Author Topic: Kia Soul - opinions?  (Read 6324 times)

Moustachienne

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Kia Soul - opinions?
« on: June 01, 2017, 05:07:52 PM »
Anybody have good or bad experiences with the Kia Soul?  We're considering something a couple of years old (we don't care about the new turbo-charged option).

We don't drive much so the somewhat lower gas mileage isn't a big issue; has some towing capacity which we like; no AWD which i'll miss but maybe not a big deal.

Any Soul fans or critics?

Thinkum

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2017, 05:53:28 PM »
We had one as a rental for a weekend, driven a couple of hundred miles or so over freeways, highways and mountain roads. I did not like it at all. The main problem I have with these mini-SUV's is the lack of practical space. The front seats were comfortable enough, but the backseats looked to be cramped. The cargo area was really tiny and our suitcases took up most the room. These were carry-on cases, so nothing huge.

The other issue I had was visibility out of the sides and rear. It has huge C-pillars and a small rear window. Luckily it had a back up camera, because it really needed it. The other thing I did not like was the brakes at all, they lacked grip and had a long peddle feel until they engaged. The acceleration was not too good either and it makes sense since it is a bit heavy. You say MPG is not a big deal, but to me it is, whether I drive a lot or a little. It did not get great gas mileage either.

From what you're describing needing/wanting, have you looked at Rav4's, CRV's, or even Subaru's like the Forester or Legacy wagon?

scantee

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2017, 06:04:04 PM »
I like Kia Souls a lot. I don't own one but am considering it for my next car.  As a tall person with a tall family I love the way the space is laid out, with lots of head and leg room for what is a pretty small car.  Visibility in Souls is pretty good for a modern car. All new car have thicker front pillars for rollover safety and I find the ones in the Soul less distracting than in sedans with a more sloped roofs.

The Soul also gets high ratings from Car and Driver for reliability and driveability.

As you can see from the comment before mine, opinions differ on Souls! I recommend you drive one a few times and get a feel for it yourself.

MrsDinero

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2017, 06:19:31 PM »
My brother bought one 5-6 years ago and loves it.  He drives everywhere, either for work or for fun.  The car probably has about 200k miles on it and still going.

birdiegirl

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2017, 06:38:45 PM »
My husband and I both drive Kia Souls and we love them (his is 2013, mine 2014).  My husband got his a couple years ago and I hated driving it....  steering felt very loose and I just didn't like the way it handled.  When I was looking for a used car this winter, I had ruled out the Soul.  But when we went to look at the Sorrento, the sales person told me they had redesigned the Soul in 2014 and had made improvements in the suspension.  So I took it for a test drive and it felt good to me. 

I was looking for better cargo space but only need it for cargo once in a while, most of the time it's just me in the car making short trips to work, errands, etc.  The choice came to the Soul and Sorrento for me.  The Soul was more than $10K less, so it seemed like a better financial choice since I don't really need that extra SUV sized space everyday. 

I will say the back seat is a little cramped, so if you regularly have adult passengers in the back that may not be ideal.  But otherwise I've found the cargo space (with backseats folded down) to be awesome - huge improvement from the altima I had before.  It's also nice that the cargo space is higher up, so you're not having to bend down and lift things in and out of the trunk. 

Definitely worth a test drive!

lbmustache

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2017, 09:31:38 PM »
Very very reliable, especially in manual trim. This guy has only done brakes, tires and oil changes on his 150k+ Soul: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5482884-The-Kia-Soul-Experience/page10

I had one as a rental and really liked it. It's freeway manners are a bit meh but it is well-made, easy to see out of, with a ton of space inside.

