The five-passenger, front-wheel drive Kia Soul is one of the biggest small cars you’ll ever drive.
It’s fun. It’s sporty. It’s practical. And for the 2016 model year, it has even more features.
I’ve been a big fan of the Soul since its introduction for the 2010 model year.
With a base price starting less than $16,000, the Soul delivers a lot of value — as well as superb ride and handling capabilities, versatility and features.
Initially marketed to hip, urban, young adults, I remember telling Kia officials at the product launch in 2009 they were missing the boat because the Soul was an ideal car for folks my age because we tend to see past the slick television commercials and focus on value and comfort rather than hip and trendy.
They told me they would be happy to sell me a Soul, but their marketing campaign featuring dancing hipster mice wasn’t changing.
Six years later, the Soul is one of the hottest-selling nameplates in the industry. Guess what? Turns out a lot of folks my age are Soul owners.
Kia media folks have also been quick to point out, they have also sold a lot of Soul models to hip urban young adults. So we were both right.
Available in three trim levels — Base, + and ! (Or in English, Base, Plus and Exclaim), the 2016 Soul includes a number of new available features including forward collision warning and lane departure warning system, as well as a new designer collection that includes a two-tone paint scheme and unique elements.
That’s in addition to the already long list of standard features on all three models.
Soul Base models are powered by a 1.6-liter I-4 engine delivering 130 horsepower and 118 lbs.-ft. torque. Mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, it has an EPA fuel economy rating of 24 mpg city, 30 mpg highway on regular unleaded gasoline.
The Soul + and ! trim levels are powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine delivering 164 horsepower and 151 lbs.-ft. torque. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, it has an EPA rating of 24 mpg city, 31 mpg city, also using regular unleaded gasoline.
Featuring a five-door body style, the Soul provides a great deal of versatility, including 61.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded (24.2 cubic feet for cargo with rear seat in use for passengers).
For those in the market for a great vehicle and a great value, the 2016 Kia Soul is a must for the test drive list.
Neal White has been covering the automotive industry for more than 20 years and is affiliated with the Texas Auto Writers Association.
The Nuts and Bolts
MODEL:
2016 Kia Soul
5-seat compact 5-door
Front-wheel drive
Trim packages:
Base, +, !
PRICE RANGE:
$16,000-$27,000
ENGINE:
1.6L I4 (130 hp/118 T)
2.0L I4 (164 hp/151 T)
TRANSMISSION:
6-speed manual
6-speed automatic
EPA:
24/24 mpg city, 30/31 mpg highway (Base/+ and !)
FUEL:
Regular unleaded
STABILITY CONTROL:
Electronic stability control and traction control
BRAKES: ABS
LENGTH:163 inches
WHEELBASE:101.2 in.
WIDTH: 70.9 inches
HEIGHT: 63 inches
WEIGHT: 2714-2837 lbs.
TRACK: 62/62.5
(front/rear)
FUEL TANK: 14.2 gallons
TIRES: 16-, 17-, or 18-inch
CARGO: 24.2/61.3 cubic feet (behind 2nd/1st row).
SOURCE
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