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Photo of a Kia Soul

Kia Soul

The box that became Korea's first Red Dot-winning car.12

Researched October 30, 2026 from 29 sources

At a glance

0150300
109–201 hpPower
07.515
6.3–11.6 s0–60 mph
0125250
145–206 km/hTop speed
0200400
156–395 N·mTorque
01,0002,000
1,170–1,757 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.1678101314

Engine
1.6/2.0 L gas I4s, 1.6 turbo; 1.6 L CRDi diesel I4; electric motors189
Layout
Front engine or EV motor; front-wheel drive16
Gearbox
5/6-speed manual; 4/6-speed auto; IVT; 7-speed dual-clutch; EV single-speed1468
Built at
Gwangju Plant, South Korea (first gen; 2020 Soul EV)19

The story

Built to woo young North American buyers, the Soul made space with a tall, five-seat body. It became a symbol of Design Kia and sold 500,000 there in five years and four months.12

2006: Detroit debut, inspired by a boar20062008: The production Soul bows in Paris20082012: 138/164 hp and six-speed gearboxes20122013: Second generation gains 29% more rigidity20132014: 109 hp and a plug for the Soul20142017: Turbo Exclaim reaches 201 hp20172018: Third generation brings a 64-kWh EV20182023: Facelift retires X-Line and Turbo20232025: Three generations end in 20252025 Kia Soul Concept: 2006Kia Soul (second generation): 2014–2019 20062008201020122014201620182020202220242026
GenerationsBefore and afterMilestones14521
Show the numbers
YearWhat happened
2006Kia Soul Concept
2014–2019Kia Soul (second generation)
2006Detroit debut, inspired by a boar
2008The production Soul bows in Paris
2012138/164 hp and six-speed gearboxes
2013Second generation gains 29% more rigidity
2014109 hp and a plug for the Soul
2017Turbo Exclaim reaches 201 hp
2018Third generation brings a 64-kWh EV
2023Facelift retires X-Line and Turbo
2025Three generations end in 2025
  1. 2006

    Detroit debut, inspired by a boar

    Michael Torpey's sketches of a boar carrying a backpack inspired the Soul concept, unveiled at the Detroit auto show.1

  2. 2008

    The production Soul bows in Paris

    The production Soul debuted at the Paris Motor Show, bringing its tall, five-seat hatchback to a North American target audience aged 18-35.1

  3. 2012

    138/164 hp and six-speed gearboxes

    North America gained a 138-hp 1.6-liter with direct injection and a 164-hp 2.0; six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes replaced the old units.13

  4. 2013

    Second generation gains 29% more rigidity

    Introduced for 2014, the second Soul took cues from the Track’ster concept; its new platform and bodyshell brought 29% more torsional rigidity.14

  5. 2014

    109 hp and a plug for the Soul

    The Soul EV arrived in autumn; the 2015 model paired a 109-hp motor and 27-kWh battery with a 93-mile EPA range.56

  6. 2017

    Turbo Exclaim reaches 201 hp

    For 2017, the Exclaim's turbo four delivered 201 hp through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.7

  7. 2018

    Third generation brings a 64-kWh EV

    Generation three debuted in Los Angeles as the 2020 Soul; its EV combined 64 kWh, 201 hp and 395 Nm with standard CCS fast charging.8910

  8. 2023

    Facelift retires X-Line and Turbo

    The 2023 refresh changed both ends and dropped X-Line and Turbo. The 147-hp 2.0-liter now came only with Kia's Intelligent Variable Transmission.11

  9. 2025

    Three generations end in 2025

    Production ended after three generations. The 2025 Soulmate edition brought 18-inch wheels, a two-tone roof and an umber interior.112

Every generation

  • Kia Soul Concept
    Kia Soul Concept2006
  • Kia Soul (second generation)
    Kia Soul (second generation)2014–2019

Power over the years

From 122 hp to 201 hp in 7 years.

