One of the top subcompact crossovers on the market right now is the new Kia Soul 2023. The car is powerful and has a distinctive look, a dependable powertrain, and a roomy cabin. It offers two engine options and a smooth and comfortable ride. Further, the Soul has enough room for passengers and goods, thanks to its distinctive boxy design. Here is everything you need to know about the new Kia Soul.

The Kia brand
Kia Corporation, often known as Kia, is a South Korean multinational automaker. It surpassed several competitors to become South Korea’s second-largest automaker in 2019, selling more than 2.8 million vehicles. Now, it stands below its parent company, Hyundai Motor Group.

Features of the new Kia Soul
The 2023 model comes with several enhancements. Here is a quick summary of what you should know:

Engine and performance
The Soul has a 147-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine linked to a continuously variable automatic transmission and a front-wheel drive. While the handling might not be precise, it is understandable because the vehicle is not meant to take corners like a sports car. According to most buyers, the new Kia Soul is a pleasant automobile with just enough individuality to avoid being boring.

Interior and design
The Soul’s upright shape gives way to a spacious cabin with plenty of capacity for both people and freight, which means you can use the car for long-distance travel. The interior, adorned with colorful textured door panel inserts, has just the right amount of elegance to complement its stylish exterior. With its variety of interior color schemes and two-tone paint possibilities, Kia also offers owners a degree of customization. Besides the standard features inside the cabin, you can pay an additional fee and get heated seats, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, a smartphone charging pad, a head-up display, push-button start, and keyless entry.

Safety
The base LX model has several driver-assistance capabilities, but you can get more of them with the S and higher variants. You will come across safety features like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic high-beam headlights. Visit the websites of agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for more details regarding the new Kia Soul’s crash test results.

Connectivity
All the new Kia Soul trims, except the base LX, come with a sizable 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The LX has an 8.0-inch screen. You can enjoy features such as SiriusXM satellite radio, real-time traffic updates, in-dash navigation, and a wireless smartphone charging pad if you choose a model with a 10.3-inch display. Most variants come with a six-speaker stereo.

Trim levels
The more potent Turbo model and the off-road-inspired X-Line trim are no longer available, leaving only four trims in the lineup:

Soul LX
It has USB input, remote keyless entry, cloth seats, a temporary spare tire, and 16-inch steel wheels.

Soul S
The features include 16-inch alloy wheels, a ten-way power driver’s seat with two-way lumbar support, dual-zone automatic temperature control, wireless charging, and two USB chargers in the center console.

Soul GT-Line
It has a D-shaped steering wheel, 18-inch alloy wheels, and distinctive GT-Line bumpers.

Soul EX
It has 17-inch alloy wheels, heated outside mirrors, a motorized sunroof, plush fabric seats, and heated front seats.

Cost
Pricing is similar to the trims from earlier model years. Soul LX is available at $19,790, Soul S at $22,290, GT-Line at $23,390, and the most premium EX at $24,090. Most competitor cars in this segment cost a few thousand dollars more. If you choose the higher trims, such as the GT-Line and EX, you get more benefits, many of which are absent from SUVs in the market that cost twice as much. The only drawback is that not enough safety features are included as standard.