Video Summary
Findings from the review:- The Kia Soul EV is a good previous-generation car.
- It has a pretty big battery pack compared to its consumption.
- It's one of the last old-generation cars.
- It stands out with a good range, although it's not the prettiest car, being big and bulky.
- This size is useful for hauling items.
- The car fits three sets of winter tires, Nissan Leaf wheels, a large speaker, and banana boxes.
- The cargo area is shorter than an E-Golf, very compact but with lots of space, and the head room is amazing.
- Okay equipment includes regular cruise control, ventilated front seats, and heated front and rear seats.
- The battery has 27 kWh available energy.
- The consumption on the trip was 241 Wh/km, at an average speed of 96 kph.
- A full charge may not output a total of 27 kWh of energy.
- At the DC fast charger in Espa, it reached 81% charge level in 31 minutes
- The interior has some weird design features (eg. placement of the tweeters), but the reviewer loves the soft fake leather on the doors.
- It features automatic shut off with fast charging at 83%
- Some hardware and software is shared with Hyundai Ioniq.
- The review does not recommend to use the panoramic roof in winter, due to noise and cold.
- The steering wheel isn't that thick but provides enough wheel options
- Its range compares favorably to other older-generation EVs
- Its biggest drawback is a higher energy usage than other models
- The reviewer likes its combination of high headroom and comfortable ride,
- The drive and steering is more comfort-oriented than “sporty” and its side-support is only okay.
In short, the Kia Soul EV is a practical, comfortable and safe-handling small car, but the reviewer recommends the more modern Hyundai Ioniq as a better alternative, given its better specs in a comparable price segment. He appreciates the cargo room and quiet interior but finds the dated design overall to be only decent.
