2023 Kia Soul

Buyers in the USA loves a safe bet; look at how many Ford Explorers and Toyota Corollas roam our nation's streets. There are, however, some who like a more daring design, and the Kia Soul compact crossover has for years been the go-to for those looking for something a bit more quirky yet equally as safe, practical, and reliable as any other subcompact crossover. Unfortunately, the new Kia Soul compact crossover takes a step towards the mainstream with its 2023 styling revamp, and that punchy 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with 201 horsepower gets dropped, with only the more pedestrian 2.0-liter naturally aspirated mill remaining. Despite this, it is still a cool-looking and affordable option that brings a lot to the table and offers more than stiff competition for the brand-new Honda HR-V. Every test-drive, reliability, comparison, and safety review of the Kia Soul and its competitors still rates it highly, but has the loss of the performance engine dimmed the appeal of the quirky little crossover?

One of the main appeals that the Soul has is that it's extremely affordable. At the base level, the Kia Soul LX is priced at just $19,790. At this base price, the Soul manages to be quite a bit more affordable than the Kona's entry-level SE model. Moving up to the S will cost $22,290 and the GT-Line has an MSRP of $23,390. The Kia Soul EX costs $24,090. None of these prices include the $1,295 destination charge.

The Soul might look like a brick on wheels, but it drives surprisingly well and stands out in a market stuffed with other competent crossover cars. The Soul has an elevated driving position, but it never feels top-heavy; in fact, this little Korean is rather sporty. The steering provides good feedback but still feels light enough to dart through city traffic. We're disappointed that Kia dropped the Turbo model for 2023. This 201-hp turbo was fun to drive, and although not a true hot hatchback, was far more entertaining than the gutless 2.0-liter that tends to run out of breath on the highway. The CVT does a decent job of keeping the engine on the boil and will adroitly select a lower ratio to get the car going, unlike some other CVTs that seem to just increase the drone factor. Despite its best efforts though, the lack of power is frustrating at higher speeds.

The Kia Soul has retained its instantly recognizable boxy shape for over a decade, despite the updated interpretation of its 2020 redesign. It continues to deliver the goods despite being softened around the edges and adopting a somewhat more generic look for 2023. The Soul is a spacious, practical, and well-equipped car that blends iconic styling with solid reliability and even offers a good time behind the steering wheel (RIP turbo option). The interior also screams style and is unlike anything the competition has to offer. Add an excellent safety record and solid value for money in the entry-level trims, and you have a quirky winner. But if you crave punchy performance, the excellent Mazda CX-30 has a big advantage over the Korean, now that the Soul has lost its turbo engine.

If you are absolutely determined to save every penny, the S model is a grand choice. We'd avoid the LX despite its attractive asking price and newly standard driving assists, because it makes do with those drab steel wheels and misses out on desirable features such as the significantly better infotainment system with the big screen, navigation, dual-zone climate control, and power driver's seat. The S model has all these features as standard, tipping the balance in its favor. There is not much substance to the GT-Line's additions besides the large wheels, sporty appearance package, and sunroof, but considering that it looks very fetching and only adds $1,100 to the price of the S, many people would consider this the sweet spot.