10 Things You Need to Know About the 2020 Kia Soul

2020 Kia Soul GT ・ Photo by Kia

The redesigned 2020 Kia Soul made its debut last year at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show with the same familiar styling, but with a bit of an update. It’s one of the most easily identifiable cars on the road for its boxy look, so Kia wasn’t about to give it an unrecognizable facelift.

Instead, the company tweaked the lines a bit to make the new Soul more modern and added plenty of new features that give it added appeal. There are several powertrain choices, an extensive suite of available safety features, and a range of six trims to ensure there’s the perfect Soul for every buyer. Here are 10 things to know about the 2020 Kia Soul.

1. This is the third generation of the Kia Soul.

The original Soul made its debut back in 2008 at the Paris Auto Show and started production for the 2010 model year. It entered its second generation in 2014, and the 2020 model represents the start of the third generation. A lot has changed over the decade since it first debuted, including the introduction of the Soul EV electric vehicle, but its distinctive styling remains.

It’s a standout in a growing sea of crossovers with a unique personality that is a large part of its appeal. The boxy design is also practical, making this small crossover more versatile when it comes time to pack it full of cargo and more spacious for passengers, especially those on the tall side.

Photo by Kia

2. Six trims mean there's a perfect Soul for every buyer.

There are six trims of the Kia Soul – seven if you count the fact that the top GT-Line is available with two different engines. That’s a lot of choices, which might seem confusing, but it’s a good thing. Whether you’re on a tight budget and need something more affordable or want the added performance of a turbocharged engine, there’s a Soul that’s just right for you.

Even the base model of the Soul is well equipped with standard features including automatic on/off headlights, power side mirrors, a tilt and telescopic steering column, and a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. At the top of the trim range, you’ll get additional features including a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, Harman Kardon premium audio system, chrome-tipped exhaust, and leather seating. The wide range of trims lets you pick a Soul with the personality that matches your own.

Photo by Kia

3. There's also a Soul EV.

Those who are looking to make the move to an electric vehicle have the option of the 2020 Soul EV. This year’s Soul EV gets a performance boost with 201 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque versus only 210 lb-ft of torque in the outgoing model. It also handles better thanks to new independent rear suspension.

There Soul EV has a new 64-kWh battery with a range of 243 miles, and its infotainment system is revamped to provide all the information you need to stay charged and ready. It includes notifications of battery and charging status, real-time charging station update, and scheduled charging. While the gas-powered Soul is just about to hit dealerships, the Soul EV is set to roll out sometime toward the end of the summer with no exact date yet available.

Photo by Matt Carpenter

4. It was designed to look like a boar with a backpack.

Automotive designers take their inspiration from all sorts of unlikely sources. It could be a piece of furniture, a beautiful view, or even an article of clothing that is the starting point for what eventually turns into a car or truck. When the Soul first came into being 10 years ago, the designer had a vision for creating something that looked like a boar with a backpack. That’s right, no elegantly curved piece of furniture or sweeping mountainside vista was behind this design.

Take a second and try to picture a boar with a backpack in your mind, and then open your eyes and look at the Kia Soul. It’s tall and boxy, not sleek and elegant, with aggressive styling. There’s your boar. Now look at that square roofline that lends itself perfectly to carrying cargo. That’s your backpack. It’s admittedly weird, but you can’t argue with the results.

Photo by Kia

5. It has more room for cargo.

crossovers are a great compromise for those who need extra room for cargo. When a full-size SUV is overkill, a crossover is the perfect choice. They’re more affordable, they're easier to manage on narrow city streets, and they offer the flexibility of a hatchback for loading large, bulky items. This year’s Soul is slightly is longer on the outside by 2.2 inches and has more room for cargo on the inside.

There’s a total of 23.8 cubic feet when you flip down the rear seats, which is an increase of 5.0 cubic feet over the outgoing model. The liftgate is wider, so it handles larger items, and it’s lower, which makes lifting heavy cargo less difficult. There is an easy grip handle for managing the liftgate, along with a dual-level cargo board that lets the Soul accommodate a wide variety of cargo configurations.

Photo by Kia

6. The mood lighting gets an upgrade.

There are other cars out there with ambient lighting, but the lighting in the 2020 Kia Soul is in a league of its own. The available mood lighting system features lighting on the center door panels and a 3D pattern surface on the upper door panels. Instead of simply choosing which color you want to see glowing throughout the interior, you can sync the Soul’s mood lighting to whatever music is currently playing. The idea is to create a true sensory experience that uses sound, light, and texture.

Can’t decide exactly how you want to configure everything? Don’t worry. This year, Kia added a range of selectable moods to make it quick and easy. Choose from Hey! Yo!, Party Time, Traveling, Romance, Midnight City, or Café.

Photo by Kia

7. Choose from two powertrains, including a zippy turbocharged option.

The bulk of the Kia Soul lineup comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired to either a six-speed manual transmission available in the base trim only or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that’s standard for the rest of the 2.0-liter lineup. This is a small car, so it doesn’t need outrageous horsepower numbers, but there is another option if you want a little more performance out of your Soul.

The GT-Line, which is the top trim, has the option for a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. It is also the only trim with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to further enhance its performance focus. The Soul is fun to drive with either engine, but the GT-Line delivers a sportier experience sure to put a smile on your face.

Photo by Kia

8. Fuel economy ratings make the Soul easy on your budget.

The Kia Soul gets good fuel economy ratings that make it easy to budget for gas whether this is a commuter car or something you’ll be taking on longer road trips. Equipped with a manual transmission, it gets an EPA-estimated 25 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 27 mpg combined. The 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, which comes only with an automatic transmission, gets an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined.

The best fuel economy comes from the 2.0-liter four-cylinder with the automatic transmission. It gets an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. Regardless of which Kia Soul trim you choose, it’s a fuel-efficient vehicle.

Photo by Kia

9. It has a wide range of safety features.

Safety is at the top of many shoppers' lists, and the 2020 Kia Soul offers a wider range of safety features through the available Drive Wise safety suite. Unfortunately, availability is limited, with the base LX trim not offering any Drive Wise features. The X-Line adds lane-keep assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and a rear cross-traffic alert, while the S adds forward collision avoidance, lane-change assist, and a driver attention warning.

The top GT-Line offers all those features except forward collision avoidance as an option with the base engine, while the GT-Line with the turbocharged engine makes them all standard. It also adds forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, smart cruise control, and a head-up display. It’s a great assortment of key safety features, but shoppers who go for the base model are left out.

Photo by Kia

10. Infotainment gets an upgrade.

The infotainment system in the Kia Soul is designed to keep you connected and entertained. A 7-inch color touchscreen with AM/FM/MP3, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity is standard across the lineup. There are also USB/auxiliary jacks and two 12-volt outlets. Midway through the trim range, that screen grows to 10.25 inches with the addition of HD radio, satellite radio, navigation, and wireless charging, along with two USB center console chargers and an additional 12-volt outlet in the cargo area.

A six-speaker audio system is also standard, but those who go with the turbocharged GT-Line get an upgrade with a Harman Kardon premium audio system that features a center speaker, subwoofer, and amplifier. There are also standard speaker lights on this trim, adding to the overall audio experience.

Photo by Kia