0100200300 2010201220142016201820202022 hp 2010 · 122 hp · North America 1.6 base2010 · 142 hp · North America 2.02012 · 138 hp · North America 1.6 GDi2012 · 164 hp · North America 2.02014 · 126 hp · Europe 1.6 CRDi2014 · 130 hp · Europe 1.6 GDI2015 · 109 hp · Original Soul EV, 27 kWh2017 · 201 hp · Exclaim Turbo2020 · 147 hp · 2.0, manual or IVT2020 · 201 hp · GT-Line 1.6T, 7-speed dual-clutch2020 · 201 hp · Soul EV, 64 kWh/CCS2022 · 134 hp · Soul EV Urban, 39.2 kWh 201 hp Exclaim Turbo 122 hp North America 1.6 base
14567891415
Show the numbers
YearHorsepowerModel
2010122North America 1.6 base
2010142North America 2.0
2012138North America 1.6 GDi
2012164North America 2.0
2014126Europe 1.6 CRDi
2014130Europe 1.6 GDI
2015109Original Soul EV, 27 kWh
2017201Exclaim Turbo
20201472.0, manual or IVT
2020201GT-Line 1.6T, 7-speed dual-clutch
2020201Soul EV, 64 kWh/CCS
2022134Soul EV Urban, 39.2 kWh

Versions

11 versions worth knowing, with their power.

  • Soul / Soul+ / Soul! / Soul sport

    Standard

    Soul / Soul+ / Soul! / Soul sport

    2010–2011

  • Start / Connect / Connect Plus / Mixx / Maxx

    Standard

    Start / Connect / Connect Plus / Mixx / Maxx

    2014

  • LX / S / EX / X-Line / GT-Line 2.0 / EX Designer Collection

    Standard

    LX / S / EX / X-Line / GT-Line 2.0 / EX Designer Collection

    2020

    147 hp
  • Soul EV 27 kWh

    Standard

    Soul EV 27 kWh

    2015

    109 hp
  • Soul EV 64 kWh

    Standard

    Soul EV 64 kWh

    2020

    201 hp
  • Soul Turbo / Exclaim / T-GDi

    Performance

    Soul Turbo / Exclaim / T-GDi

    2017

    201 hp

  • Performance

    GT-Line 1.6T

    2020

    201 hp

  • Special

    Soulmate

    2025

    147 hp

  • Special

    Ignition / Shadow Dragon / Ghost

    2010

  • Limited

    Red Zone

    2014

    164 hp

  • Limited

    Denim

    2010

    1,200 built

How to spot one

Look for

  • Tall-roof, box-shaped five-door hatchback proportions.1
  • The 2014 shape has a snub nose, rearward-drooping side glass and tall lamps high on a flat tail.20
  • On the 2020 shape, look for a scowling nose and taillights that almost encircle the rear window.14
  • The 2020 design carries a Soul graphic on its rear roof pillars.8

Year by year

  1. 2011

    Conventional pull-out door handles replace the earlier design.1

  2. 2012

    Wider-looking bumper fascias and larger fog lamps mark the facelift; Exclaim gains LED daytime lights and taillights.3

  3. 2013

    The grille surround switches to dark chrome.16

  4. 2014

    Second-generation bodywork gains deeper lower-body sculpting, broader fender shoulders and more neatly integrated taillights.20

  5. 2020

    The third generation adopts a scowling nose and taillights that nearly loop around the rear window.14

  6. 2023

    An updated nose adds available LED headlights; rear fascia, lamps and alloys change. X-Line and Turbo disappear.11

Against its rivals

  • MG ZS EV

    Soul vs MG ZS EV

    Price lower is better

    Soul34,295 £
    MG ZS EV27,495 £
    10

Prices

Price when new
$0$10K$20K$30K$40K 2010201520202025 2010 · $17,300 · US Denim manual base2012 · $13,900 · US base MSRP, excl. delivery2014 · $15,495 · US base2015 · $36,525 · US EV+ base2017 · $17,430 · US base2017 · $23,930 · US Turbo Exclaim base2020 · $18,485 · US base2021 · $20,265 · US entry MSRP2025 · $21,665 · US LX base2025 · $26,965 · US Soulmate base 2012 · $13,900 · US base MSRP excl. delivery, 2012 model year
167121417192026
Show the numbers
YearPriceAmountDetail
2012Launch price$13,900US base MSRP excl. delivery, 2012 model year
2010Price when new$17,300US Denim manual base
2012Price when new$13,900US base MSRP, excl. delivery
2014Price when new$15,495US base
2015Price when new$36,525US EV+ base
2017Price when new$17,430US base
2017Price when new$23,930US Turbo Exclaim base
2020Price when new$18,485US base
2021Price when new$20,265US entry MSRP
2025Price when new$21,665US LX base
2025Price when new$26,965US Soulmate base

