How much is your used Kia Soul worth?

By Martin Pretorius

Looking for all the world like a tall-riding, boxy SUV-ish compact hatch, the Kia Soul defied boundaries when it was first introduced. But, with its practical nature and funky detailing all round, it soon gained its own fan base. While it’s no longer available new (in South Africa), a used Soul remains an enticing proposition for someone who’s looking for something different. If you have one or want to buy one, here’s what you’ll need to shell out for some of that chunky goodness.

 

First Generation

This is the Soul which first rocked the motoring world between 2009 and 2014 (although it only arrived in South Africa in 2010). Various derivatives were available, all with front-wheel drive, but with a choice of three engines and either manual- or automatic gearboxes, and in different trim levels.

First up, the diesel: There are currently only two of these listed on AutoTrader, so it’s a fair guess to say that it wasn’t all that popular when new. This is strange, because it was a perky thing, with 96 kW and 260 Nm on offer from its 1.6-litre CRDi mill, and frugal too, with a claimed average fuel consumption of only 5.2 litres/100 km. The diesel Soul was always somewhat on the pricey side, though, which makes our cheapest example a bit of a bargain: only 82 000 km on the clock, and listing at only R89 000, it looks like a great deal. Even the more-expensive one is still very reasonably priced at R108 900, on account of its high specification level.

The 2.0-litre petrol had a fair bit more poke under the bonnet, with 116 kW and 192 Nm sent into 6-speed gearboxes in either manual- or automatic flavours. Claimed average consumption vary between 7.1- and 7.5 litres/100 km, but real-world consumption is more likely to hover around the 9.0 litres/100 km mark on account of that boxy shape and tall profile. Prices run between R139 900 and R159 900 for these early 2.0-litre examples, depending on mileage and year model.

Forming the entry point to the range, the 1.6-litre petrol offered a lot less power than its siblings, with only 91 kW and 152 Nm, sent to the wheels through 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearboxes. Claimed average fuel consumption ranged between 6.5- and 7.5 litres/100 km, but again, real-world figures will be closer to the 9 litres/100 km mark. Prices vary quite widely, depending on transmission choice, mileage, year model and trim level (high-spec cars are worth a little more), with older cars starting at R89 500, and low-mileage, late-model cars topping out around the R150 000 mark.

 

Second generation

While it was a complete redesign, the second-generation Soul (2014-2018) still shared a lot of DNA with its predecessor, and offered the same boxy practicality and an individualistic cabin treatment. Drivetrain- and trim packages also mirrored those of the first-generation car, to go with its evolutionary styling.

Diesel variants again offered the 1.6-litre CRDi engine, this time with 94 kW and 260 Nm, but the big news was the arrival of a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission as an alternative to the 6-speed manual gearbox. Average claimed fuel consumption varied between 5.2- and 6.2 litres/100 km (with the automatic being the thirstier of the two), and real-world figures didn’t deviate much from these claims. Second-generation diesels were a lot more popular, leading to a wide selection of listed examples on AutoTrader’s website. Pricing ranges between R219 900 and R299 900, with later-model, low-mileage cars in high-level trim achieving the higher resale values.

2.0-litre petrols probably offered the best combination of value and performance when new, so it’s surprising to see that so few are up for sale these days. The engine- and consumption figures are similar to those of the older model, with 116 kW, 192 Nm, and a claimed average consumption of 7.5 litres/100 km – again, real-world figures will be closer to the 9 litres/100 km mark. Expect to pay between R199 900 and R230 000 for a nice, low-mileage example.

As the range-opener, the 1.6-litre petrol variants are also the least expensive on the used market. With 91 kW and 152 Nm on tap, the 1.6 petrol Souls aren’t fireballs by any means, although manual derivatives finally upgraded to a 6-speed gearbox. Average claimed consumption varies between 7.5- and 7.9 litres/100, but normal driving should see figures closer to those of the 2.0-litre petrol. They are a lot cheaper to buy, though, with prices starting at R149 600 for older cars and maxing out at R315 995 for a nearly-new, late-model example.

 

Looking at them from a buyer’s perspective, the two best buys (from either generation) are the 2.0-litre petrol or 1.6-litre diesel variants, both with manual transmissions. Reasonable power, fair purchase prices, loads of practicality and a dollop of character may one day make these Kias cult favourites, but for the moment, they’re just generally smart used purchase options. You can also find average values with our website’s “What’s it Worth” application, to get an idea of general ball-park figures.