For quite some time now, it's been expected to see
the all-new 2020 Kia Soul debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, and now the
official word is thankfully out. Gift-wrapped for the holidays along with a
teaser image, Kia has now confirmed that the 2020 Soul will have its official
review during the 2018 LA Auto Show. We know that the teaser was a bit vague,
since all that was shown was a small slice of the taillight, which has a
distinctly taller appearance than last year's model. There is also a plastic
styling element present on the side profile, spelling out the word “Soul” in
engraved letters.
Kia has also decided to use a very bright green
car for the teaser. Other details provided were about the availability of
drivetrains, which will now include a turbocharged option, as well as an EV.
The EV and turbocharged varieties will probably be revealed alongside the brand
new Soul in LA as well, and it is currently assumed that the US will be one
market receiving the EV model. The Soul EV is rumored to use the same
drivetrain as the recently revealed Kia E-niro, and Hyundai Kona Electric. This
means that it could plausibly have a driving range of up to 300 miles, which
would rank it at the top of its segment.
The Soul is the vehicle that Car and Driver claimed has
“unique charm and usability,” with real reasons to buy being the refinement,
and available high-tech features. Their testing staff ranked the steering
effort light and agreeable, making the Soul a perfect choice for daily driving.
One thing that all of us at Jim Butler
Kia of St Louis can agree on is the abundant utility value in the Soul: It
weight is much higher than you'd get from an ordinary hatchback, and automatic
climate control became standard on all trims with this year's model. Safety
features such as automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control are
now available on the Plus trim, with the addition of the Primo package.
The Soul is also currently available as an EV
model, with an EPA-estimated range of 93 miles on a single charge. Standard
features on this year's model include 16-inch alloy wheels, the ingenious
UVO-interface, a 6-speaker audio system, cloth upholstery, a USB port, and
Bluetooth. The NHTSA awarded this year's Soul with a five-star overall safety
score, and when equipped with the Primo package, the mid-grade Soul Plus is the
recipient of adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane
departure warning, as well as forward collision warning.
The
Car Connection ranked this a great buy due
to it possessing “the same spunky attitude and powertrains” as previous models,
and for offering a very high-quality environment for the price. The packaging
grants 4 adults more than enough space for comfort, and the headroom factor is
a huge plus considering the confines. The other quote from The Car
Connection we want to leave you with regarding the Soul is, “The Kia
Soul cheerfully implodes the idea that only expensive cars can look good!”
