2023 Kia Soul Offers Luxury Touches, Sharpened Styling, and Tremendous Value

Buyers looking for the ideal vehicle here at Jim Butler Kia of St. Louis have usually done a fair amount of homework and come to us prepared to make the final decision on the model to best fit their needs. As there are a few last items to check out before you make your mind up, price point and daily drivability are two qualities that have guided shoppers towards the 2023 Kia Soul. Making its official debut in 2008, it has now undergone a third-generation refresh and seen some tech and styling tweaks.

The lineup now has four trim levels instead of six, and they all derive power from one turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. The Motor1.com auto review team tested the GT-Line model just in time for spring and found a very well-evolved ride at an excellent price. The Soul’s interior has gotten more appealing with each generation, and the current model offers a 10.3-inch-high resolution touch screen, a new type of seat inserts and stitching, and the all-digital gauge cluster.

The Neptune Blue color is well-coordinated and appointed with the interior, as the Soul now possesses the design geared towards a more selective buyer. As people are embarking on their daily shuttling or longer weekend trip, the Soul offers a good amount of sound and vibration containment, making for a peaceful drive and an ideal space to quickly check a few important incoming emails or schedule changes. The seats are large and very wide, and rear seat passengers enjoy 38.8 inches of legroom, a considerable improvement over the Nissan Kicks’ 33.4 inches.

Drivers now have high expectations for what their newest selection offers, as some supply chain issues have eased a bit and a sense of some normalcy is present in manufacturing efforts. The Soul excels greatly at offering features that are usually reserved for cars with a higher price tag, boasting heated seats, push-button start, radar-based cruise control, USB A and C ports, and wireless charging. The continuously variable transmission provides very smooth off-the-line acceleration, and braking is perfectly executed by modern-model standards.

The Soul is available with a Level 2 hands-on driver-assist system, that keeps the driver safe by establishing a preset distance from the car in front of you and guiding you gently back inside the lane. It requires the driver to constantly have one hand on the steering wheel and is an excellent form of technology to have as a bonus in a vehicle at this price. Other excellent safety features on board to assure that your destination is reached timely and assuredly are camera-based forward collision avoidance assist, lane departure warning, high beam assist, and rear occupant alert.

It’s always best to know where your firmest competition lies, and the soul faces off with the Chevy Trailblazer, Hyundai Kona, and Mazda CX30. The Edmunds.com driving team remarked that this year’s Soul felt “nice and spry around town”, with natural steering and excellent cornering abilities. The height-adjustable front seat and generous range of steering wheel adjustment provide enough flexibility to accommodate any size driver. One recommendation we would make to render every single trip sizzle with out-of-this-world audio would be the available Harman Kardon Stereo System, one of the finest brands on the globe to enjoy sounds with!

 

Kia Remains Victory-Prone and Valuable as Most-Awarded Brand in 2023 Consumer Guide Automotive Best Buy Awards

Repeat customers at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis now have even more reason to be excited as they scope out the model of their choice for 2023, as Consumer Guide Automotive ranked Kia as their most-awarded brand. The Soul, Seltos, Sportage, Sorento, and EV6 were all claiming champion recipients of the very prestigious Best Buy Awards. This is the ninth consecutive year that the Soul has fared as champion of the subcompact crossover category, and third year in a row for the Seltos at the top of the stack in the same segment. 

Consumers have shifted their “leaning towards spending gaze” at fully electric models, as prices at the pump and general economic uncertainty have drawn attention to petrol-free energy sources. From off-road ready SUVs to crossovers and forward-thinking EVs, Kia’s comprehensive lineup now delivers the excellent design, top-notch quality, and desired technology features that today’s savvy buyers are looking for. 

Now thriving as the most awarded brand in Consumer Guide’s 2023 Best Buy Awards marks another pivotal moment for us as we are constantly finding new ways to increase mobility and a personable, while desirable, appeal. Since 1967, Consumer Guide Automotive’s experienced editorial staff has used an in-depth evaluation process to single out the vehicles that are worth the time for serious consideration by discerning consumers. The traits examined to find the dominating models are features, performance, accommodations, fuel economy, reputation for reliability, and resale value.

