Kia Soul EV Gen 2

Overview

The 2019 Kia Soul EV "Gen 2" is a funky and practical electric box on wheels, perfect for zipping around town with zero emissions! This particular version, marking the end of its generation, brought an improved battery to the party. It carved out a niche as an affordable, characterful EV. Key highlights include its distinctive styling, surprisingly spacious interior for its size, and decent urban manners. You can snag one of these cool electric Kias on the used market for around $10,499, making it a tempting entry into EV ownership.

What's New for 2019?

For 2019, the Soul EV "Gen 2" was largely a carryover from the 2018 model year, which was the real game-changer. That's when it got its bigger 30 kWh battery pack, boosting its real-world usability significantly compared to earlier Soul EVs. So, if you're eyeing a 2019 model, you're getting the best version of this generation, with that crucial extra range and the established quirky charm. No massive new tech drops for this final year, just Kia refining an already solid little electric package before the next-gen arrived.

Design & Exterior

The 2019 Soul EV "Gen 2" rocks that unmistakably boxy, upright stance that’s both cool and super practical. It stands 163 inches long, 70.9 inches wide (mirrors folded!), and 62.7 inches tall. For the EV version, Kia usually added a unique, smoother grille panel (cleverly hiding the charge ports!), distinct aero-style alloy wheels, and often some snazzy blue accents to shout about its electric heart. It’s a design that’s definitely more fun than frumpy, and it turns heads without trying too hard. A proper urban warrior!

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Hop inside the 2019 Soul EV "Gen 2" and you'll find a surprisingly airy and spacious cabin, thanks to that boxy shape. Material quality is solid for its class, often with some eco-friendly touches. Passenger comfort is pretty good, especially up front. For your stuff, you get 9.9 cubic feet in the trunk, which expands to a very usable 31.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat. No frunk here, though. Tech-wise, expect a user-friendly touchscreen infotainment system, likely Kia's UVO, rocking Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless smartphone link-up.

Performance & Driving Experience

The Soul EV "Gen 2" is surprisingly nippy around town! Its Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) churns out approximately 109 horsepower and a healthy 210 lb-ft of instant torque to the front wheels. This translates to a 0-60 mph sprint in a respectable 10.8 seconds – plenty for city cut-and-thrust. The driving experience is smooth and quiet, with a comfortable ride that soaks up urban bumps. You’ll also find adjustable regenerative braking modes, letting you tailor how much energy it claws back when you lift off the throttle. It’s an easy and enjoyable daily driver.

Range, Battery & Charging

Powering the 2019 Soul EV "Gen 2" is a 30 kWh usable battery pack. Green Cars Compare estimates a real-world range of around 111 miles, which is decent for daily commuting, and it sips juice at an efficient 3.7 mi/kWh. For charging, you've got a Type 1 (J1772) port for AC, which at its standard 6.6 kW on-board charger will get you from empty to full in about 5 hours. Need a quicker top-up? The CHAdeMO DC fast charge port can take up to 50 kW, zapping the battery to 80% in roughly 30 minutes.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

The standard 2019 Kia Soul (gas model) earned a 5-star overall rating from NHTSA and was an IIHS Top Safety Pick, indicating a robust underlying structure likely shared by the EV. Standard safety for the Soul EV "Gen 2" typically included a rearview camera and essential airbags. While some advanced driver-assistance features like Forward Collision Warning or Lane Departure Warning might have been available on select configurations, they weren't always standard fitment on base EVs of this era. It's always best to check the specific features of any used model.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

Kia's warranty coverage is a strong selling point. For the 2019 Soul EV "Gen 2," owners benefited from Kia’s impressive 10-year/100,000-mile warranty covering the battery and electric powertrain components, often including a battery capacity guarantee (typically 70%). The basic limited "bumper-to-bumper" warranty was usually 5 years/60,000 miles. Complimentary maintenance wasn't a standard offering from Kia in the US at that time. EVs generally require less maintenance than their gas counterparts, and the Soul EV is known for being a fairly dependable electric choice.