Skip advert
Advertisement

Kia Soul gets a refresh

Kia's funky Soul SUV-style supermini gets new looks and a pokier petrol engine

Kia’s funky Soul has been given some mid-life fettling. Top billing goes to new engine choices, which boost both performance and economy. There’s a new direct injection 1.6-litre petrol engine, which develops 138bhp and 122lb ft, up by 14bhp and 7lb ft compared to the outgoing 1.6. It cuts the 0-60mph time to a nice round 10.0sec while the top speed is a modest 112mph. The sensible numbers are 44.1mpg fuel economy and 149g/km of CO2 emissions. You can pick a diesel, too, with Kia offering a tweaked 1.6-litre CRDi unit combining 126bhp/192lb ft and 10.3sec/112mph performance with 57.6mpg/129g/km. Both engines get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard (replacing the old five-speeder) while the diesel gets the option of a new six-speed automatic, though this slices fuel economy by nearly 10mpg. Cosmetic changes to the Soul are few, such is the appeal of its looks to most buyers, the facelift limited to mildly fettled lights, grilles and wheels. There’s some new electronic acronyms to learn too, in the form of VSM (Vehicle Stability Management), which utilises the ESP to give some extra assistance in icy and slippery conditions, and HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), which does as it says on the equipment list. Prices kick off at £12,495 for the entry-level 1.6 petrol, rising to £17,795 for a specced-up auto. Read our Kia Soul review and see a picture gallery here

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The most extreme Porsche 911 we’ve ever seen spied – a GT2 RS or something more?
Porsche mule Nürburgring
News

The most extreme Porsche 911 we’ve ever seen spied – a GT2 RS or something more?

Wild 911 prototype is much wider with a reprofiled rear end, pointing to a GT2 RS-flavoured model in the works
14 May 2025
Caterham Seven evo25 Fast Fleet test – living with a track car for the road
Caterham Seven evo25
Long term tests

Caterham Seven evo25 Fast Fleet test – living with a track car for the road

25 years of evo, 50 years of Caterham – the perfect excuse to create a unique Seven to celebrate both brands’ milestones. So how did we spec it, and d…
13 May 2025
Why I can't stand Cars & Coffee, even as a caffeine addict
Cars and coffee
Opinion

Why I can't stand Cars & Coffee, even as a caffeine addict

They’re all the rage, but Cars & Coffee meets aren’t Meaden’s cup of tea
1 May 2025