2022 Kia Soul review: heart-shaped box
Some call the Kia Soul the Big Box, and we welcome its return this year. The Kia Soul has always had unique style and practicality, but the latest edition of the redesigned 2022 Kia Soul in 2020, has great technologies and a class-leading interior design.
The choice between the two improved engines is also a plus for the 2022 Kia Soul lineup , the first delivering 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque produced by the 1.6-liter turbo mill, earning it the ethos of a true all-town professional.
With its exotic styling often under attack, it is now a crossover to be reckoned with among contenders such as the Honda HR-V and Hyundai Kona, and Kia’s new and complete range is targeting a sub-segment of automotive shoppers.
Differences between Kia Soul 2022 and its previous version.
The Soul has been redesigned for 2020 and this year the manual transmission has been dropped from the lineup.
Limited changes have been added, such as the new Kia logo.
And some colours, along with an upgrade to the infotainment system, and an increase in the standard screen size to an 8-inch or 10.3-inch screen for higher models.
Also available on wheels are more customized safety equipment including:
Model
the engine
Transmission
payment system
price
LX
2.0L Quadruple Petrol Engine
Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) System
front wheel drive system
$19,290
S
2.0L Quadruple Petrol Engine
Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) System
front wheel drive system
$21,590
X-Line
2.0L Quadruple Petrol Engine
Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) System
front wheel drive system
$22,690
GT-Line
2.0L Quadruple Petrol Engine
Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) System
front wheel drive system
$22,690
EX
2.0L Quadruple Petrol Engine
Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) System
front wheel drive system
$23,590
Exterior design of the Kia Soul 2022
Good looks have been the calling card of Kia Soul from the past decade.
Then she gradually drifted towards more unexplained details, but still a witch with a lot of character.
The most important body design and cockpit design.
Kia hides its economy car roots with a boxy body and a buzzing roofline.
It shares a nose with other Kia cars, and the nose is surrounded by slim LED headlights on expensive models, and this year’s new and almost illegible logo.
The huge additions to the previous X-Line release are gone this year;
What remains is a sharply coiled object that piles up in stripes as you approach their end.
The black bar on the rear pillars and the many stripes on its tailgate read like a mess compared to the refreshing first-generation Soul – but still eye-catching.
As a modern vehicle cleverly covered in glossy black accents and slim headlights for a futuristic look.
With power sunroof for the top three models.
Beyond the base model, it gets 16-inch wheels that increase as you climb up to 18 inches.
The Turbo model features a unique central exhaust outlet.
Dimensions of Kia Soul 2022
The Kia Soul measures 165.2 inches from nose to tailgate and measures 63 inches in height, and 70.9 inches in width.
The wheelbase is 102.4 inches.
With a ground clearance of 6.7 inches, it’s unlikely to struggle on rough terrain.
At its lightest weight, the 2022 Kia Soul weighs a total of 2,844 pounds, and the turbo increases to 3,036 pounds.
Powertrain for Kia Soul 2022
You can choose between two engines for the 2022 Kia Soul.
One is turbo and the second is natural. All models except the Turbo have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder natural air engine, and the manual transmission has been dropped. The engine is mated to the CVT automatic transmission for all models.
The engine produces 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, which are exactly the same numbers as the Hyundai Kona engine.
The turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the top model has a capacity of 1.6 liters, which produces 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
It boosts the starting power and power of the 2022 Kia Soul, and the dual-clutch transmission works well in traffic.
Both engines for the 2022 Kia Soul are good, but the turbo wins in terms of action and fun.
It is unfortunate that it is limited only to the top-tier 2022 Kia Soul.
Evaluation of the engine performance of the 2022 Kia Soul SUV
Some aspects of the 2022 Kia Soul’s performance will depend on your choice, with the turbocharged engine delivering plenty of extra power.
However, it is difficult to say that it is a sports car, but the performance is plentiful enough for a compact crossover.
In fact, the performance of the Kia Soul is impressive with either engine.
Some believe that the absence of a four-wheel drive system weakens it compared to its competitors.
In terms of acceleration, and with the powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, the 2022 Kia Soul shot from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds in an independent test.
The natural engine was given a lower acceleration, achieving 8.3 seconds.
In general, which of the two engines is good for flowing through city traffic or on highways
Driving impressions of the 2022 Kia Soul
The drive and control experience is where the 2022 Kia Soul shines in a sea of crossovers, the compact car feels like a high-riding hatchback from behind the wheel, and the X-Line and GT-Line models get improved shock absorbers to absorb slightly better shocks.
