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2020 Kia Soul X-Line: scintillating style, peppy performance

Published 1:30 am Friday, October 4, 2019

2020 Kia Soul X-Line: scintillating style, peppy performance
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2020 Kia Soul X-Line: scintillating style, peppy performance
2020 Kia Soul X-Line: scintillating style, peppy performance
2020 Kia Soul X-Line: scintillating style, peppy performance

I’ve always enjoyed Kia’s Soul – it’s quirky. And I like quirky.

Taking everything that helped popularize the unconventionally styled subcompact, Kia poured more soul into the vehicle, resulting in a third-generation model that delivers scintillating style, peppy performance, thrilling technology and perfect practicality.

Proving the point that “there is a Soul for everyone,” the normally aspirated and optionally turbocharged Soul is available in six trim levels – LX, S, X-Line, GT-Line, EX, EX Designer Collection – plus the all-new Soul EV. My tester was the 2020 X-Line with a Gravity Grey coat of enamel.

“The Soul has been a massive success since its introduction to the U.S. market, blowing its (now defunct) rivals out of the water and establishing itself as an automotive icon with its fun-loving character and eccentric style,” said Orth Hedrick, executive director of Car Planning and Telematics. “Even with an entirely new generation of competitors now crowding the marketplace, we are confident the all-new Soul will once again prove to be a tough contender given its unparalleled style and impressive level of invigorating technology and customization options.”

Powered by a 2.0-liter multi-point fuel injection four-cylinder engine mated to an intelligent variable automatic transmission, the Soul is surprising peppy. It musters 147 horsepower and 132 lb.-ft. of torque.

And despite its diminutive size, the cubist proportions offer plenty of head and legroom for up to five adults – and a decent amount of cargo space – enough for almost $400 worth of groceries, at least.

Best of all, Kia’s Soul X-Line delivers 33 miles per gallon down the highway, and 30 in a mix of city/highway driving.

Based on my advanced age, I’m an outlier in my love for the Soul. It’s clearly designed to appeal to young hipsters. It has a low, entry-level price and is loaded to the gills with features like mood lighting in a rainbow of colors that synchs to the beat of the music coming from the available 640-watt Harman Kardon sound system with subwoofer and signature tweeter speakers.

It also offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless phone charging and Bluetooth – all hot buttons for the young, and young at heart. Oh, and the mood lighting options include: Hey! Yo!, Party Time, Traveling, Romance, Midnight City and Cafe.

Like other newly designed Kia models, the all-new Soul offers a suite of available Kia Drive Wise features including:

  • Forward-collision avoidance
  • Lane-keeping assist
  • Lane-changing assist
  • Driver-attention warning
  • Blind-spot collision warning
  • Rear cross-collision warning
  • Smart cruise control • High beam assist

The Soul is assembled in South Korea with 94 percent South Korean parts. It comes with a five-year, 60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Base Price: $22,485

Price As Driven: $22,615

Destination charge is included in base price. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. List price may vary at local dealerships.