2010 Kia Soul AA Aut 1.6
Summary:
Great looks, nice ride
Faults:
The car is too new to have problems, the only thing is I scratched it in the parking lot, but it was fixed very well. The repair was a little bit on the expensive side, for the size of the scratch.
General Comments:
The car is great, the driving position is like an SUV, you have a commanding position from there (I was used to driving only cars). My Kia Soul has 18 inch wheels, and the ride is a little bit hard, but is acceptable.
The nice thing of the suspension is when you drive on the corners, for its height the Kia Soul is great, the ESP controls the car wonderfully, and you can take fast corners.
The electronics inside are good, although in my country, bluetooth is not an option. iPod connectivity is nice, and the sound of the stereo is good.
The inside space is generous, you'll notice when you drive other cars, the steering wheel is soft and is designed to be more comfortable than to give feedback to the driver. The space in the trunk is OK, for long travels it's adequate for two people. Mine doesn't come with the floor organizer, and I think it's better.
My Kia Soul has 1.6L engine, and works adequately, but is not a sports car. With automatic transmission, its ride is very smooth. In mountain terrain it's good, but in rough surfaces, you will notice bumps.
Now the best part its style, the Kia Soul is very different, inside the dashboard is very clean and easy to use, with the 18 inch wheels looking very handsome, and it has a very sporty look.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 7th October, 2010
1st Aug 2025, 19:45
I bought a used 2011 Kia Soul with 96k in 2025 driven in Ohio. The wheel was shaking violently. It turned out to be a problem with the rims and tires. Surprisingly, only the brake lines seem to be rusted badly. The ride is harsh due to the suspension components being a bit smaller than normal, but mostly the thin tires.
The engine is the reason you might consider buying this car. The beta 2.0 engine is long known to be reliable and go up to 200k (assuming you change the timing belt every 60-100k). The vehicle speeds past a lot of cars on the highway. It does catch more wind since it is higher profile, but you can move recliner chairs and other bigger items in it.
I have replaced the wear components like brakes, coolant lines, suspension, idle control valve, and tie rod ends. I also switched out headlamps for LED headlights to see at night. The ride is still rough and not sure that will ever change, since the Korean made sedans are mostly about performance instead of comfort. I would like to see electronic power steering in this vehicle and maybe a beefier suspension.
The speakers are riveted in place, which was totally unnecessary and makes them harder to replace. The interior electronics all function well. Electrical system in general is good. Sound proofing the interior would have helped, but I guess that is why you have the radio to tune out the engine and road noise.
And finally, the Koreans turn off the headlights off after a few minutes and all the power plugs off when vehicle is off. Why American made cars let you accidentally run down your battery by leaving all power devices on with vehicle off doesn't make much sense. I can let vehicle sit 2 weeks and still start it easily, so not much parasitic draw in this car.