Kia Soul Electric Review

Topic: Kia Soul Electric Review

It would be a little tough to urge the top-of-the-line trim, what with it being more expensive than a fully loaded Nissan Leaf with less range. So we recommend the base EV, which isn’t lacking in features or creature comforts.

Techecar’s Kia Soul Electric Review

Overall evaluation

Whenever the Kia Soul EV was released in 2014, 100 kilometres of the electrical range was decent, but the idea of an EV being anything aside from a second or third family car appeared pretty distant. Fast-forward four decades and a whole lot of advancement in battery and recharging technology, and anything under 125 miles seem insufficient.

So while the 2019 Kia Soul EV, also equipped as it is, soldiers on for another season, it does so using one of the shortest range limits of any mass-produced electrical vehicle available today. And that’s not just comparing it to the considerably more expensive Tesla lineup. The Chevrolet Bolt and all-new Hyundai Kona Electric provide more than double the range for much more money. At the same time, the revitalized Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf offer exceptional road manners. There is even a rival within Kia’s lineup: the all-new Niro EV, which should provide about 240 kilometres of range.

But if your electric car won’t be asked to perform over local commuting and city driving, the Kia Soul EV still has a great deal to offer. The Soul’s upright, compact SUV body style offers good visibility and practicality. The journey can be enhanced within the gasoline-powered Spirit, and this will be a blessing when driving over broken city streets.

Though time and technology have marched on, the 2019 Kia Soul EV may still be worth considering.

Kia Soul EV Model Range

The 2019 Kia Soul EV is, as its name implies, the all-electric version of the Soul. Though not advertised as this type of car is comparable in size and concept to subcompact SUVs. So is the EV. There are two trim levels: the foundation EV and EV Plus (+). Both come with generous standard equipment, although the very best trim adds some luxurious extras. All use the same 30-kWh battery pack and an electrical engine that produces 109 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque.

Also standard is a rearview camera, Bluetooth, one USB port, Kia’s newest infotainment platform (Uvo 5.0) having an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio.

Exclusive to the Plus is the Sun and enjoyable bundle, which provides a panoramic sunroof, LED interior lighting and speaker lighting.

Each vehicle typically comes in several versions that are fundamentally similar.

Note: Since this test has been running since 2015, the present Soul EV has obtained some alterations, such as an increase in range and the inclusion of a conventional 8-inch centre screen and an accessible panoramic sunroof. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year’s Kia Soul EV.

Driving Experience

That’s disappointing compared to the gas-powered Spirit, which has surprisingly skilful handling, acceleration and braking. On the flip side, the Soul EV delivers quiet, torque-rich energy and aggressive regenerative braking.

Kia soul electric specs:

Acceleration

Abundant low-end torque makes the Soul EV sense spritely pulling away from a mild, yet this eagerness peters out as speeds rise. In Techecar testing, the Spirit EV coated 0-60 mph in 9.5 seconds, behind the major all-electric competitors. But aggressive regenerative braking is available, and it’s a bonus when you get used to it.

Steering

The steering response is slow without a lot of feedback irrespective of the weight dialled throughout the driver-adjustable steering system. Of Regular, Comfort and Sport settings, Sport provides the most everyday steering feel.

Handling

The EV isn’t the surprisingly keen handler that the regular Soul is. The suspension favours relaxation, limits are reduced, and grip is unimpressive. Most EV opponents, notably the Chevrolet Bolt and the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, are flatter to drive.

Drivability

Slotting the shifter to B engages aggressive regenerative braking. It seems odd at first, but you will quickly learn how to love the automobile doing a lot of the braking for you, particularly in stop-and-go traffic. The Soul EV is differently simple and easy to drive.

Comfort

Without the gasoline Soul’s raspy engine churning under the hood, the Soul EV is a quiet car to spend time in, even with the increased end noise caused by its boxy shape. Ride comfort is typical. The chairs are comfy and supportive.

Seat relaxation

The EV Plus’ company, leather-covered chairs with an elevated placement are inviting and comfortable during longer compels (limited by variety, of course). They’re better than what you’ll find in most small cars.

Ride comfort

The extra weight of the batteries, smaller wheels and enhanced tire sidewall results in a better ride than the somewhat jiggly and at times harsh ride of the gasoline-powered Soul. Ride comfort is about average for the small-EV section.

Noise & vibration

The Soul EV’s boxy form generates more wind noise than is typical, and the absence of engine noise cancelling it. You pretty much only hear the end. Still, the absence of engine noise is welcome. It has a likeable touchscreen that is relatively simple to use, in addition to easy entrance and exit. Materials quality isn’t as good as we’d like for the price, but it’s not a deal-breaker. The huge touchscreen is generally a model of simplicity for its audio controllers, with big icons and logical menus. But swiping to scroll phone numbers or monitor lists frequently leads to errant selections.

Kia soul electric price:$21,708 – $24,771 (may change)

Getting inn/getting outside

The chairs are put higher than on your average car, making climbing in and sitting down easy. You do not”fall-in” as in an automobile or”scale up” like many SUVs. There’s near-perfect step-in height. The wide door openings help as well.

Roominess

The battery positioning raises the rear floor a few inches, reducing rear legroom and relaxation compared with all the gasoline-powered Soul. However, high-mounted chairs in all places yield good room for a vehicle of this size. It is a bit larger than most subcompact SUVs.

Visibility

The boxy shape makes it simple to understand where the car’s corners are. The tall windows create the view forward clean, but thick rear-quarter pillars restrict the view whilst reversing. A rearview camera is regular on the Soul EV, along with the Plus comes with front and rear parking sensors.

Quality

We gave the normal Soul a higher score in this class for its abundant soft-touch points and above-average substances and switchgear. However, it costs less than the EV. The Soul EV is well-built, but at the purchase price range, inside quality is somewhat subpar.

Utility

Many EVs suffer a reduction in cargo space Because of Their additional batteries, but the Spirit EV does not. It lines up more with the new batch of subcompact SUVs instead of compact hatchbacks in terms of passenger and cargo space.

Tech

The Soul EV comes with an easy-to-use 8-inch touchscreen, remote vehicle controls, Wi-Fi and incorporated navigation. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and wireless charging are not available. There’s one USB port.