The facelifted third-gen Kia Soul didn’t make it to our best small crossovers list for 2023, but there’s a catch. The Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos made the grade, and both share underpinnings with Kia’s quirky mini SUV. However, we did recommend the Kia Soul on our list of the best used small SUVs for being affordable, fun-to-drive, and feature-packed.
As it turns out, the 2024 Kia Soul is no different and still delivers a comprehensive level of comfort, convenience, and safety features at a genuinely affordable price.
2024 Kia Soul: What’s New?
The Kia Soul made its U.S. debut in 2010 as a small and boxy SUV reminiscent of the discontinued Toyota/Scion xB. The second-gen Soul that arrived in 2014 had new underpinnings with a lengthier wheelbase and a wider stance. However, the third-gen Soul Kia introduced in 2020 had a significant redesign that harked back to parent company Hyundai’s “robotized” design idiom as seen in the new Sonata.
For 2024, the Kia Soul remains essentially unchanged from its 2023 facelift, except for a new EX Designer Package that features cloth/faux leather upholstery, custom 18-inch alloy wheels, and a unique interior color package. Meanwhile, variants with the smart key now have a sleep mode that activates 40 seconds after locking the vehicle, helping thwart hackers (remember the notorious Kia Boys?) from duplicating the key’s frequency.
Powertrain & Fuel Economy
We’d be lying if we said we don’t miss the Soul’s punchy turbo engine (Kia discontinued the turbo engine following the 2022 model). But then again, the third-gen Soul’s standard (and only) engine, a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder, has 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft. of torque while returning an EPA-estimated 27 in the city, 33 on the highway, and 30 combined.
The 2024 Kia Soul has a front-wheel drivetrain and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). All-wheel drive is not available. If you need a Kia with all-wheel drive, the next best thing is the Hyundai Kona or Kia Seltos.
Plentiful Safety Technologies
The 2024 Kia Soul has a remarkable list of standard driving aids that belie its sub-$22k base price. All Kia Souls have forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, driver attention warning, rear occupant alert, and automatic high beams. Other trim models have blind spot collision avoidance, lane changing assist, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance.
2024 Kia Soul: Trim Levels & Pricing
The 2024 Kia Soul has four trim models: LX, S, GT-Line, and EX. Below is a breakdown of each Soul variant’s standard features and starting MSRP. The pricing information includes the $1,325 destination fee. If you have questions about new vehicle financing, this auto loans 101 guide will point you in the right direction.
Soul LX
The base LX starts at $21,315. It has a digital instrument cluster, an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, a six-speaker audio system, smartphone connectivity, automatic headlights, 16-inch steel wheels, and remote keyless entry.
Soul S
The S starts at $23,815. It has all the standard features from the base LX but has nice upgrades like 16-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, a power driver’s seat, two USB ports, push-button start, and a smart key.
Soul GT-Line
The GT-Line has a $24,915 base price. The “grand touring” label starts with bigger 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in lower-profile tires, foglights, body-color side mirrors with turn signals, faux leather and cloth seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, unique front and rear bumpers, and a chrome center exhaust tip, to mention a few.
Soul EX
The top-of-the-line EX starts at $25,615. It gets a sunroof, heated front seats, heated mirrors, a leather steering wheel and shift knob, bespoke cloth upholstery, a privacy cover for the cargo area, and more.
Kia Warranty
All Kia Souls have a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Moreover, all new Kia vehicles come with a five-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan. If you need additional coverage beyond that, options are available to extend the warranty on any Kia vehicle, including the Soul.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Kia Motors America.
