Test drive Kia Soul 2022. Reviews, videos, expert opinion on
Material content
Specifications
As already noted, in its current form, the car debuted in 2018, and therefore for the past three years it has been presented in the same form. The main difference between the 2022 KIA Soul and the previous year’s model is not in a new body, but in the appearance of additional trim levels. All the details about the technical characteristics and prices of the crossover, as well as its current photos, are available in this review.
It must be said that the third generation of KIA Soul was built on the basis of a new platform, thanks to which the manufacturer managed to significantly improve the performance of the car’s suspension, and in the GT-Line version, it was also equipped with a sports chassis. In addition, the manufacturer managed to significantly increase the strength of the SUV body through the use of high-strength steel in its creation.
As standard, the KIA Soul is equipped with a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine that produces 123 horsepower. An automatic gearbox or a 6-speed manual gearbox are paired with it. To modify the GT-Line, the manufacturer offered a 1.6-liter turbo engine for 200 “horses”. In this case, a “robot” is involved as a transmission. Well, for more expensive standard equipment, the developer offers an atmospheric 2-liter engine with 150 hp. In the case of this power unit, its pair will be exclusively “automatic”. Regardless of the type of configuration, engine or transmission available, KIA Soul is a two-wheel drive crossover with a leading front axle. Fuel consumption, which is demonstrated by the available engines, is in the range from 6.9 to 8 liters, and acceleration to “hundreds” can be completed in 7.8-11.2 seconds.
In the list of the main characteristics of the car, its dimensions can be distinguished:
- Body dimensions – 4195x1800x1610 mm;
- Weight – 1330 kg;
- Center distance – 2600 mm;
- Ground clearance – 180 mm;
- The volume of the gas tank is 54 liters;
- Trunk capacity – from 364 liters;
- Number of seats in the cabin – 5.
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Safety
Despite the fact that the Korean model is not a representative of the premium segment, the safety level of the 2022 KIA Soul can be called very decent. The manufacturer has provided for the installation of a variety of assistants to reduce the risk of an accident on the road, as well as help the driver cope with a difficult situation on the road.
In addition, the compact-cross is equipped with several airbags, which minimizes damage to the health of passengers in the event of an accident on the road. KIA Soul does not take part in crash tests, so at the moment it will not be possible to say anything about assessing the level of car safety using one of the methods operating in the world.
The exterior of the Korean compact crossover
Kia Soul from the front is distinguished by a narrow strip of the radiator grille, smoothly turning into the headlights on the sides, as well as a wide air intake on the front bumper.
In the “Comfort” package and above, fog lights are installed in the front of the car, the front optics can be either halogen or LED, depending on the level of equipment.
Among other features in the exterior, the following points are also worth noting:
- all external body elements are made with galvanic treatment, so they resist corrosion well;
- in the base, the car is endowed with R16 tires on “stampings”, in the configuration one step higher – on “casting”, in an even more expensive version, R17 and R18 wheels on alloy wheels are used;
- there is no plastic body kit along the bottom of the body, but the wheel arches are indicated by semicircular protrusions on the metal;
- the rear “chopped” part ends with a sharp bevel of the tailgate, which makes the car look like a minivan;
- on the bottom there are plastic linings that protect the metal from road dirt, the fender liner is made of the same hard plastic (without felt);
- the side doors are quite heavy, so they are not “empty”, they close easily and tightly.
The hood of the car is equipped with two gas stops, a “shumka” is laid along its inside.
The rear lights have an unusual shape, which is a light frame around the trunk lid in the form of a rectangle unfinished from the bottom, there is no rear spoiler.
The Soul SK3 car has a very rich body palette, in total, Russians have a choice of 19 different colors, 15 of them are monophonic and 5 are two-color options.
