We may have found a new winner for the title of the car with most features for the lowest price. The "Clear White" Kia Soul we just bought for $24,000 came with a wide range of features, including voice-activated navigation and a panoramic sunroof.
It’s not even the top model. We bought the mid-level trim Soul Plus, loaded with every available package. In particular, the $1,400 Audio Package comes with an 8-inch touch-screen navigation system with live traffic updates and lighted, thumping Beats Audio speakers. To get the Audio Package, you first have to order Kia’s UVO radio with eServices and a backup camera for a cost of $500. We also got the $3,000 Primo Package, which adds the sunroof, four heated leather seats and a heated steering wheel, cooled seats up front, fog lights, and keyless start.
All this equipment goes a long way toward making the Soul feel more mature, but no change is as immediately apparent as the interior’s newfound tranquility. The old Soul was quite loud, producing wind, road, and engine noise that sometimes drowned out quiet conversations. This new version is much quieter all around.
Despite the trimmed-down hamsters in its recent commercial, the new Soul has grown in size—about an inch each in length, width, and wheelbase. The backseat is very roomy, though the cargo area is still tiny.
One option our Soul doesn’t have is the Eco Package, which adds a start-stop system to save fuel at stoplights and low-rolling-resistance tires.
Without all the indulgent equipment, the Soul starts at as little as $15,495 with a manual transmission. Our automatic transmission added $2,000 on top of that.
We think the Soul feels sophisticated and easy to live with. We’ll let you know more when we finish testing. We’ll also see whether the luxury features win us over or whether we feel let down in the long run by this car’s soulless ride. Stay tuned.
—Eric Evarts
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