The 2022 Kia Soul carries on the established tradition of offering buyers an economical compact SUV with clever styling and a low sticker price. However, unlike numerous other small cars that fit this description, the Soul provides something few can match: an unbeatable 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
The Soul’s quirky design has held up well. Unlike other small hatchbacks that sacrifice cargo space in the name of a sporty, low-slung roof and rear hatch, the Soul’s tall roof and squared-off lines give it impressive interior volume bragging rights.
But what’s gives the Soul validity is the number and sophistication of its standard and available features, its playful interior, and an available turbocharged engine. Sadly, 2022 sees the deletion of the manual transmission option. Then again, given so few people even know that stick shift looks like these days, perhaps only a handful of buyers will miss it.
With six trims from which to choose, the Soul offers many choices, although only one trim, the base LX, provides any factory upgrades packages. This Honda-like content packaging helps keep Kia’s overhead down but deprives buyers of the chance to get precisely the Soul they want.
Fortunately, the Soul’s trim levels are nicely equipped and not all that far apart in pricing, the one exception being the Turbo.
The Soul is a front-drive compact, which is a shame because all-wheel-drive would make it the bargain of the century. All but the Turbo derive power from a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine good for 147 horsepower. The Turbo gets a turbocharged 1.6-liter motor good for 201 hp.
2022 Kia Soul LX (Starting at $19,190)
Except for not having driver assists as standard features, we find the LX reasonably well equipped. The basics are all here, such as 16-inch steel wheels with styled wheel covers, auto on/off headlights, body-colored power outside mirrors, and rear privacy glass. The rear hatch includes a rear window defroster and wiper/washer, while the windshield is kept clear by intermittent wipers.
A peek inside the Soul reveals manually adjustable front seats covered in woven knit cloth upholstery and a 60/40 split-folding rear seat. Once behind the wheel, the driver finds a tilt and telescopic steering wheel and a gauge cluster with a tachometer and trip computer. An outside temperature display is standard, as are sliding sun visors with vanity mirrors.
The LX’s manual air conditioning includes an air filtration system, and the steering wheel contains controls for the standard cruise control and Bluetooth phone connectivity. As expected, power door locks and remote keyless entry are included, with the driver’s side power window featuring a one-touch auto-down control.
The LX’s infotainment system includes an 8-inch color touchscreen with AM/FM/MP3 and Bluetooth wireless technology. Six speakers, a USB port, two 12-volt outlets, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a rearview monitor are all standard.
Our only gripe with the Soul LX is that its advanced driver assists are optional and not standard. Even at this price, competitors like the Nissan Kicks, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, and Hyundai Venue offer these systems as part of their standard equipment group. That said, upgrading to the Soul LX’s Technology Pack provides all the driver assists found on the S.
The $900 Technology Package includes automatic emergency braking with forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, lane change assist, a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor.
With the $1,175 destination fee, the 2022 Kia Soul LX costs $20,365. With no money down, the monthly payment on a 60-month loan at 3% comes to $366. See the 2022 Kia Soul LX models for sale
2022 Kia Soul LX includes:
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – allows full integration of smartphone apps, messages, music, and maps into the Soul’s infotainment system.
- Cruise Control – a feature most take for granted, but that is optional on some of the Soul’s entry-level competitors.
- 8-inch color touchscreen – this responsive touchscreen display looks fantastic, with large bright icons and easy-to-understand screens.
- Air filtration – helps weed out pollen and other pollutants before they can enter the cabin.
2022 Kia Soul S ($21,490)
If we were looking at an entry-level small SUV, this is the trim we’d pick. It includes all the advanced driver safety systems in the LX’s Technology Package, plus more standard equipment without a big jump in the monthly payment.
The Soul S brings 16-inch alloy wheels, an 8-way power driver’s seat with 2-way power lumbar support, premium cloth upholstery, dual automatic climate controls, and a proximity key with push-button start.
A surprising upgrade for 2022 is the standard 10.25-inch color touchscreen with integrated navigation and smartphone wireless charging pad. Two front console USB ports, Bluetooth streaming, HD radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio are also part of the package.
With destination, the 2022 Kia Soul S costs $22,665. On a 60-month loan at 3% and with no money down, the monthly payment comes to $407. That’s just $41 more each month over the lesser-equipped LX. See the 2022 Kia Soul S models for sale
2022 Kia Soul S includes:
- Automatic emergency braking – watches for cars in the Soul’s path and warns of a possible collision. If the driver fails to take action, the system can slow or stop the vehicle automatically.
- 8-way power driver’s seat – allows any size driver to find the ideal position for comfortably reaching the steering wheel and pedals.
- 10.25-inch touchscreen – this large touchscreen has a vivid display, made all the more appealing when running the standard navigation.
- Proximity key – makes it easy to gain access to the vehicle simply by touching a button on the door handle. Once inside, no key is required to start the Soul. Push a button, and away you go.