Although the steering already feels heavier than competing hatchbacks.
It offers a more comfortable ride quality, and a more comfortable suspension.
And Kia managed not to sacrifice the sporty touch, especially the Turbo model.
And I found it to get in and out of bends and turns better than I expected.
The powertrain looks great in advertisements, but hesitates when asked to shift at city speeds, and the standard engine becomes annoying in choppy traffic.
But the Turbo-4 engine does not change its character.
There’s a fair amount of feedback from the steering wheel, though it’s light, and Kia added some transmissions to the Turbo model for use in Sport mode, and found the control of the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission impressive.
Driven by a 2.0-liter engine, the 2022 Kia Soul roams around town with ease except for ramps and ascents, and overall the Kia Soul is a fun car to drive and hides its sub-$20,000 price tag well behind the wheel.
Kia Soul 2022 fuel consumption
2022 Kia Soul delivers fuel economy figures.
A vehicle designed for practicality and efficiency, the standard non-turbo engine delivers 28/33/30 mpg, demonstrating the excellent efficiency offered by the CVT transmission.
The 1.6-liter turbo gets 27/32/29 mpg, less efficient than its Kona counterpart, which delivers 29/35/32 mpg.
And back to the 14.3-gallon Soul fuel tank, enough for a 429-mile trip with a regular engine, or a 415-mile trip with a turbocharged engine.
Interior Design for Kia Soul 2022
This is another area where Seoul is stealing the hearts of shoppers;
The interior of the Kia compact sedan is remarkably interesting and impressive in terms of quality.
I didn’t expect an interior of this caliber from a car at this price, as the Soul uses decent materials and injects some excellent modern technology into the cabin.
Its boxy design allows plenty of room inside, and the interior is almost more streamlined than its exterior, the heart of the Kia Soul is truly impressive when compared to some of its major competitors.
Space, spaciousness and comfort in the Kia Soul 2022
The Soul remains one of the most spacious competitors in its class today, with comfortable front seats on lower models. To support the sporty feel, the EX and Turbo models have been equipped with 10-way power-adjustable seats with two-way lumbar support.
The passenger seat can be manually adjusted in four directions on all models.
In terms of dimensions, headroom of 39.4 and 39.5 inches from front to rear, and legroom of 41.1 and 38.8 inches, respectively, are too huge for this segment.
Quality of Interior Materials for Kia Soul 2022
The interior materials used in Seoul are not luxurious or luxurious, most models have fabric upholstery.
But the materials are durable and never lacking in attractiveness, and the hard plastic is subtly concealed, thanks to coats of glossy black paint and some fancy layouts.
Luggage box for Kia Soul 2022
In terms of loading and luggage, the Kia Soul has a decent 24.2-foot luggage compartment, like the Honda HRV, and better than the Hyundai Kona, thanks to the flat roofline.
The seats can be folded down, resulting in 62.1 cubic feet of boot space.
2023 SoulStorage in the Soul cabin is ideal for family use, with a decently sized glove box up front, deep door pockets, and dual cup holders.
The upper console is also standard with a place for sunglasses.
Navigation, infotainment and infotainment systems for the Kia Soul 2022
Soul is well equipped with modern technology even in the lower models, all models support phone systems and bluetooth.
The first and second categories got the best features.
The LX model was provided with an 8-inch touch screen and one charging port, compared to three ports in the higher models, which got a 10.25-inch screen.
The LX lacks SiriusXM, HD Radio, wireless phone charging, and navigation.
All models were equipped with a six-speaker sound system, while the Turbo model got a premium Harman Kardon sound system;
It is the only model with a vertical display.
Kia Soul 2022’s Tools and Techniques
All Kia Soul models are well-equipped, but the real comfort is reserved for the higher trim levels.
The lower LX and S grades come with:
keyless entry
Tilting and telescopic multifunction steering wheel
Cruise control as standard
Driving mode selection is also standard,
electric windows
Manual air conditioning, while all other models get dual climate control
The higher categories according to the category get:
Traditional leather steering wheel.
Bi-level charging plate
Power port in the trunk.
And starting with the EX class, the features are getting better
Remote start
10-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat
Heated front seats
And foldable armrest in the back seat with cup holder
Adjustable headrests in the rear seat
GT-Line’s illuminated vanity mirrors
Dual Level Charging Pad
Power port in the trunk.
