Road Test: Soul 1.6 CRDi STREET Manual

Its HIP2B² in the KIA SOUL

The compact KIA Soul Crossover/SUV has been in production since 2009. The enhanced second-generation model made its way to South Africa in May 2017, and we got to test it this month.

My immediate thought upon seeing it, was “it’s HIP2B²”. I signed for the car and walked back into the office saying that phrase, and my co-workers just stared dryly at me. For those who are confused, HIP2B² was an initiative sparked by entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth after his ‘First African in Space’ venture in 2002. The campaign was used to promote the study of mathematics, science and technology.

That aside, the term just caught on to other square/boxy items. A bit clichéd I know, however, square things can be cool too and there’s more to its four sides than meets the eye. Upon writing this, I just discovered that KIA SA is also making use of that same concept, ‘Hip to be Square,’ for its Soul campaign.

Driving the KIA Soul

The KIA Soul is a fun and practical car to drive in and out of the city. A new turbo diesel-powered entry-level model was introduced here and is what we had on test. It’s the 1.6 CRDi STREET which puts out 94 kW of power at 4,000 r/min and 260 Nm of torque between 1,900 and 2,750 r/min.

There’s a significant boost in performance that comes through in this new model. It’s quite zippy at low and medium revs, so there’s no need to rev it hard. You also don’t need to make so many gear changes in order to keep up in traffic. The engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission and there is no automatic gearbox available.

Its firm suspension, however, is not a friend to speed bumps. You feel every jolt but at least it settles quickly once passed over.

The manual gearshift is smooth and there’s no hassle driving it in stop/go traffic. The car can be a bit grumbly, but refinement in the cabin is good.

Design, Styling and Interior

Much like the Nissan Juke, the Soul’s exterior design is what makes it memorable. In America, university students apparently love the cool boxy look while in the UK, the Soul’s interior practicality is more of a winning factor.

From the driver’s eye, the steering wheel, centre console and instrumental panel may appear a little busy. Conversely, it’s a sensible layout with a lot of oval-shaped design elements in the cabin. Everything is in good reach of the driver and the infotainment interface is user-friendly. The 7” colour touchscreen system is clear and responsive.

Connectivity with your phone is relatively simple too. But the annoying thing with the Bluetooth is if you make a quick stop and get out with your phone, you have to reconnect it - it doesn’t connect automatically. On the plus side, the system is compatible with both Apple and Android.

The STREET model comes with a black leather interior and it’s especially convenient to clean if you have kids in and out of the car. On the topic of Afronaut Mark Shuttleworth, the vents in the car looked like spaceships hovering (see the images and let us know if you agree, or maybe it’s just me).

Space and Practicality

Build quality has a solid feel to it. There is enough stowage space around the cabin for keys, phones and other little items. Seats are quite comfortable too, and the car would be ideal fora long-distance family road-trip. There is generous head and legroom, even for a tall person.

The one gripe you’ll have with the Soul is the boot space – it really is not that great at 354 litres. Good enough for a shopping spree – tried and tested, but for a family trip I’m not too sure. The Suzuki Vitara offers 375 litres, but the Renault Captur boot space still reigns with 377 litres. The rear seats allow for 60/40 split-folding and the driver’s seat is adjustable.

Verdict

 KIA has a good offering with the Soul. It’s good value for money with the spec on offer. The Captur sells for almost R70,000 less while the Vitara is a few grand less. But with the Soul, there’s more power, torque, and a bigger fuel tank. It also stands taller, allowing for more cabin space. KIA’s service plan covers 4 years /90,000km, which is more than the 4-year/60,000km for the Vitara and the 3-year/45,000 service plan for Renault. The Soul drives well and steering effort feels right at any speed. It also offers the right amount of comfort and practicality.

 Model tested:

Kia Soul 1.6 CRDi STREET Manual                    R 376,995