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In a world of small SUVs that look about the same, the Kia Soul stands out with its unique cube shape, solid technology, and good fuel economy.
2025 Kia Soul – kia.com | Shop 2025 Kia Soul on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2025 Kia Soul?
The Kia Soul is a vehicle that you can’t pigeonhole like you can with almost everything else on the market. Is it a small SUV, a large hatchback, or an impromptu delivery van? The 2025 model year is part of the fifth generation started way back in 2020. In spite of its vague market spot and aging platform, the Soul carries on as one of Kia’s bread and butter vehicles.
For a machine that might not last much longer past 2025, there’s a surprising amount of life and good features within the Soul’s bodywork. Let’s see how it stacks up.
Carsforsale.com Score
8.5/10
Powertrain
Score
7.5/10
Interior
Score
9/10
Technology
Score
8.5/10
Value
Score
9/10
The Breakdown
Solid Fuel Economy
Unmatched interior space
Decent features, especially at the price
Mediocre acceleration
No more EV variant
Love-it or Hate-it Style
Functional and Affordable Small SUV
2025 Kia Soul Specs
- 147 horsepower from base engine
- 132 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 4 available trims
- 24.2 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 62.1 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- 4-star crash test rating
- 10-year powertrain warranty
2025 Kia Soul Powertrain 7.5/10
The engine department is the one place Kia vehicles have yet to fully match its rivals from Japan, Europe, and the United States. As recently as 2021, a number of Souls from 2020 and 2021 were recalled for improperly treated piston rings which damaged engine internals. Well, that once-problematic two-liter, 147-horsepower engine is still kicking. Since that recall, fortunes have appeared to turn more in the two-liter Kia/Hyundai I-4 engine’s favor. No new recalls since 2021, and no discernable increase in performance either.
Even by economy-car standards, the 2025 Soul is just plain slow. Reputable reports peg the Soul’s zero-to-60 time at between eight and 8.5 seconds. By either metric, neither figure excites one bit. But anyone who buys a Soul doesn’t care how fast it goes from 0-60. From a fuel economy standpoint, it makes the “slow” stigma far easier to endure. We’re talking a combined 31 MPG out of the range-topping EX and 30 MPG out of the rest of the range.
Granted, the lack of a hybrid or PHEV option for the Soul does diminish its star power somewhat. But for a spacious runabout that starts at just a hair over twenty grand, it gains back what it loses in a lack of a fancy drivetrain in downright affordability. For what it’s worth, the fuel economy is solid for a non-hybrid these days. For some context, the Mitsubishi Mirage, America’s most fuel-efficient non-hybrid, only manages around six combined MPGs more. For a vehicle this size, that’s a statistic Kia deserves to flaunt around. Say what you will about CVT gearboxes, but they do have their uses when it comes to squeezing MPGs out of gas-powered vehicles.
2025 Soul Interior 9/10
Everything that makes the 2025 Soul iffy to look at makes it an absolute joy inside the cabin. With 41 inches of legroom up front and 38.8 inches in the rear, the Soul platform toes the line between a large hatchback and a light SUV to absolute perfection. This is evident in the 24.2 cu-ft of cargo space with the rear seats in place and a healthy 62.1 cu-ft with the seats folded down.
For most trims, shoppers have a choice of two-tone black and gray or plain black cloth upholstery with the exception of the S trim which only offers black cloth seats. An eight-way power adjustable driver seat makes its debut with the S trim, as does a wireless charging pad, and mobile app-based pre-heating and cooling via the Kia Access App.
The Soul GT-Line is the entry point for Kia’s clever SynTex vegan leather seat inserts to contrast with the surrounding cloth. The range-topping EX one-ups this with three different choices of seat color in both cloth and Syntex/cloth combos.
Regardless of the trim, you’re stuck with a six-speaker stereo system as standard equipment. That’s even true of the base LX, which could’ve easily been sold with four if Kia chose. Optionally, a ten-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with a central subwoofer and external amp can be purchased with the GT-Line and EX trims.
Only the range-topper EX trim sports a rear 12-volt rear seat USB-C port. There are absolutely better-equipped large hatchbacks and small SUVs out there for not that much more money. But we bet none of those have the complete package of a small form factor, great legroom, and awesome storage space with this level of fuel economy.
2025 Soul Technology Features 8.5/10
Of course, the larger 10.25-inch screen and, particularly, the premium stereo in the high-end trims are going to be the items that speak to you the most on first impressions. But there are still enough refinements and niceties for the money that we don’t think too many will complain about. The base trim still nets a fully digitized instrument cluster, keeping in line with moves from other brands like VW, who’ve made similar changes recently.
With Forward Collision assistance, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, lane-departure assistance, and smart cruise control, the driver assistant software package in a Soul is pretty solid for its price point to boot.
2025 Kia Soul Trims & Pricing
LX – $20,290
Proof cheap new cars are still alive and well. Pretty light on features with steel wheels and a smaller 8-inch center touch screen. Still sleek, contemporary, and well worth the money if you’re shopping for a new car.
S – $22,790
Not a bad upgrade for two grand and change. A larger 10.25-inch screen upgraded alloy wheels over steelies, and the eight-way powered driver’s seat. The S is the entry point into Kia’s Connect entertainment suite and the Kia Access companion app. Not bad for the money at all.
GT-Line – $23,790
SynTex vegan leather seat inserts and premium Harman Kardon sound system are the most prominent interior upgrade of the GT-Line trim. It’s also the host to an optional highway driving assist feature as a part of the optional GT-Line technology package. It’s all held together looks-wise with trim-exclusive 18-inch wheels.
EX – $24,590
Light sprinklings of leather, nicer, softer upholstery with multiple color options, and an electric sunroof for a premium feel. We expect the base LX model to see the bulk of sales. But for our money, the EX is the best bang for the buck.
2025 Kia Soul Overall Value 9/10
The Kia Soul has love-it-or hate-it looks; there’s no argument there. But for people who are not vain enough to buy a vehicle based on looks alone, the Soul is nothing short of a sensational value. With a ten-year powertrain warranty in tow, you’re set for the long haul, even if engine problems in Kia/Hyundai models persist.
Carsforsale.com Overall Score 8.5/10
2025 Kia Soul Exterior – kia.com | Shop 2025 Kia Soul on Carsforsale.com
Any carmaker that offers affordable new cars with great warranties and acceptable levels of features is a dub every day of the week in our book. So, while a million other Kia models under the sun get showered in praise right now, be sure to send some love the Soul’s way. That’s especially true if you’re in the market for a new car with lots of space and not a lot of size.
2025 Kia Soul FAQs
How much cargo space does the Kia Soul have?
The Kia soul has a maximum amount of 62.1 cu-feet of cargo space with the rear seats down.
Are Kia Souls AWD?
Kia Souls are only available with FWD.
Kia Souls are only available with FWD.
The Kia Soul can only tow 2,000 lbs so it’s only good for very light towing.
