Kia Soul 2023 Review: The Box That Refuses to Grow Up
Kia Soul 2023 ; It still looks like nothing else on the road, and that’s the whole pitch ,Most subcompact crossovers spend their entire design process trying to look like a slightly smaller version of something bigger. The Kia Soul never got that memo. In 2023 it still walks around looking like a toaster with wheels, and somehow that’s still working in its favor. While the Honda HR-V and Hyundai Kona chase a more grown-up SUV silhouette, the Soul stays boxy, tall, and unapologetically weird. That shape isn’t an accident. It’s the reason people who hate crossovers still end up buying one.
The 2023 Kia Soul review conversation usually starts with price, and for good reason. This is one of the last genuinely affordable new vehicles left in America that isn’t a stripped-down economy car. It starts in the low twenties, undercuts most of its competition, and still manages to feel like a real vehicle instead of a penalty box. That’s a harder trick than it sounds in a market where every automaker keeps pushing prices up year after year.
What changed for 2023 is smaller than what stayed the same. Kia refreshed the face, tweaked the taillights, dropped a couple of trims nobody was buying anyway, and left the core formula alone. That’s not lazy. That’s Kia recognizing it already had the right answer for a very specific kind of buyer.
The Soul was never trying to be a Rogue or a Tucson. It’s built for people who want cargo room, a tall seating position, and a personality, without paying crossover prices for it. Against the Kona, the HR-V, and the Chevrolet Trailblazer, the Soul plays a different game. It’s less refined in some ways and more useful in others, and that trade-off is worth understanding before anyone signs paperwork.
Our Take
The 2023 Soul is a genuinely good value if you walk in with realistic expectations. It’s roomy, easy to drive, cheap to own, and loaded with standard safety tech that used to be optional even on pricier vehicles. What it isn’t is quick, quiet, or particularly upscale inside. Kia dropped the turbocharged engine and the Turbo and X-Line trims for 2023, which means the Soul lineup lost some of its personality along with its horsepower ceiling. Every 2023 Soul now runs the same 147-horsepower four-cylinder, whether you’re in the base LX or the top EX. That simplifies shopping. It also means the fun version is gone.
Buy this car for what it’s good at: hauling stuff, surviving city driving, and not costing much to own. Don’t buy it expecting a quiet highway cruiser or a cabin that feels expensive.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent cargo space for the segment
- Standard advanced safety features across the lineup
- Low starting price relative to rivals
- Tall greenhouse gives outstanding visibility and headroom
- Distinct styling that still turns heads
Cons
- No turbocharged engine option anymore
- No all-wheel drive available at any trim
- Interior materials feel cheap in a way some competitors have moved past
- Noticeable wind noise at highway speeds
What’s New for 2023
The X-Line and Turbo trims have been discontinued for 2023, which is the single biggest change to the lineup. That also means the Soul’s turbocharged four-cylinder is gone entirely, leaving the base 2.0-liter engine as the only choice regardless of trim. Kia gave the Soul a facelift to go with the simplified lineup: redesigned front and rear fascias, repositioned headlights and taillights, and a new exhaust outlet treatment on the GT-Line. New two-tone paint options joined the palette as well, including nature-inspired green and blue finishes for buyers who want the Soul to stand out even more than it already does.
Safety equipment moved down the lineup too. Features that used to be reserved for higher trims are now standard across the board, including on the base LX. That’s a meaningful shift for buyers cross-shopping the cheapest trim, since it used to mean giving up on modern driver assistance tech to save money. Not anymore.
The net effect of these changes is a Soul that’s simpler to understand and easier to recommend to a wider range of buyers, even if it lost some of its enthusiast appeal along the way.
2023 Kia Soul Review: Driving Experience
The Soul’s shape is basically unchanged since its last generation, and Kia clearly decided not to mess with something that works. It’s tall, boxy, and short in overall length, which gives it a proportions that no competitor really replicates. The Kona looks like a normal small SUV. The HR-V looks like a normal small SUV. The Soul looks like a cube that decided to become a vehicle, and buyers either love that or don’t cross-shop it at all.
For 2023, the changes are cosmetic but noticeable if you know what to look for. The front fascia is more angular, the fog lights sit differently, and the rear bumper picks up new detailing. The GT-Line trim gets its own visual identity with 18-inch wheels, unique fascias front and rear, and that new exhaust outlet design that makes it look sportier than the powertrain underneath actually is.
Where the Soul wins outright is proportions for cargo and headroom. That upright shape isn’t just an aesthetic choice, it directly creates usable interior volume that a swoopier competitor can’t match at the same footprint.
Driving Experience
This is where the Soul quietly separates itself from a lot of subcompact crossovers that only exist to be transportation appliances. It’s not fast, and it’s not sporty in any real sense, but it’s genuinely pleasant to drive around town. The steering is light without feeling numb, visibility is outstanding thanks to that tall greenhouse and low beltline, and the turning radius makes it feel smaller than it is in parking lots.
Highway driving is where the story changes. Wind noise becomes noticeable at speed, a direct consequence of that boxy shape that helps so much everywhere else. The CVT transmission does its job without drama, but it’s not going to make anyone forget they’re driving an economy crossover. This is a car built for commuting, errands, and city streets, not for eating up interstate miles in silence.
