You probably know about the Kia Soul but I’m here to introduce you to the 2020 Kia Soul X-Line. But first, let me tell you why I chose to review the Soul!
There was a Kia Soul commercial years ago that showed a nice, young, urban couple loading up the back of their car with all kinds of interesting things, including an oriental rug. It was the wow, you can fit all of that into a Kia soul? theme and I wanted to be that young, urban couple antiquing on the weekends in my cool little car.
Maybe I imagined this commercial because I certainly couldn’t find it anywhere online. I could only find hamsters. Lots and lots of hamsters. But even if the commercial was imagined, it still would have made a good ad. It’s one surprisingly large and versatile cross-generational vehicle.
Side note: I’ve asked Kia before about the demographics for this car and there are no real demographics. Purchasers range from just about every demographic group out there.
With a nod to the real or imagined commercial, I wanted to spend a weekend antiquing in Pennsylvania in the Kia Soul. But my husband, who would rather work on motorcycles in the garage than go antiquing with me stayed behind and I took my 12 year old son with me for the day.
Roadtripping in the Kia Soul
For any road trip, there’s one absolute necessity… the SNACKS. So we fueled up just over the Pennsylvania line and headed into prime antique territory.
I’m lucky enough to live 45 minutes from Gettysburg where I knew there would be at least some antique shops but we ventured a little further into a town about 20 minutes away called New Oxford. I had no idea what was waiting there but it seemed like a good enough place to go.
Sure enough, we stumbled upon this place.
And this place.
These are exactly the type of locations we like. They look like big, dusty junk stores from the outside. And on the inside, you can sift through mounds of stuff to find buried treasure, usually at a good price.
So what did we end up with?
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Those are NOT antique groceries. It’s just my online grocery order I picked up on the way home because most of the antique stores were closed. (wah, wah, wah, WAH).
But that did not stop up from finding some adventure! We found the New Oxford Train Station and Museum, a once important stop along the Gettysburg Line. In fact, it was this same line that delivered Abraham Lincoln to Gettysburg where he delivered his famous address.
At this point, my always hungry child was, of course, HUNGRY so I promised him a quaint country dinner on the way home. I love to try local eating spots and for this trip, we found one of the few places still open, Rosie’s Restaurant. It’s a diner that looks like it’s been around since at least the 1960s and looked virtually untouched. (I highly recommend the onion rings!).
Then we headed back home talking about the adventure that didn’t quite turn out like the commercial (it never does) but it did give us a chance to explore more of the Kia Soul together.
About that Kia Soul
I’ll admit it. It’s a love it or hate it vehicle for one reason only. The shape.
Not into boxy designs? This car is totally not for you. Love quirky designs that are fun to drive? Read on.
The Kia Soul is available in a rather large number of trims. But you won’t find the previously offered electric version… yet. You can look for a 2020 Kia Soul EV sometime in the next year (technically “coming soon” according to Kia’s website). In the meantime, you have plenty of other options.
The 2020 Kia Soul starts at $17,490 for the LX, the lowest trim level (note: that’s actually a manual transmission for that price). For this trim and most subsequent trims, you’re still getting the same 2.0L 4 cylinder engine and the same IVT (intelligent variable transmission). So the difference is in the details.
You’ll go up in options for the S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX, and finally GT-Line Turbo, which has 1.6L Turbo-GDI 4 Cylinder engine and starts at $27,490.
I opted for the X-Line for the week and felt totally comfortable with all of the options. It included basic safety features like side airbags, side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, and traction control but it also included blind spot collision warning, rear cross-traffic collision warning, and lane change assist. These are must-haves for me these days.
In terms of appearance, the X-Line has 18″ alloy wheels (upgraded from the standard 16″ wheels). It’s got a leather steering wheel and leather wrapped shifter and woven cloth seats. But the biggest deal for me was the X-Line Exterior Body Trim Kit.
The X-Line has a different grill, roof trim, and body cladding throughout which helps break up the body-heavy styling of the Kia Soul. Unfortunately this is the only trim that offers this exterior styling.
But looks aren’t everything. And I had plenty to say about the car overall.
What I Loved About the Kia Soul X-Line
- Exterior styling. I like the boxy design. And it still pays homage to the original design while looking modern and updated.
- The cargo space. The deep pocket behind the second row is spacious for a good shopping trip and the well ensures nothing rolls around or falls over. And with the rear seat folded flat, you have a very reasonable 24.2 cubic feet.
- Plenty of head space. I’m short. I don’t need to head space but I’m conscious of those that do. This car is deceptively large on the inside.
- The price. This trim, which had almost everything I’d be happy with, came in with an MSRP of $22,615. That’s a bargain.
- The fuel economy. At 27/33 and an average of 30 mpg, you won’t be running to the pump frequently.
- It’s fun to drive! With 147 hp and 132 pound feet of torque, it’s a zippy little car that I happen to fit into very well.
What I Didn’t Love About the Kia Soul
- The engine. It’s a little sluggish at times but I may be biased because I’ve driven the Kia Soul Turbo (and loved it). For the average person, this is a fine engine. For me personally, I’d go turbo all the way.
- The trim levels. I think Kia has mixed and matched a little too much. I always like to build & price the exact model I’d buy and although I like the turbo it’s the X-Line appearance package that I’d really want.
- The colors. I love more subtle colors like the Gravity Grey I drove for a week. But if, like me, you’re interested in turbo, it only comes in two colors: Inferno Red and Neptune Blue. No thanks.
- No leather. There’s no option for leather seats in any trim level but, honestly, I found the cloth to be quite comfortable.
- More rim options, please. This is the kind of car that’s begging to be personalized and accessorized. The rims you get with your trim are the rims you get with your trim. {sad face}
- The gas mileage. Although the gas mileage is totally reasonable, a smaller vehicle like this should have the ability for better gas mileage. I guess this is where we find out that boxy designs aren’t always great for aerodynamics.
- The key fob. You guys. It uses a key. Like, an actual key. And there’s nothing wrong with that but when you’re so used to a push button start, it’s a major downer.
Overall Thoughts on the Kia Soul X-Line
It’s fun. It’s boxy. It’s inexpensive. If you’re looking for a small but versatile car that’s fun to drive, this one will turn heads and won’t break the bank. It works as a starter car for teens and college students, or small families, or commuters, or empty nesters… I can see why there’s no clear demographic for this one. It’s a solid choice for the small hatchback lover in your life!
Video Review of the 2020 Kia Soul X Line
The missing footage has been found! Here’s my full video review of the 2020 Kia Soul X Line.
