but unfortunately there weren’t many.
I will say that the car grew on me and when the 7 days were up I was sad to see it go.
The Interior of the Kia Soul is Bigger than it Looks
[4]The car is technically a 5 seater, but squeezing 3 in the back isn’t very comfortable. The middle seat is built for a very small person. If you have three small children who don’t require car seats it could be doable. The drivers seat was incredibly comfortable with plenty of leg room for all sizes.
I was most surprised by the amount of cargo space in the rear of the Kia Soul. My groceries fit comfortably inside with all the seats upright.
More Interior Features of Kia Soul
Remote Keyless Entry
Remote Keyless Entry with the Folding Key allowed me to open and lock the car by simply pushing a button on the door handle-provided the key was in a pocket or bag close by. This was one of my favorite features.
Horn
My kids got a kick out of the sound of the horn. It was an old-fashioned honk that we ended up using a lot while we were driving around.
Dashboard
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The dash was very intuitive. The GPS system worked well and was used quite a bit during the week. The turn signal sound was very quite and I couldn’t find a way to adjust it. There were many times when I had the turn signal on and then realized minutes later that it was still on, well after the turn.
Almost everything was power operated, including the seat adjustments, power windows and locks. This made it a breeze to adjust the seat position from driver to driver. The seats included heating and cooling systems, which was helpful as the weather went from warm to hot.
Another favorite interior feature was the double pane sun roof that covered almost the full length of the car. It was so nice to allow sunlight and daylight in while I was driving.
Steering Wheel
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The steering wheel in the Kia Soul contained buttons to control the radio volume and change channels without taking your hands off the wheel. There were also buttons to adjust your cruise control settings. There’s nothing like a heated steering wheel on a cold morning!
Active Eco System and Fuel Economy
While in theory the Active Eco System in the Kia Soul sounded great (proactively controls parts of the engine, transmission, and air conditioning system to realize optimal fuel economy) the car didn’t get great fuel economy while I was driving it. For a relatively small car I was expecting more than 23,3 MPG.
Exterior of the Kia Soul
The bright green color didn’t do it for me. It was a bit too bright. I found that people either loved or hated the color when they saw it…and they were quick to let me know! The shape of the car is unique and certainly makes it standout. The color did come in handy when I was looking for my car-it was easy to spot.
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I loved the Power-Folding mirrors that automatically folded in every time I turned the car off. There was also a manual control for tight parking situations.
Kia Soul Value
The MSRP of the Kia Soul including options is $26,195. This car qualifies as a bit more than a commuter car. It’s a perfect car for a college student or someone without a large family who wants a very comfortable ride.
Overall Impression of the Kia Soul
The Kia Soul isn’t a practical everyday car for our large family, but it could easily work as a second family car. Overall the car was surprisingly large inside and comfortable. Unfortunately there weren’t many green features aside from the color.
Disclaimer: The Kia Soul was loaned to me from a 3rd party. I was not compensated or asked to write a favorable review. All opinions are my very own.