LED interior lighting
flat steering wheel
Kia Soul 2022 car problems
With not even a single recall from 2017 to 2020, the Kia Soul scores highly on the reliability scale.
And one recall occurred in 2021 for potential engine damage caused by improperly manufactured piston rings.
The 2022 model is still free of any recalls or issues.
Maintenance and warranty expenses for Kia Soul 2022
Kia also offers a base warranty of five years or 60,000 miles, and the wear warranty is valid for the same time and mileage limit.
The powertrain is also covered for ten years or 100,000 miles, and roadside assistance is standard for five years or 60,000 miles.
Reliability Kia Soul 2022
Kia Soul’s crash ratings are what one would expect from a brand known for its safety.
The Kia Soul earned a full five stars in the overall NHTSA crash and safety test ratings, and Front Passenger Accident Protection scored four stars.
The IIHS awarded both the 2020 and 2021 editions a Top Safety Pick.
So far, the 2022 model has scored “good” on all IIHS crash-ability standards, but the headlights on lower models receive a “poor” mark.
Key Safety Features of the 2022 Kia Soul
Another advantage of the Kia Soul is that it comes with decent safety features, they all come with front, side and side curtain airbags, even when you opt for a lower trim.
From Model S onwards you get:
Avoid frontal collision
Lane Keeping Assist
Driver Attention Warning
Blind Spot Monitoring
Back-collision assist in traffic
Lane change help
The Turbo class specializes in:
Pedestrian detection
Intelligent cruise control
Head-up display
Quality Kia Soul 2022
The iconic boxy Kia Soul has delivered practicality and efficiency for more than a decade since its inception, and has always been under review, undergoing redesigns to keep it alive and ready for competition, and regardless of engine, jaws are fun to drive.
The hatchback offers a welcome ride quality and comfort, and the Soul has an undeniably funky interior, practical performance, plus enough room.
It was also awarded the Safest Car Award, it is value for money.
Value for the price of the Kia Soul 2022
One of the main advantages of the Kia Soul is that it is very affordable.
The base LX is priced at just $19,190.
The S model costs $21,490, the GT-Line costs $22,590, about the same as the X-Line, and the penultimate EX costs $23,490.
The Turbo’s price rises to $27,790.
Additional Packages for Kia Soul 2022
The options are divided into categories, and there are a few options available.
Most importantly, you can order the standard driver-assistance feature set on the base car S as part of the $900 LX Technology Package, which includes 16-inch wheels.
Models without a remote start feature can be added for $425.
The performance of the Kia Soul 2022 compared to its competitors
Kia Soul vs Hyundai Kona 2022
Sol and Kona are similar in many ways, but there are a few characteristics that set them apart.
Both boast an IIHS Top Safety Pick, but the Kona’s guarantee is even better.
In terms of ride quality, the Soul wins, of course, followed by the Kona. The Soul also has more interior space, but the Kona features AWD all-wheel drive available.
In terms of overall quality and driving experience, the Kia Soul wins this comparison.
Kia Soul vs. Jeep Renegade
The crossover is similar in size, but the Renegade claims larger dimensions.
When both are basic, the Jeep delivers higher power output of 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, but is less fuel efficient than the Soul.
The Renegade’s interior doesn’t feel as luxurious as its soul, with the latter offering a more modern infotainment package.
Both offer manageable space inside, but the pocket box doesn’t hold a candle for the Soul’s class-leading cargo capacity.
The Soul is arguably the more attractive of the two and is the least expensive option, with the Jeep priced at just under $25,000.
With all things in mind, Soul is the best buy of the two.
Kia Soul vs Honda HR-V
When two of the most popular and affordable cars compete head-to-head, there are bound to be sparks flying.
The Soul HR-V and Soul offer practicality at an affordable price, but they differ in: Soul offers a range of engine and transmission options and more technologies.
And both engines in the Soul are also more powerful than the HR-V, and if the Soul is more fun to drive than the dull HR-V.
The Soul offers the same luggage compartment size, but it lacks the HR-V’s deployable rear magic seats and lacks an all-wheel drive option.
And even if you need AWD all-wheel drive, there are better competitors in this class.
Features of the Kia Soul 2022
Spacious interior design
Choose between two engines and three transmission options
Impressive fuel economy figures with CVT transmission
Top models are well equipped with convenience features
A funky cabin featuring a lot of modern technology
Disadvantages of Kia Soul 2022
The first category in the formation is skin on bones and devoid of features
There are not many additional packages to choose from
The higher-end models are much more expensive than the rest
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