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After 7 years and two updates, the Kia Soul is in a class of its own. Boxy competitors like the Scion xB and Nissan Cube are dead, and although the car was refreshed for 2017, only the most devoted Kia enthusiast could spot the differences. The Soul lineup does add a new trim for 2017, and it’s called the ! (Kia says it’s pronounced “Exclaim”). That’s the car I reviewed and the most powerful Soul ever made, because Kia turbocharged the entry-level engine, upping the horsepower to 201—and the price to at least $22,600.

Still, no matter how pleasant it is, the Soul fails to excel in any particular category. For instance, Kia calls it a crossover, but all-wheel drive (AWD) isn’t on the Soul’s long list of potential options. And it has a decent amount of front and rear legroom, but the shorter and narrower Honda Fit has 3.2 more cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded than the Soul. The Soul is also lacking when it comes to fuel efficiency. I averaged just under 25 mpg in a week of combined city and highway driving, which isn’t great for such a small car.

But who cares? The Soul isn’t supposed to be a sports car. It’s supposed to be a car that toes the line between fun and practical—and it’s fine at that. Read more on CarGurus: https://cargur.us/dPkH2

** CarGurus' reviewer inaccurately quoted the price of the automatic transmission for the base trim of the 2017 Kia Soul as $1,500 in this video. The correct price is $1,600. **

Presenter: Keith Barry
Producer: Andrew Zubatkin

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