Solid color list:
- Clear White (white);
- Snow White Pearl (snow white pearl);
- Silky Silver (silky silver);
- Gravity Gray (gravity gray);
- Glittering Metal (sparkling metallic);
- Aurora Black Pear (aurora black pearl);
- Cherry Black (cherry black);
- Steel Gray (steel gray);
- Undercover Green (protective green);
- Space Cadet Green (green space patrol);
- Neptune Blue (blue Neptune);
- Gravity Blue (gravitational blue);
- Inferno Red (inferno red);
- Runway Red (red podium);
- Mars Orange (orange Mars).
Two-tone options available include Clear White with a red roof (Inferno Red) and Neptune Blue, Mars Orange and Inferno Red with a black roof (Cherry Black).
Basic white and green colors are included in the cost of the car, for other metallic colors an additional charge of 10 thousand rubles is required, for combined colors – 20 thousand rubles.
In all trim levels, except for the top one, a single-flow exhaust system is installed (with one pipe on the right, brought down), and only in the maximum configuration of the GT Line a double muffler appears, but not at the edges of the bumper – both exhausts are located side by side, in the center.
Modifications and options of the current generation
Kia Soul buyers have to choose between eight trim levels: Luxe, Style, Edition Plus, Prestige, Premium, GT Line and Premium+. The cheapest option with a 123-horsepower engine and “mechanics” can also offer 6 airbags, air conditioning, power windows, power and heated mirrors, a light sensor and wheels on 16″ steel rims. The “top” level is a leather interior, a dual-zone “climate”, LED optics, heated all seats, a sunroof, an 18-inch “casting”, a powerful Harman / Kardon audio system and other “expensive” options.
Salon
Inside the new Kia Soul 2022 model year, everything corresponds to the name of the car: sincerely and harmoniously. The driver and passengers will be pleased with excellent fabrics, plastic, eco-leather and metal inserts, improved seats, as well as additional entertainment features.
Front end styling
In front of the driver is a plump steering wheel with a rim straightened at the bottom, the side spokes of which are directly full of buttons and joysticks. Immediately behind it, in the upper part of the dashboard, you can see two pretty round ones: in the left one there is a tachometer and a speedometer with an on-board computer in the middle, the same one to the right contains deflectors, a large touch screen of the entertainment system, as well as a small number of auxiliary buttons and knobs at the bottom. But the climate control unit is located a little lower, in a separate “protrusion” of the console.
There are few changes on the central tunnel: it still starts with sockets for recharging mobile devices and a large technical panel with a massive gear selector at the head. Then you can see the parking brake lever, cup holders, as well as a large armrest with an additional glove compartment in its bowels.
Seats and trunk
Despite the fact that according to the passport the car is five-seater, due to its small width it will be more convenient for four riders to be in it. Each seat will be upholstered with high-quality leather or fabric, will receive a slightly improved shape and a softer filler. As options for the front row, it is also worth noting lateral support, heating and electric position adjustment; for the rear passengers, it is possible to fold the armrest and slightly adjust the position of the backrest.
The luggage compartment of the car is frankly small: less than 370 liters. However, this figure can be more than doubled by simple manipulations with the rear sofa, which was confirmed by a test drive.
Possible configurations
The 2022 Kia Soul comes in six trim levels: LX, S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX, and Turbo. The base LX has a solid amount of infotainment technology, but it’s better to upgrade to the S level for more advanced safety features. If you are looking for a more powerful engine, you will have to choose Turbo. This is the only 2021 Kia Soul trim that offers a high-performance turbocharged powertrain. The Soul crossover is only available with front-wheel drive.
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Technical stuffing and characteristics
Recent technical changes have led to the unification of the manual transmission, so the 2022 petrol Kia Soul comes only with a CVT. As a result of restyling, the engine range was also reduced: only a 149-horsepower 2.0-liter naturally aspirated unit remained in service, and a more powerful turbo engine went down in history along with the Soul Turbo version. At the same time, security systems were improved: the auto-braking system learned to work when pedestrians appear on the path of the vehicle.