Under the hood of the X-line is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that produces a decent 147 horsepower and down to the front wheels via an intelligent variable transmission. This doesn’t sound like much, but with this size car and the ability of these new variable transmissions, the power is applied really smoothly and without much drama.
I’ll be the first to tell you, I was never a fan of the Soul from Kia and its boxy shape. But the Soul keeps gaining momentum, and the newest version is pretty neat.
You can get the Soul in several different trim levels and even with a turbo engine. This week, we’ll look at the 2020 Kia Soul X-Line.
Under the hood of the X-line is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that produces a decent 147 horsepower and down to the front wheels via an intelligent variable transmission. This doesn’t sound like much, but with this size car and the ability of these new variable transmissions, the power is applied really smoothly and without much drama.
It’s not super quick, it doesn’t have the turbo engine but it’s pleasant for most situations. You can shift into a manual mode on the gear selector, which is pretty fun on country roads.
On the outside, the Soul has polarizing style. I’m a dad with three small kiddos, so I’m not particularly fond of a small, boxy commuter, but kids who saw it liked it. My 12-year-old niece thought it was a pretty neat-looking car and liked the interior.
With that said, looking at it from a car critic’s perspective, the proportions are well done and the top-of-the-line trim level is really sharp with LED touches and nice wheels.
The X-line that I had for a week is based on an “off-road,” with black plastic body trim pieces and a unique wheel design. I do love how the front end is upright, aggressive and has a facial design with marker lights up top, large headlamps in the middle and spot fog lights in the front grill. Follow the straight roofline to the rear, and you’ll find tall tail lamps that flow into the rear tailgate that connects the muted bumper.
Interior design is another area that’s really upgraded with cool materials, feel and usability. The dash is centered by a touch screen that allows you to select all systems in the car. Below are dedicated HVAC buttons but not dual climate. The gear selector is after that with a side button design. There’s also a proper emergency brake as you would find on older cars.
The driver’s instrument cluster is driver focused and contains a digital display in the center that lets you toggle through features. I like the smooth steering wheel with a silver plastic bottom accent.
The door panels have unique design with LED mood lighting that will illuminate the top panel, an LED rim of light below the handle and wheel wells with similar light. The diamond plate door panel helps spread the light in a really unique way. Cool features like that make it a great first-time driver car.
Seating is another area that is notable. It’s not a minivan, but my family of kids was able to sit fairly comfortably and my daughter’s LATCH seat was easily secured.
Trunk space is another plus and able to hold a decent amount of sports equipment or shopping trips.
On road, the Soul has the feel of a compact car. The steering is fairly direct, and the suspension is a bit rigid. It is really easy to navigate through town roads and small parking lots. Parking is a breeze and even easier with the backup camera.
Overall, the X-line Soul is really comfortable and has its good features. It’s quiet on the highway and holds its speed pretty well. I find it to be a really good starter car for teens heading into driving. It’s also got a IIHS Top Safety pick and a Iso-Structure to protect the occupants inside. Worth a look if you have a new driver.
Kia claims 30 mpg estimated average mileage, and I was able to maintain similar numbers during my road test. Starting MSRP for the Kia Soul X-line is $21,490.
Will Chamberlain is a local freelance automotive journalist and full-time Realtor with eXp Realty in Beaver. He can be reached at bill.chamberlain@icloud.com.
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