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2017 Kia Soul Turbo Road Test and Review

Carrie Kim
by Carrie Kim
May 11, 2017
5 min. Reading Time
2017 Kia Soul Turbo exterior front angle by Carrie Kim ・  Photo by Carrie Kim

2017 Kia Soul Turbo exterior front angle by Carrie Kim ・ Photo by Carrie Kim

Similar to a delicious ice cream sundae that only becomes more crave-worthy with a cherry on top, the 2017 Kia Soul is better enjoyed when paired with its all-new, turbocharged engine. We’ve sung the praises of this class-bending vehicle for years; not quite a hatchback, but much too small to be considered a traditional wagon, the Kia Soul is a great car, no matter what you want to call it.

It ticks all the boxes when it comes to price, personality, and features, but always needed justification when it came to performance. The Turbo now gives us everything we wanted in the Soul, without getting gaudy or ridiculous. As far as we’re concerned, the new Soul Turbo is the Soul to shop for, and we’ve got plenty of reasons why.

Models and Pricing

Since the Soul’s launch in 2008, it has been available in three models: the Soul base, Soul Plus (Soul+) and Soul Exclaim (Soul!). However, the new turbo model is available as an Exclaim model only. The Soul Turbo adds 40 horsepower to its 1.6-liter engine and comes with a new 7-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission. While a base Soul starts at $16,100, the top level Exclaim model is the most expensive. Our Soul! Turbo test car came well-equipped with an MSRP of $22,770 but did not feature all the bells and whistles. If we wanted to add desirable features like a panoramic sunroof, upgraded sound system, leather interior, and both heated and cooled seats, that price would easily climb closer to $30,000. You can spot a Soul! Turbo easily: the car comes with exclusive red body accents (which includes a red tailgate badge), 18-inch wheels, and dual, twin-tip chrome exhaust pipes in back. The sporty makeover certainly looks the part, but the Soul’s new image maintains its whimsical character, rather than becoming something more menacing.

 Photo by Carrie Kim

Photo by Carrie Kim

How does it drive?

Don’t mistake “turbo” for “fast” — the new Soul is quick, but it’s not dragstrip ready. Adding the turbo to the Soul’s lineup just gives it the little extra push it needed. Despite being slightly underpowered, the Soul was always easy to maneuver and fun to drive, but the new turbo engine provides the perfect amount of punch when merging onto the highway. Having the extra horses gives it a more confident feel at higher speeds and the turbo is much quieter and more refined than the standard engine. The turbo isn’t over-the-top in any way, it just solved the only gripe we’ve ever had about the car.

 Photo by Kia

Photo by Kia

Does it get good gas mileage?

As you’d expect, the Kia Soul gets great gas mileage. Sure, it’s a small, compact vehicle, but it’s not exactly “aerodynamic.” The Soul Turbo averages about 28 mpg in combined city and highway driving, and get this — it has an extra 1 mpg combined average than either of the non-turbo engines! Perhaps this seems counter-intuitive, but just consider it an easy way to justify your upgrade to the Turbo model. Even better, the Soul leads its class when it comes fuel efficiency; the cutesy, mini-sized Jeep Renegade averages 26 mpg combined, and the iconic Scion xB (RIP) earned about 24 mpg. With the Soul’s 14-gallon tank, we were able to fill up for about $40 in Los Angeles — and stay away from the gas station for the week.

 Photo by Carrie Kim

Photo by Carrie Kim

Staying inside the box.

The boxy shape of the Kia Soul is yet another of the car’s best qualities. The boxtop makes the inside of the Soul seem much larger inside than it would appear from the outside — all head room anxieties disappear with ample airy open space, and plenty of extra wiggle room is available for legs and shoulders, too. The Soul’s cargo area might look a little meager, but its clever under-floor storage adds a lot of versatility when it comes to packing it in. We stored our usual trunk stash (reusable shopping bags, umbrella, spare jacket and first aid kit) in the storage bins below the cargo area floor to maximize space. A double-jogging stroller definitely wouldn’t fit in back, but an umbrella stroller and several bags of groceries would do just fine. We even fit a pair of suitcases in back for a weekend trip with room to spare. But that being said, manage expectations — the Soul is a compact car; you’ll need to decide ahead of time if you want it to act as a people-mover or a cargo van — it’s capable of being either, but not both at once.

 Photo by Carrie Kim

Photo by Carrie Kim

Tech Highlights

One of the things we love most about Kia is the bang for the buck you get when it comes to tech inside the car. Of course, the Kia Soul! is ready to play nice with your smartphone and offers both Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility, but we happen to think Kia’s infotainment suite, UVO, is quite impressive as well. UVO offers everything from local internet searches in the car via Google to roadside assistance in case of emergency. The system can help you remember where you parked your car or remind you to set up a service appointment. Of course, UVO now is enhanced when paired with the app available for your smartphone. There are many similar services out there, but we happen to think Kia's is one of the easiest to use. Especially at this price point, we think the Soul has a lot to offer shoppers who value staying connected — even when on the road.

 Photo by Carrie Kim

Photo by Carrie Kim

Is the Soul family friendly?

Again, don’t make the mistake of disqualifying the Soul for family duty because of its compact classification and petite stature. The Kia Soul up for the job for many reasons. Parents will appreciate its budget-friendly price tag, revel in its low ride height (which helps the kids get in and out of it independently), and enjoy the ease in which its wide door openings make loading kids into car seats less taxing. The interior is durable and will hold up to the wear-and-tear that smaller passengers will inflict upon it.

A family of four would be quite comfortable in the Soul, with room to grow — but for optimal comfort, we highly recommend waiting until the kids have grown out of their rear-facing safety seats.

 Photo by Carrie Kim

Photo by Carrie Kim

Safety Standouts

The Soul is well armed when it comes to safety, and any concerns about how this compact box-on-wheels could hold up in the worst-case scenario can be easily quelled. In addition to having modern driver assistance safety systems like vehicle stability management, traction control, and braking assist, the Soul has two advanced airbags in front, along with an additional pair mounted on the sides of the front seats. Additionally, there are full-length side curtain airbags that extend from front to back on each side as well. For further peace of mind, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded top scores in all crashworthiness tests performed on the Soul.

 Photo by Kia

Photo by Kia

Soul Versus the Competition

So what exactly is the Soul’s competition? The obvious contenders would be the Scion xB and the Nissan Cube, but both were discontinued and can no longer be purchased new. The Jeep Renegade shares a similar body style, but it’s much more of a mini off-road superstar than boxy urban cruiser like the Soul. And newer, subcompact SUVs like the Honda HR-V and Nissan Juke are close relatives, but considerably different kinds of vehicles. We’d say a close cross shop would be the new Toyota C-HR, which also has a small frame, stylish looks, and an urban vibe, but comes nowhere close to offering the kinds of features that the Soul offers. The Soul is really in a class of its own.

 Photo by Carrie Kim

Photo by Carrie Kim

Final Thoughts

The Kia Soul is a smart purchase for just about anyone looking for a fuel-efficient and practical ride, and the new Turbo only makes a great car better. Versatile, handsome and easy to handle, the Soul can appeal just as much to a young single person as it can to a small family of four. Packed with lots of style and technology at a relatively low price point, there are plenty of reasons to consider the Soul Turbo if you're looking for a compact car.

 Photo by Carrie Kim

Photo by Carrie Kim


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