Video Summary
The Kia Soul EV has a polarizing design but offers a long 280-mile range, rivalling more expensive EVs. It’s priced from under £34,500. Alternatives like the Nissan Leaf and MG ZS EV don’t go as far on a single charge. The Soul EV’s range comes from the same 64 kWh battery as the Kia e-Niro.The car gets a Type 2 and CCS socket for public charging, where it can achieve a 20-80% charge in around 45 minutes at 77kW. Charging at home with a wall box takes 9 hours and costs about £9. Kia offers off-peak charging settings and a free phone app for remote control. All necessary charging cables are provided. The car comes with a 7-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
In real-world testing, the car achieved 3.5 miles per kWh, translating to around 230 miles of range in varied conditions. Efficiency is a strength of Kia and Hyundai’s EVs.
The Soul EV is fun to drive and has 201 brake horsepower. Kia’s brake regeneration system has three levels and an automatic setting that uses radar to maintain distance from the car in front. As standard, it features Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Keep Assist, and Rear Traffic Cross Assist.
The review car is the First Edition trim, well-equipped with a 10-inch color touchscreen, digital radio, USB inputs, a Harman Kardon sound system, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The boot has 315 liters, which may be short for chunkier buggies. There’s space under the floor for storing cables. Rear passenger space is ample, enough for adults.
The Kia Soul EV is a complete package and easy to drive, but finance deals could be improved. It's available in three exterior colors.
