We say The Soul looks great and is well priced, but is not engaging to drive and the interior is a letdown after the striking exterior.Performance The 126bhp 1.6 diesel beats the 124bhp 1.6 petrol on the Soul. It feels stronger, and much more flexible – offering vastly more torque at an impressive 191lb-ft.Emissions Between 137 and 153g/km is a bit high compared to rivals. 54.3mpg combined in the diesel is above average and is another reason to power your Soul with the oil-burner.Driving The Soul doesn’t stand out in terms of handling. The steering is a bit lifeless, but body roll is well contained, considering the high sides.Feel The Soul’s petrol engine is quite noisy – the diesel is quieter - and road noise tends to seep into the cabin. The Soul should be OK when cruising at motorway speeds though.Space The Soul’s boot is small for a car of its class at 340 litres – extending to 671 litres – but there’s enough room for two adults or three children in the back.Equipment All models get air conditioning, electric windows and central locking as standard. The Soul is very customisable too.Price The Kia Soul is well priced at entry-level; offers decent fuel consumption and shuld offer decent resale values.Quality Kia’s mechanicals and engines will be reliable and are backed by a seven-year warranty. Interior materials are of a fairly good standard, but again, it doesn’t really stand out. The Soul’s exterior styling is quite impressive though, in an off-the-wall sense.Safety Six airbags, ISOFIX child seat mountings and stability control are featured on all models. The Kia Soul received a maximum five stars from Euro NCAP in safety testing.Pros Good diesel engine, decent standard kit, range of safety features, stand-out styling, relatively cheap with good residuals.Cons Only two choices of engines, small boot, uninvolving drive.Alternatives Ford C-MAX, Nissan Note, Honda Jazz.