2022 Kia Soul GT-Line ($22,590) and 2022 Kia Soul X-Line ($22,590)
The GT-Line and its next of kin, the X-Line, are primarily cosmetic exercises, creating sportier versions of the S trim. Most of the S trim’s standard equipment is the same on both the GT-Line and X-Line, with a few minor variations.
The GT-Line adds to the S equipment with a unique “hot stamping” type grille, black and red accent trim, black mirror caps, fog lights, a power sunroof with power sunshade, 18-inch alloy wheels, a sport suspension, and a D-shaped leather-wrapped steering wheel. Lost in the transition is the S trim’s 8-way power driver’s seat.
The X-Line replaces the GT-Line’s exterior embellishments with a large black grille, silver mirror caps, X-Line exclusive roof rails, and X-Line body kit with dark gray lower body cladding. The X-line deletes the GT-Line’s illuminated vanity mirrors, dual-level cargo board, and power sunroof, as well as its premium cloth seats, D-shaped steering wheel, and dual USB ports.
With the $1,175 destination fee, the X-Line and GT-Line both cost $23,765. If putting no money down, the monthly payment on a 60-month loan at 3% financing comes to $427. See the 2022 Kia Soul GT-Line models for sale
2022 Kia Soul EX ($23,490)
With a price tag well under $25,000, we think the EX hits the sweet spot for features relative to price.
The EX’s content is a blend of the S and X-Line trim, but we’ll spell it all out, so there’s no confusion.
Exterior upgrades include 17-inch alloy wheels, heated power side mirrors, front fog lights, and the X-Line’s unique grille. A power sunroof with a power sunshade comes standard on the EX.
Inside, the EX gets a rear center armrest with cup holders, 8-way power driver’s seat with 2-way power lumbar support, illuminated sun visors, duel level cargo board, and heated front seats covered in premium cloth.
The EX’s 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation accompanies a wireless charging pad, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two front USB ports, Bluetooth streaming, and SiriusXM satellite radio.
Driver assists include automatic emergency braking with forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, lane change assist, a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver drowsiness monitor.
With destination, the 2022 Kia Soul EX sells for $24,665. With no money down, the monthly payment on a 60-month loan at 3% financing comes to $443. That’s just $36 more each month than the S trim. See the 2022 Kia Soul EX models for sale
2022 Kia Soul EX includes:
- Heated front seats – quickly warm occupants when the temps outside become frigid.
- Heated side mirrors – heating elements behind the side mirrors activate with the rear defroster, quickly clearing ice and snow from the glass.
- Power sunroof – allows more light into the cabin or more air in when opened. The sunroof includes a power sunshade for when you want neither more light nor more air.
- Navigation – standard navigation operates via voice or touchscreen prompts, providing clear and concise directions to the destination of your choice.
2022 Kia Soul Turbo ($27,790)
The Turbo trim is the top-of-the-line Soul, set apart by its more powerful 201-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged engine. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic replaces the less enthusiastic continuously variable transmission found on the other trims.
Building off the EX trim, the Turbo gets the GT-Line exterior appearance, GT-Line 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome-tipped exhaust pipes, and LED lighting for the headlights, taillights, and fog lights. A sport-tuned suspension is also part of the Turbo’s feature set.
The updated supervision gauge cluster brings a color display screen located between the speedometer and tachometer. Seat upholstery is synthetic leather and cloth, augmented with GT-Line red interior trim accents and piano black bezels for the air vents and touchscreen.
A heated D-shaped leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED interior lighting and a head-up display round out the Turbo’s most apparent difference. However, look closer, and you’ll find a Harman Kardon audio system with a center speaker and subwoofer paired with cool multi-colored ambient speaker lights.
The ambient lighting offers several mood options, with settings like Party Time, Hey Yo, Romance, and Midnight City. The illumination can pulse with the music or work independently, creating a relaxed and colorful interior.
Finally, on the safety front, the Turbo gets a few upgrades to its driver-assist suite, such as pedestrian detection for the forward-collision warning system. The Turbo’s cruise control is adaptive, meaning the driver can set the desired distance to the traffic ahead, and the Soul will slow down or speed up accordingly.
With the $1,175 destination fee, the 2022 Kia Soul Turbo sells for $28,965. On a 60-month loan at 3% and with no money down, the monthly payment comes to $520. See the 2022 Kia Soul Turbo models for sale
2022 Kia Soul Turbo includes:
- 1.6-liter turbo engine – with 201 horsepower, this engine turns the cute and straightforward Soul into a rocket on wheels.
- Head-up display – projects pertinent information such as speed and navigation routing onto a pop-up plastic shield, making it easier for the driver to see without taking their eyes off the road.
- Ambient mood lighting – a fun and safe way to wake up the Soul’s interior.
- Heated steering wheel – makes it so much easier to grip and hold the steering wheel after the Soul’s been sitting overnight in freezing weather.
