![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() On the other hand, characterful interiors can also be ergonomically challenging (see Mini), and like other Kias, the Soul impresses with simple and easily reached controls - including the standard seven-inch touchscreen. It certainly funks things up a bit with triangular patterns in the doors, a squircle-shaped center infotainment pod and tweeters nestled into triangular air vents, but apart from the pricey GT-Line (see the red trim above), it's all rendered in various shades of black or dark grey, effectively hiding them in a colorless, drab interior. What's the interior and in-car technology like? It's a shame that Kia didn't make the interior as fun and characterful as the exterior. Importantly, fuel economy has improved across the board, in part thanks to a new CVT transmission. The 2020 Soul also introduces two new models: the more rugged-ish, crossover-like Soul X-Line, and the sporty GT-Line, which is the only way to get the powerful turbocharged engine upgrade. However, its styling has been reworked (note the wraparound LED taillights, the Kia grille that's been grossly enlarged and moved to the lower bumper, and the thin slit of lighting above) and the cabin features a new, more cohesive design that seems to wrap behind the dashboard from door to door (it's very Jaguar). Its trademark proportions have been maintained, and apart from more cargo capacity and a few extra inches in overall length, its dimensions inside and out are consistent. What's new for 2020? The Soul is all-new and represents the third-generation model, but it follows the same successful formula as its predecessors. A lack of all-wheel drive may be a detriment to some buyers, but it's also no longer alone in that regard. Today, the subcompact crossover segment has effectively been built up around it, yet despite this competition, it remains one of the most characterful and well-rounded choices. Now in its third generation, the Soul was once a boxy oddball with few, if any, apples-to-apples competitors. I think the funky front-end lighting (on this trim level, the headlights live in the lower light boxes, while the thin upper lights are the fog lights and turn signals) manages to pull off the visual impact of the now-defunct Nissan Juke without skewing weird, and the plastic body cladding is tastefully applied.The 2020 Kia Soul finds itself at the heart of the growing subcompact crossover segment, offering a compelling blend of space, value and style. Either way, I really like the X-Line's chunky, rugged urban assault vehicle appearance, which looks great paired with the Undercover Green paint exclusive to the X-Line and EX trims. That means a smooth 147-hp 2.0-liter four and CVT, no extra ground clearance, and-in case you needed reminding-no all-wheel drive. In reality, the X-Line is mechanically identical to other non-GT-Line Souls. Keep in mind that the Soul remains strictly front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive isn't offered), despite its substantial ground clearance and tall, boxy body tastefully clad in tough-looking plastic cladding. Swipe on for the builds:Īlexander Stoklosa: This X-Line is Kia's first overture to customers and critics who don't consider the Soul "crossover-ish" enough. Naturally, this variety of, ahem, soul has our staff split on which Soul is the right one to buy, so instead of our normal How We'd Spec It format highlighting a single version, we've broken out the three primary Soul variants and the reasons why different members of our staff rallied behind each one. The only variations to that package include the base model's standard six-speed manual transmission and the GT-Line's optional 201-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. (And we're not even including the forthcoming all-electric Soul EV!) With their unique visual personalities, all three present compelling reasons to why buyers should pick them, even though mechanically most Souls are identical down to their 147-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines and continuously variable automatic (CVT) transmissions. Kia has split the 2020 Soul lineup into three distinct flavors, starting with what can be described as "normal" Souls (the base LX, S, and EX trims), the new X-Line pseudo-SUV variant (see our full test of that version here), and the sporty GT Line. Except that picking one version to highlight is very difficult. Kia's all-new 2020 Soul is here, and that means it's time for us to tell you which version to buy with a How We'd Spec It piece.
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