BussoV6

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2017, 05:11:44 AM »
Friend of mine has one. Super reliable if you can live with the cramped back seats and cargo space. My goodness it is tiny back there.

cj25

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2017, 09:29:35 AM »
I had one as a rental while my car was in the shop and I hated it.  Maybe I'm just used to a more solid car with more power, but I hated driving it.  It felt like a rickety tin can to me. I also didn't like how it handled. But if you don't drive a lot, it may not be as big of an issue. 

wick

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2017, 09:40:08 AM »
My mother just got her second one. Needless to say she is a huge fan. The passenger space, including the rear seats, are super spacious. The trunk is a little small, though totally ample in almost all situations and of course you can always fold the seats down. Can't say about gas mileage precisely but I've heard it's good. My stepfather has a bad knee and he really likes this car because it's easy for him to get in and out of.

patchyfacialhair

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2017, 10:03:25 AM »
Hate the Kia Soul. MIL has one. I hate it when I ride in it or drive it. And, I just used one for a week on a business trip last month.

It feels unstable, you feel every single bump, the legroom is severely lacking in the back, and the blind spots are horrible. An above average breeze? You feel like you're going to fall over.

For what it's worth, I'm not a car snob. I drive an 03 Camry with a bunch of miles, and that feels positively luxurious compared to the Kia. I also used to drive a Wrangler, so I understand rough rides. The Soul just seems like the worst combination of everything.

Moustachienne

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2017, 10:41:46 AM »
From what you're describing needing/wanting, have you looked at Rav4's, CRV's, or even Subaru's like the Forester or Legacy wagon?

I like all of these models as of a few years ago, when they had bigger windows and hadn't bloated up in size.  Price point is also a consideration, even on used.  Kia Souls are way less.

Moustachienne

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2017, 10:43:16 AM »
Thanks for all replies so far!  Seems like a real love 'em or hate 'em situation.   I think we'll proceed to the test driving stage which will help rule in or out for us.

ketchup

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2017, 02:07:47 PM »
If you like how it handles/feels/etc, ~5 year old Kia/Hyundai cars are a great deal right now, as they've improved vastly in quality from back when they sucked, but the prices don't yet reflect that (they still depreciate like a rock).  Also means that they're a pretty bad buy brand new.

DrMoney

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2017, 08:57:57 AM »
I rented a Kia Soul for a weekend once, and I absolutely loved it! In terms of future car purchases, I'm hesitant to purchase one because, like you, I'm unsure of the long-term value. I've always been loyal to Toyota/Honda.

the_fella

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #14 on: June 04, 2017, 02:44:15 PM »
I recommend Toyota or Honda cars. I have a late 90s Camry and it's a solid car. I do the vast majority of maintenance myself, and I'm lucky in that parts are relatively cheap and still easy to come by. My mother used to have a 2000 Kia Sportage. It was a decent car, especially for a Korean car.

Do your homework, and check out the reliability ratings and total cost of ownership for the Soul. If it's good, go for it.

FI4good

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #15 on: June 04, 2017, 03:10:00 PM »
2010 model here.
I don't drive to test the cars limits, it's just a box to go from a-b with minimal fuss . it's quite comfy , a little noisy and the low profile wheel/tyres make the ride a bit harsh.
It's great that its so boring, people never notice it whereas my SL500 mercedes always had boy racers paying it too much attention, i don't worry about parking it anywhere or it getting stolen. 

Front wheel drive with the engine quite high up over the front wheels has meant it coped well in the flooded out roads in devon a while back and snow has been fine. 

the driving position is great and the seats are comfy i prefer sitting up rather than legs out driving position 300lb guy like me is comfy driving it and find it easy to get in and out of .

the boot is enough for a weekly shop for 2 of us.

bought with 16,000 miles on the clock now has 55,000 . a few oil changes , tyres , wipers and ball joints have been the only expenses. still has no rattles and squeaks i used to get with opel / vauxhall & fords .

Would i buy another one ? yes 

JustTrying

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #16 on: June 07, 2017, 08:09:53 PM »
If you test drove it and didn't hate it, then I've got nothing to say! I test drove one, and the driving was simply not smooth. I don't know any other way to describe it! I went with a Scion instead.

Cowardly Toaster

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Re: Kia Soul - opinions?
« Reply #17 on: June 09, 2017, 11:10:43 AM »
I'd look at the Honda Element.