2010 Kia Soul: runabout's beauty may be only skin deep

Striking design outside and roomy storage inside are positives, but the ride is harsh

May 16, 2009

Special to the Star

Next to the Audi R8, no car turned more heads, got more thumbs up and "groovy baby" compliments than the Kia Soul I recently tested. Maybe it's the minty fresh green paint, or the purposeful but optimistic body shape. Whatever, it just seemed to make people happy to see it.

Kia nailed the design: it's distinct and fun without the nerdiness of the Honda Fit and the box-store outline of the Nissan Cube. The Soul doesn't have a bad angle.

The stripped down Soul has a 1.6 L, with five-speed manual, starting at $15,495. I tested the $21,195 Soul 4u, with a 2.0-L engine producing 142 horsepower. Some of the upmarket amenities include 18-inch alloy wheels, stability and traction control, and a sport suspension.

That suspension is my only major gripe with the Soul. Was it tuned by a blacksmith? The Soul 4u is a contusion producer on rough roads. It handles our pimple and boil pavement with the finesse of an oxcart on an Etruscan road. By cranking up the control of shocks, springs and stabilizer bar in the Soul in a sporty way, you get a vehicle that stays flat around corners, but you pay the price with a hard ride.

Maybe 20-somethings won't notice the harsh ride, and it seems that's the target market for the Soul. The publicity highlights the "party ready seating," and the "concert worthy" sound. But a lot of vine ripened guys and gals were smitten with the Soul wherever I parked it.

When not sparring with potholes, the Kia ride is okay, the flat cornering as mentioned is admirable, the brakes have good firm feel, and power off the line is satisfactory – but it can get a bit wheezy going uphill. The 4u I drove had a four-speed automatic transmission, a five-speed manual might offer more creativity, or maybe adding a fifth gear to the autobox and paddle shifters would add spunk and reduce engine drone.

Behind the wheel there is a lot to like. The driving position feels good without a lot of fiddling and the head-restraint is positioned in the right spot. The centre console controls are efficient and easy to reach, there's gobs of headroom, good visibility, and enough storage bins including one big enough to compost in, beside the steering wheel. There is an auxiliary input, and I paired my phone using the Bluetooth hands-free system in less than 15 seconds, the simplest I think I've encountered.

The material on the dash is utilitarian hard plastic, but cheered up by cheeky red inserts in the glovebox and glasses case over the radio. The indoor speakers are rimmed by LED lights that pulse with the music. Kind of goofy, but you can turn off the feature. A serviceable cloth fabric covers the seats.

Here's my wish list for improving the Soul. Soften up the driver's left armrest, it's as hard as a granite countertop. Rethink the lever to move the seat forward and back; you have to reach too far under the seat to get it. If you want us to love the car, give us a better steering wheel; it's hard and slippery. It's awkward to open the visor and some of the bins, and that needs to improve; more accessible design will satisfy a wider demographic. And maybe it's just me, but the materials seem to exude a strong chemical smell; but the gas emissions will diminish with time.

The back seat accommodates three passengers, and the middle person won't be harpooned by a big hump in the floor. When there are no tag-alongs, the back seats fold flat easily to accommodate cargo capacity of 1,511 litres, turning the Soul into a decent hauler. I noticed even with the seats folded, you can still access the floor underneath for additional storage.

The rear hatch opens without the need for undue muscle, and it's big enough to shelter you when your picnic is interrupted by rain. The floor lifts up to reveal a group of clever, small bins for storage.

Soul shoppers might compare this Kia with the Nissan Cube, which has more polarizing styling, the capable but conservative Suzuki SX4, and the Honda Fit, with its more inventive storage, but less cool factor.

There's a good balance going with the Soul: fine for hauling people, adequate for transporting stuff and accomplishing all with fresh styling. The base model really loads up with features including the Bluetooth and MP3 connections.

Next up, the Soul 2u adds the bigger engine, and traction and stability control. If you really want the teeth-chipping ride, the 4u adds the sport suspension.

The Soul will satisfy a lot of pilgrims. Just remember it's more fun to look at than drive.

Toronto Star