2020 Kia Soul - Review & Road Test

For its third generation the folks at Kia put together a redesign for the Soul that achieves the sometimes quite amazing. They improved on a good thing, but didn't make it unrecognizable. This new Soul has so many things going for it, and some things we wish were different, but check out all our thoughts here, now.

For the latest Kia Soul pricing and information:

[questioneverything]

I am 91 years of age and I drive a 2012 Soul. I am thinking about buying another car and would not consider anything but another Soul. I have not had to spend one dime on this car in 7 years, aside from the consumables like tires, brakes, and oil changes. All the other cars in this class look alike and appear to be squeezed-down versions of their parent car. The Kia Soul has distinction and character. Kia made square stylish. Go Kia!

[stanobert]

My wife and I are seniors and we are as far from hip, young and urban as anyone can get and we love our 2020 Kia Soul S trim! The new 147 hp engine has plenty of horse power to climb the Colorado mountain passes.

[kevinbarry]

Cars that are marketed specifically to the young have this habit of being very popular with the retired community

[isaac]

KIA hit a jackpot with the Soul. They actually stole the market from the Honda Fit, Honda Element, Nissan Cube, Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Matrix, Chevy HHR, Chrysler PT Cruiser and even Scion. Most of those went out of production due to poor sales but the Soul lives on. Only disappointed is that it doesn't come with a pet hamster. Lol

[stinkytofujohnson]

I don’t comment on YouTube videos often, by Lyn you are incredibly charming and engaging to watch. You are awesome!

[kino]

Kia seems to be the only company which knows how to design the cars these days. Good job Kia.

[call_me_akayz]

I've always had a soft spot for the Soul... I really love this car

[denault]

Lyn reminds me of Penny from the Big Bang Series, probably on purpose. Great review and somewhat funny.
Btw, the Kia Soul is a very good choice for those who don't require an SUV.

[scottallison]

Another quality review Lyn - mixture of humour and expert opinion. Kudos from Australia

[edweagle]

One thing commonly overlooked for Soul's is their hip height. Many people with mobility issues find they are the perfect height for getting in and out of.

[laurabien]

Husband just bought a new 2022 Soul and I was lucky enough to get his handed-down 2012 Soul. I love it. I love the squareness, huge cargo area, sensible styling, and the little cool touches like the light-up speakers--that's just fun! Excellent, trouble-free, stylish car!

[projectpamaphd]

I miss Zach. But Lyn is doing a great job.

[pjay]

As sub-compact car, the Kia Soul put a lot of sub-compact SUV to shame, when its comes to interior space.

[CaliBreeeze]

It’s a nice car! Perfect for commuting etc..and it still has a nice touch screen standard and I like how it’s not all flashy inside

[ragnadrabinowitz]

wife and i bought one last week. we thought it looked funky cool! didn't hurt that the reviews were very positive, which made the decision alot easier.

[pheebelikes]

Im warming up to this car. I love everything about it. Quite a few small cars similar to this in the market but I think I love Kia Soul.

[vladwiel]

I bought a Soul X 2020 two weeks ago and I am turning 61 in a month. I do think it is more popular with my generation than with the young and hip. Kia: take notice. I love this car: how it looks, how comfortable it feels, how well it handles. Oh, and the affordable price. Yes, it is far from a luxury car, and some things could be better, e.g. the somewhat rough ride on patchy pavement, or lack of AWD. But heck, one still gets a lot for the money. I like the engine turning itself off at stops (this feature can be turned off), and I find the start to be fairly smooth. The IVT transmission feels great - it is silky smooth and I do not mind not sensing gear changes (there aren't any).

[excelsciors]

I'm not too thrilled of the Soul 2020 looks wise. I love my Kia 2015 Plus. I drive it to the ground and it keeps on kicking! I drive 400 miles per day doing rides share! Now I have 26k miles on my Soul and I am amazed how reliable the car has been. If I live long enough in this lifetime. I hope I can buy the 2025 Kia Soul, and I hope it looks sharp!

[Infelsinave]

Funny, though Kia markets this car to millenials it actually sales more to babyboomers because of the space and wide-opening doors.

[tieshawilliams]

Just bought a ‘21 Soul S last weekend trading in my ‘13 Soul base. Car definitely was an upgrade and love the power, tech, and safety features that come along with it.