2020 Kia Soul

Sub-compact - hatch

Click to see more Kia models:

   Again it came as no surprise when Kia decided to drop the all new soul upon us.  Sure it was a bit of step in the right direction, but I think they may want to cut back on the hamsters play time.
   With all models a mild refresh is always in the cards, but when your new model is nothing more then a few minor updates, were going to have problems  Seems again that Kia thought they could pull the wool over our eyes with a minor update.

   As with most updates the biggest change seems to hit the front end and Kia made no mistake on that.  With an update to the headlights and front grille, most consumers may think this is an all new model.  That could be true, if the headlights weren't just cut in half.  Yes Kia borrowed an eyebrow lip from the aftermarket world in the hopes to change the oversized headlight layout.  Well your not fooling us as this cheap attempt makes the front end look incomplete as the hoodline rest too high up from the lights.  Now add that to an all too simple hood and you have the makings of an unfinished front design.
   Creep a bit lower and you will find the oversized and slapped on front grille.  The use of cheap plastic could have been toned down and let's try and blend it in to its surroundings a bit.

   Unlike the headlights, the taillgihts are a great fit to this model, as they wrap around the hatch with ease.  Add to that the floating rear glass and you have the makings of one of the finer hatch lids on the market.
   But as we move lower our happiness turns to sorrow as come to realize that Kia has slapped on some cheap body cladding.  This would work if this model ran in the cross-trek segment, but being a hatch it just brings down the resale image.
   Like many vehicles out their Kia did give the all new Soul the illusion of a floating roofline, but with one minor difference.  They used a flat black accent which flows into the surrounding window openings.  This is one great feature and it gives Kia somewhere to put the models name.

  But again like many Soul's before it, Kia has forgotten to add a bit of character and charm the side profile.  And without this feature, the side profile again comes off very simple and plain. 
   With a simple look the wide track wheel wells seem to blend in more with their surroundings, taking away from their wide track appeal.  This means that only the aftermarket world can save this plain model from a life of solitude.  And we all hope that they do, as we really hope for a GT Line or Burner edition.  But if Kia was really smart, they would use this model to finally release the Track'ster.

   As the hamsters return to their cages and their wheels stop rotating, we start to notice that maybe these little rodents didn't do that bad of a job.

@AutoLooks, #AutoLooks, AutoLooks.net

Kia Soul - SCORE: 51.25%
GRADE: C
RATING: AVERAGE
AUTOLOOKS RATING: 5.1 OUT OF 10

FRONT END: 43.02%
REAR END: 58.75%
SIDE: 56.28%
OVERALL APPEAL: 46.96%

AUTOLOOKS BUY LIST: MAYBE
ReCOMMENDED TUNER: YES
TREND SETTER: NO
FUTURE CLASSIC: NO
STOCK VALUE: SAME
​

Kia Soul GT - ​​SCORE: 54.54%
GRADE: C
RATING: AVERAGE
AUTOLOOKS RATING: 5.5 OUT OF 10

FRONT END: 41.07%
REAR END: 65.45%
SIDE: 49.46%
OVERALL APPEAL: 52.17%

AUTOLOOKS BUY LIST: MAYBE
ReCOMMENDED TUNER: YES
TREND SETTER: NO
FUTURE CLASSIC: Possible
STOCK VALUE: SAME

---

Kia Soul Ev - ​SCORE: 49.47%
GRADE: C-
RATING: AVERAGE
AUTOLOOKS RATING: 4.9 OUT OF 10

FRONT END: 40.78%
REAR END: 56.67%
SIDE: 53.49%
OVERALL APPEAL: 49.96%

AUTOLOOKS BUY LIST: MAYBE
ReCOMMENDED TUNER: NO
TREND SETTER: NO
FUTURE CLASSIC: NO
STOCK VALUE: SAME

​See more Kia models at: www.kia.com

---

Competition:
suzuki wagon r
Hyundai i10
mazda 2
renault sandero
opel corsa