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

  • Versions

    • Why each of the 11 versions matters

  • Legend

    • 14 stories from its legend
    • “A Korean first, then 500,000 sales”
    • “An ecoRally crown for the e-Soul”

  • Generations

    • The story of each of the 2 generations

  • Market

    • 6 things to check before buying one
    • Where prices are heading, and why
Read the full file in SPOT

SPOT is free on iPhone. Full car files come with SPOT Plus.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to the source it rests on.

See all 29 sources
  1. Kia Soul - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  2. Soul | The CUV That Won Korea's First Red Dot Award, 2008 | Kia Heritage Archive worldwide.kia.com
  3. 2012 Kia Soul First Drive – Reviews – Car and Driver caranddriver.com
  4. Soul press.kia.com
  5. Used Kia Soul (Mk2, 2014-2019) review | Auto Express autoexpress.co.uk
  6. 2015 Kia Soul EV + Review - Long-Term Verdict motortrend.com
  7. 40,000 Miles in a 2017 Kia Soul Turbo Proves Its Usefulness caranddriver.com
  8. A Better Way To Roll: 2020 Kia Soul Makes World Debut In Los Angeles prnewswire.com
  9. All-New 2020 Kia Soul EV¹ Combines Soul-Ful Vibe With All-Electric Buzz prnewswire.com
  10. Kia Soul EV vs MG ZS EV | Auto Express autoexpress.co.uk
  11. NEW 2023 KIA SOUL DEBUTS prnewswire.com
  12. 2025 Kia Soul Starts at $21,665, Adds a Soulmate Special Edition caranddriver.com
  13. Kia Soul II | Technical Specs, Fuel consumption, Electric range, Dimensions auto-data.net
  14. 2020 Kia Soul Hits Its Marks as a Better Vehicle Overall caranddriver.com
  15. Used Kia Soul EV (Mk3, 2019-2025) buyer's guide: a compelling all-round electric car | Auto Express autoexpress.co.uk
  16. 2010-13 Kia Soul | Consumer Guide Auto consumerguide.com
  17. Kia Motors America Announces Its Seventh Special Edition Soul is Inspired by the Red Rocks of the American Southwest prnewswire.com
  18. Kia continues run of Soul special editions with Red Zone - Autoblog autoblog.com
  19. REPORT: Kia Soul Denim to be limited to 1,200 units, start at $17,300 - Autoblog autoblog.com
  20. 2014 Kia Soul First Drive – Review – Car and Driver caranddriver.com
  21. Kia Soul preview - Car Body Design carbodydesign.com
  22. Eneko Conde, campeón del mundo en el III Eco Rallye Bilbao Petronor petronor.eus
  23. Kia Motors America Breaks New Soul Ad Campaign and Brings Back Hamsters by Popular Demand prnewswire.com
  24. Michael Sprague on Keeping Kia’s Hamsters on Top | WardsAuto wardsauto.com
  25. IGCD.net - Internet Game Cars Database igcd.net
  26. Here's How Much A 2021 Kia Soul Has Depreciated In 5 Years jalopnik.com
  27. Kia Soul Problems | CarComplaints.com carcomplaints.com
  28. Update from KIA: Anti-Theft Support Actions | Lower Moreland Township Police Department crimewatch.net
  29. No Reserve: 2016 Kia Soul EV for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $6,100 on May 31, 2025 (Lot #194,103) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • worldwide.kia.com
  • caranddriver.com
  • press.kia.com
  • autoexpress.co.uk
  • motortrend.com
  • prnewswire.com
  • auto-data.net
  • consumerguide.com
  • autoblog.com
  • carbodydesign.com
  • petronor.eus
  • wardsauto.com
  • igcd.net

Photo credits

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