Why No One Should Ever Buy A Kia Soul
The Kia Soul used to be one of the most popular options, but now with the Kia Seltos and Kia Telluride coming, everyone is moving on. The Kia Soul is being left behind for a variety of reasons that might not be worth it for Kia to fix.
Problems With The Kia Soul
Despite an incredibly low price starting around $17k, the Kia Soul isn’t aging like a fine wine. We’re just over the little hamsters. They don’t have the impact that they used to as Kia rolls out more exciting SUVs.
The Kia Soul has been around since 2008, making it one of the older SUVs on the market. Also, there have been electric versions around since 2014, but sales of the Kia Soul EV in the U.S. are extremely limited in only one or two states.
The Kia Soul Is Weak
There are two engine options to place under the hood of the Kia Soul. The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque.
You can also upgrade to the 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine for 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. However, this is a fair amount of power compared to the Nissan Kicks’s 122 horsepower.
When we saw ‘turbocharged,’ we expected the Kia Soul to have a fun and quick acceleration, but we were wrong. The Kia Soul takes 8.3 seconds to reach 60 mph.
The Kia Soul can tow up to 1,200 lb, but we wouldn’t push weighing down the drive train very much.
The Kia Soul Isn’t Capable
Despite being in production for so long, the Kia Soul has never been available in all-wheel-drive. This limits capabilities and probably limits sales because, as a result, the Kia Soul is unable to handle snow or other slippery conditions.
Do not attempt to take your Kia Soul down a trail to a campsite. Also, keep in mind that the Kia Soul only has about 6” of ground clearance, so be careful going over bumps.
The Kia Soul Has A Bumpy Ride
The Kia Soul has a low center of gravity, giving it a sporty feel as you race around town. However, because it sits on 18” tires, the ride is often bumpier, despite having suspension enhancements designed to provide a smooth ride.
Used Kia Soul models are notorious for having clunky transmission issues that are loud and jerky as well.
This is something to consider if you live in an area with rough terrain instead of an urban area with well-maintained roads.
The Kia Soul Is Outdated
The Kia Soul is supposed to have a rocking interior with advanced tech to back up its spunk. However, it only has a 7” infotainment center with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There is no navigation, wireless charging, or wi-fi hotspot to bring this little SUV into the modern age.
The Kia Soul lacks basic safety features as well. You will not find forward collision prevention, blind-spot detection, lane departure assistance, and more that almost every other SUV option has to offer.