Our growth as an identifiable innovator has been thrilling to be a part of, with the array of our lineup including something for everyone from the busy family on the go to the new student full of vigor and a diverse lifestyle! Every function from a sense of reasonable value to luxury driving is represented enthusiastically by Kia, as well as breathtaking examples in the corner-conquering sporty category. 

The 2023 EV6 came very efficiently roaring onto the scene with its very sleek look inside and out, offering a drive on the thrillingly invigorating side of things. Consumer Reports claimed that this is one of the best electric vehicles they have ever tested, benefiting from a nearly silent cabin and comfortable ride. Quick DC fast-charging in public venues will take the battery from 10-percent to 80 percent in just 18 minutes, which is sure to make the daily driver stand up and take drastic notice. While using the Electrify America network, you’ll nail down 60 miles of range in just 10 minutes!

The 2023 Sportage enthusiastically leads the pack as an entirely new and appealing breed of SUV. It has received wide acclaim for its confidence-inspiring layout, class-leading cargo space, and a very bold design. We personally feel that the Sportage has also won so much approval with busy families worldwide due to its many safety offerings: you are hauling your loved ones in the utmost confidence along with child door locks, child seat anchors, Stability Control, front head curtain airbag, lane departure warning system, pedestrian detection system, rear head curtain airbag, and the very useful rear-view camera.

The New Year is a fantastic opportunity for us to do more than just reflect and make resolutions: as a manufacturer and provider, we pledge to always look for sourcing the best and most Eco-conscious in power. We have been able to achieve loyalty, offer excellent features as standard on entry-level models, and build a diverse following one game-changing model at a time!

Kia Heralds the “Most Wonderful Time of Year” with Highest-Achieving Statues in J.D. Power ALG Residual Value Awards

As the year draws to a close here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, we reflect on how much we love helping people find their ideal car. This year we are also offered many opportunities to acknowledge our vehicle line’s solid achievements! Last week during the JD Power 2023 US ALG residual value awards, Kia was the brand that took home the highest number of awards. The Telluride, Sportage, K5, Soul, and Rio all allow us to celebrate the best year-over-year improvement that any mass market brand has ever achieved during this yearly evaluation.

The marketplace is now strongly acknowledging that Kia flaunts an incredibly diverse product lineup, along with longstanding residual value, making it a force to be reckoned with during the fierce competition of the current market. Value retention is a very key variable when it comes to the cost charged for a lease and is a very accurate measurement of a final product’s output for quality and design. 

The 2023 Kia Telluride won many buyers over due to its appealing features and much greater capability, while Car and Driver deemed it the “continual leader of the mid-size SUV segment.” It has received 3 straight 10 Best awards and has easily defeated competition from the likes of the Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander, and Hyundai Palisade. The X-Line and X-Pro trims both feature all-wheel drive, a greater approach and departure angle for off-road mastery, and an extra .4 inches of ground clearance to boot. 

The 2023 Kia Sportage has compellingly proven that it has what it takes to compete with others in its segment, and always does so with characteristic flair. It boasts a very attractive and tech-rich layout, and the mid-range EX hybrid offers extra value with awesome features such as the larger 12.3-inch infotainment screen, wireless smartphone charging, and heated front seats. In the spirit of the holidays and celebrating those you love, the Premium Package adds a panoramic sunroof, power liftgate, and LED interior lighting. 

The 2023 Kia K5 has been well-appreciated for its fastback looks, excellent content for the price, and top-tier GT trim laying the claim to 290 horsepower. The K5 has won over many true car connoisseurs with its distinct design that allows it to stand out in a segment populated with mediocre models, by pulling out the stops and stoking the excitement needed to be undeniably memorable. Hitting 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds, this is a very potent number that also now includes a panoramic roof with LED interior lighting and gloss-black body molding. 

The 2023 Kia Soul has the kind of quirky charm that can only come from a smaller-sized and very high-tech variation on the crossover theme. The midsize EX trim is the one highly recommended by Edmunds.com, as it provides more comfort with premium cloth upholstery and heated seats to make things higher-end inside. You’ll also be enjoying 17-inch alloy wheels, upgraded cloth seats, heated front seats and mirrors, and a sunroof. The Soul is the quintessential definition of a value-packed crossover, with all the basics and enough extra to make a compelling and practical statement!