Kia Soul review

What is it?

A funky looking addition to the Kia range that fits five adults and plenty of luggage with ease. Or, as the company says: "A true urban crossover combining SUV looks with urban style." That clears that up then!

Kia has grown steadily as a company throughout the decade and now has the new products to match that success. Building attractive and economical (both financially and environmentally) cars, the Korean company is appealing to the younger generation with clever styling and a host of gadgets onboard such as iPod and MP3 compatibility.

Around the car

The last similarly styled vehicle in this segment was the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Thankfully, the Soul better meets the needs of the younger generation, and is more desirable, better built and covered by a seven-year warranty.

Kia is trying to sell the idea of personalisation and of Soul being a lifestyle choice, as well as just a car. The Soul range features "Soul Originals" models, namely Samba, Shaker and Burner. My experience was with a Burner, which came in black with tinted windows and bright red body art. Funky yes, but subtle, this car was not. For those not wishing to make such a statement, there are more traditional colours available, in the Soul 1 and Soul 2 models.

The tall, boxy styling makes the Soul stand out, and also ensures that there is plenty of headroom on the inside. There is no shortage of space in the boot – well capable of taking a family of four and all their belongings out for the day, before stopping on the way home to stock up on supplies.

The driving position creates the impression you are piloting an SUV, giving a great view of the inside of the car, as well as the world outside. Inside, it's all about bright colours too. The instrument panel is well laid out and easy to read, if a little bit too red, thanks to the many LEDs at play. Kia calls it sporty, I call it a little too much. But at least you'll always know how fast you're going. There is also the option to add more LEDs to the speakers on the impressive sound system, and they can be set to 'mood' lighting, or flash in time with the music.

Why would you buy one?

The Kia Soul is perfect for people that don't want a Ford, Volkswagen or Vauxhall, or anything everyone else has. Like the MINI and latterly the Fiat 500, people will want the Soul because it's different. Judging by the attention that came with the pimped version that I sampled for a week, it will do well. Only a Fiat 500 sat on my driveway has ever got more comments.

Soul is very well specified for a car that starts at just £10,495. Standard equipment includes six airbags, a six-speaker stereo system, USB/AUX ports and much more. Select on of the many packs – Style, Chrome, Racing Stripe, Dragon (yes!) – and you get a makeover before you've driven the car out of the showroom.

Engine choice is a 1.6-litre petrol or 1.6-litre diesel. Both are impressive, the latter especially given its 54.3mpg average, as well as lower VED thanks to a lower CO2 figure.

Is it any good?

There are many positives to take from the Kia Soul – the space, equipment levels, options, and price. Where the company might suffer is with prejudice of the brand. But Kia has seen a revolution over the past few years, helped by bold styling and competent products. Soul is an example of this and provides an enjoyable driving experience. No it doesn't handle like a sports car, but fully loaded, many are going to be thankful of that.

My advice is to go and try one, with an open mind, and prepared to be impressed.