New 2024 Kia Soul EX Model, Price, Release Date – The 2024 Kia Soul is a spacious five-seat hatchback, yet it may be marketed as a crossover—even though it is front-wheel drive only. It competes with the Toyota C-HR, Nissan Kicks, and Hyundai Venue due to its stylish design, efficiency, and affordability. The Soul’s boxy shape and buzzcut roofline camouflage its economy-car origins. It shares a nose with other Kias, with tiny LED headlights on high-end models and a new, nearly illegible logo for this year.
The previous X-Line edition’s bulky add-ons have been eliminated; what remains is a neatly profiled body that accumulates lines as it nears its close. The black trim around the rear pillars and the plethora of cutlines on the tailgate read as clutter compared to the original first-generation Soul—but they remain eye-catching.
2024 Kia Soul Redesign
Although the manual transmission has been eliminated, the cheapest Soul EX hatchbacks now get an 8.0-inch touchscreen as standard. A technology package, which is not standard on the Soul LX, bundles automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control. Other variants include a 10.3-inch touchscreen, keyless entry, and smartphone wireless charging. Kia offers the Soul in four trim levels: LX, S, EX, and GT-Line. They all straddle the line between charming and kitsch but err on the quirky side. We like the Soul’s intelligent, dashing design and fuss-free, spacious interior.
Most 2024 Kia Soul use a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine, producing 147 horsepower and sending it forward through a CVT. It is capable of economy-car tasks but not very quick, and achieves up to 31 miles per gallon combined. The 201-horsepower turbo-4 is equipped with an errant 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that judders excessively at low speeds. The Soul’s smooth ride and muscular handling deserve better.
Five people can fit inside the Soul if necessary. They will all have good head and leg room; it is just the shoulder room that will constrain the size of back-seat occupants. With up to 62.1 cubic feet of baggage space, the Soul is frequently (and correctly) utilized as an extremely practical two-seater—an anecdotal Millennial Pack ‘N Play. The NHTSA awards the Soul four stars for crash safety, and Soul LX hatchbacks do not come standard with automated emergency braking.
Interior
With a 102.4-inch wheelbase and a 165.2-inch body, the Soul nevertheless has up to 62.1 cubic feet of luggage capacity behind two passengers. It’s almost impenetrably efficient, yet it’s also a pleasant place to spend a few hours. It earns a six for comfort and usability, with an additional point for the amount of storage available. The Soul’s front seats feature adequate cushioning and are surrounded by enough room for the majority of adults. While the majority of Soul models include manual adjustability, the luxury Souls feature power seats. While the chairs themselves are not very comfy, they are a good fit for the majority of individuals.
The rear seats have enough capacity to seat a 6-footer behind another 6-footer, and three people can fit across the back for short excursions. The Soul does all of this while still carrying up to 24.2 cubic feet of cargo—or significantly more with the back seat reclined. It features a high cargo floor, but it also opens wide and features a flexible cargo shelf. We’d expect more from the Soul’s interior if it were more expensive, but for its low-$20,000 starting price, the Soul’s basic model features acceptable materials. We favor the quality fabric upholstery on midrange Souls and the synthetic leather upholstery on higher-priced Souls.
Engine
Kia produces the Soul with both turbocharged and non-turbocharged engines, and it’s easy to predict which one imparts the Soul with a more vivacious personality. The No Soul is a hassle to drive, but the entry-level versions are exactly that: entry-level. We give it a five-star rating for performance, smack dab in the middle. With 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, the standard 2.0-liter inline-4 distributes power to the front wheels through a CVT. Kia has discontinued the manual transmission option it provided last year. We prefer this combination; it does not generate excessive power or strain at the front wheels, and it is excellent for squeezing through city traffic. On interstates, it’s preferable to plan uphill passes, and we’d opt for Sport drive mode to add some beneficial weight to the steering to aid in keeping it in its lane, even if the steering already feels heavier than that of comparable hatchbacks.
The Soul rides comfortably regardless of the conditions, even when fitted with larger 18-inch wheels. The top-line EX-Line Soul’s 201-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo-4 engine is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that transmits its 195 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. While the engine sounds fantastic in advertisements and on spec sheets, there is one caveat: juddery shifting at low speeds. It struggles to shift at city speeds and appears clumsy in stop-and-go traffic. The turbo-4 does not change the nature of the car, so shift quality is not important.
2024 Kia Soul Release Date and Price
For $22,665, the Soul EX adds an enhanced cloth interior, 17-inch alloys, a 10.3-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone charging, and keyless entry. It’s excellent value for the money. The Soul GT-Line Turbo has a turbocharged engine, synthetic leather seating, 18-inch wheels, illuminated speakers, and a head-up display. It’s priced at $28,965, at which point we’d seriously consider the tiny Kia crossovers with all-wheel drive.