myMotortrades.co.uk: Used buyer’s guide: Kia Soul • • • See all 10 pictures The Kia Soul is a smart, small hatch with a perfect blend of style and reliability 28 Nov, 2013 9:45am Kias been one of the UK’s fastest-growing car brands in recent years, thanks to the huge strides it’s made in quality and design. Models such as the Soul have lifted the company above the masses in terms of style; this smart small hatch blends great-value reliability with real panache. • Kia Soul news and reviews If you’re searching for a car that’s easy to own, take a closer look; all Souls currently have some warranty left. The first came with five years’ cover, and from January 2010 this was upped to seven years. Not that you’ll need it... History The Soul hit UK dealers in spring 2009 with a choice of 1.6-litre petrol or diesel engines, both fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard. The CRDi had a four-speed auto option. Buyers could choose between four trim levels – 1, 2, Samba and Shaker – plus there was a launch special edition called the Burner. A facelift in October 2011 brought cleaner, more powerful engines and a six-speed manual gearbox, along with higher-quality interior trim and more standard kit. LED daytime running lights and a redesigned nose were added at the same time – but, as before, all Souls were front-wheel drive. Alternatives If you’re after a practical and distinctively styled family hatch, the short-lived and controversial Nissan Cube might suit. However, there’s an element of style over substance with this boxy model. More mainstream is the Citroen C3 Picasso – a superbly practical family car with brilliant engines and a cavernous boot. The Skoda Yeti has topped our Driver Power satisfaction survey for the past two years (and came second in 2011). It’s fabulous to live with, yet more expensive than the Soul. Its Roomster stablemate offers many of the Yeti’s talents at lower prices. Running costs Model Insurance Fuel CO2 Annual Group economy emissions road tax 1.6 1 14 43mpg 153g/km £175 1.6 Tempest 15 43mpg 153g/km £175 1.6 GDi Quantum 15 44mpg 149g/km £140 1.6 CRDi 2 17 54mpg 137g/km £125 1.6 CRDi auto 14-19 47mpg 155g/km £175 1.6 CRDi Hunter 17 57mpg 129g/km £105 1.6 CRDi Burner 18 54mpg 137g/km £125 All Souls need to be serviced every 12 months; for petrol cars there’s a 10,000-mile limit, while diesels stretch this to 12,500 miles. Stick with a main dealer and you’ll pay from £150-£300 to service a petrol Soul – although the sixth check-up will cost you £500 (as the coolant is replenished as part of this) while the eighth is around £375. Diesels are generally cheaper to maintain, with services pegged at £165-£290, the latter for the sixth. As both engines are chain-driven, no new cambelts are ever needed for the Soul, while the brake fluid must be replaced every two years; expect to pay £45 for this. What to look out for On paper, the 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines offer much the same performance, but the CRDi has more low-down muscle and is more economical. However, low-mileage drivers are probably better off with the petrol. The auto is fine for undemanding driving, but could do with an extra ratio. No Soul is poorly equipped, with even entry-level 1 spec getting USB and auxiliary inputs, a six-speaker stereo, electric windows all-round, remote central locking and six airbags. Posher models feature a multifunction steering wheel, bigger wheels and a better stereo. Recalls Kia hasn’t issued many recalls for its cars in the UK, and the Soul has been called back only once so far. That came in September 2010, and it potentially affected all Burner-spec cars produced up to July 2010. The problem centred on the ‘mood’ lighting in the doors – the wiring could overheat to the point where there was a risk a fire could be caused, although no blazes were reported. The fix was simple enough: some new wiring was installed to replace the factory-fitted loom. Driver Power Our view The Soul has never featured in our Driver Power satisfaction surveys, but Kia’s Cee’d, Picanto and Sportage have. They tend to score well for running costs, reliability and ease of driving, although you’re less impressed by performance and handling. Your View Wayne Walton from Tamworth, Staffs, owns the Soul 1.6 GDi seen here. “I like the spacious cabin and comfortable seats, while reliability and quality are good,” he says. “The only real downside is the boot, which for this size of car should be bigger.” Contacts Official kia.co.uk Forums kiasoulforums kiaownersclub.co.uk
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 10:33:25 +0000
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