The Soul is Kia's take on the boxy mini-wagon popularized by Scion. Like its Japanese competitors, the Scion xB, and Nissan Cube, the Soul offers ample interior room and fuel efficiency at an attractive price. Kia sells the Soul in three trim levels ranging in price from around $14,000. The base model is powered by a 1.6L inline-4. All other models receive a larger 2.0L engine. Intending the Soul to be a style leader, each version of the Soul features distinctive trim and color schemes including brightly colored and patterned interiors. The Soul offers an ECO package with the start/stop feature for improved fuel economy.

What Changed:

The Soul benefits from a number of updates for 2012. The main difference on the exterior are the updated front fascia, rear fascia and hood. Other exterior changes include revised headlamps/taillamps and new wheel designs. Interior changes include an updated center stack and gear shift design. Updated 1.6l and 2.0l four cylinder engines have more power. An optional ECO package adds low rolling resistance tires and start/stop functionality.