If daily driving mostly means stop and go traffic, parking garages, and short trips, the Soul is more engaging than its specs suggest. If long highway hauls are the priority, this isn’t the vehicle built for that job.
Performance and Acceleration
There’s only one engine now, and that simplifies this section considerably. Every 2023 Soul uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission, producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. That’s adequate for city driving and merging onto highways, but it’s not going to win any stoplight contests. The CVT is tuned for smoothness over urgency, which fits the Soul’s personality but won’t satisfy anyone chasing the punchier feel the old turbo model offered.
Unlike many of its subcompact competitors, the Soul does not come with an all-wheel drive option, with all models built as front-wheel drive only. That’s a real limitation for buyers in snow-heavy climates who might otherwise cross-shop the Kona or Trailblazer, both of which offer AWD variants. If winter traction matters to you, the Soul asks you to rely entirely on good tires rather than a drivetrain advantage.
Acceleration is fine for what most owners will actually use this vehicle for. It’s not a car built to be quick. It’s a car built to be cheap to run and easy to live with, and the powertrain reflects that priority clearly.
Ride Comfort and Cabin Refinement
The Soul rides better than its price tag suggests, soaking up potholes and rough pavement with more composure than a lot of cheaper crossovers manage. Where it falls short is refinement at speed. Road and wind noise creep into the cabin on the highway, and there’s no getting around the fact that sound insulation wasn’t a priority in Kia’s cost calculations here.
Around town, the ride quality is genuinely one of the Soul’s strengths. It absorbs speed bumps and broken pavement without feeling harsh, and the seats are comfortable enough for the kind of errands and commuting this vehicle is built for. Just don’t expect that composure to carry over once you’re doing 70 on the interstate for an extended stretch.
Interior and Luxury Feel
Here’s where the Soul shows its price point most honestly. Rival models offer more upscale cabins, and that’s a fair criticism. Materials that feel cheap are scattered throughout, even on the top EX trim, and there’s no pretending this cabin competes with anything wearing a luxury badge. What the Soul does offer is space. The boxy shape translates directly into headroom that taller passengers will genuinely appreciate, front and rear, in a way that sleeker competitors simply can’t match.
Comfort and quality aren’t the same thing, and the Soul proves it. The seats are comfortable, the driving position is upright and easy to get used to, and the overall feel inside is roomy rather than cramped. But touch the door panels or the lower dash and the budget origins of this vehicle become obvious fast.
2023 Kia Soul Review: Technology and Infotainment
Kia standardized its bigger touchscreen further down the lineup for 2023, and that’s a meaningful upgrade for shoppers looking at the entry-level trims. The base LX still runs a smaller 8-inch screen, but the S, GT-Line, and EX trims all get a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, Kia Connect, and satellite radio built in. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration work as expected, and wireless phone charging is available depending on trim.
The system itself is responsive and easy enough to navigate without a learning curve, which matters more than flashy graphics for most daily users. It’s not going to impress anyone coming from a luxury brand, but it does the job without frustrating the driver, and that’s really the bar that matters at this price point.
Fuel Economy
The 2023 Soul is EPA-rated at 28 mpg city and 33 mpg highway for the LX, S, and GT-Line trims, working out to 30 mpg combined, while the EX trim comes in slightly better at 29 city and 35 highway. Those numbers are solid for the segment, beating the Honda HR-V’s rating and edging out the Chevrolet Trailblazer, though the Hyundai Kona’s base engine does slightly better still.
For a vehicle this size with no hybrid option on the table, these numbers are respectable rather than exceptional. Buyers cross-shopping strictly on fuel economy might find a slight edge elsewhere, but the difference is small enough that it shouldn’t be the deciding factor on its own.
2023 Kia Soul Review: Practicality and Cargo Space
This is the Soul’s strongest argument, full stop. Cargo capacity comes in at 24.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 62.1 cubic feet with those seats folded down, giving it more usable space than the Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30, and Hyundai Venue. That’s a real, tangible advantage that shows up every time you’re loading groceries, moving boxes, or hauling gear for a weekend trip.
The tall, squared-off shape also delivers excellent headroom for taller passengers, even in the back seat, which is a genuine differentiator against sleeker competitors that sacrifice interior volume for a more aggressive roofline. If cargo room and passenger space are priorities over outright style or driving refinement, the Soul is hard to beat in this price bracket. It’s the kind of vehicle that quietly does more with its footprint than almost anything else in the class.
Safety and Driver Assistance
Kia made a real improvement here for 2023 by pushing more safety tech down to the base trim. All Soul models now include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, a driver-drowsiness monitor, and rear occupant alert as standard equipment. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on every trim except the entry-level LX, where they remain unavailable rather than optional, which is worth knowing before choosing that trim purely on price.
This is a meaningful shift from previous model years, when a lot of this equipment was locked behind higher trims or optional packages. Shoppers who need a genuinely safe vehicle on a tight budget now have a much stronger case for the Soul than they did a couple of years ago.
2023 Kia Soul Review: Competitors Worth Considering
The Honda HR-V brings a more refined interior and a more conventional crossover shape, but it can’t match the Soul’s cargo room or its price. The Hyundai Kona offers slightly better fuel economy and available all-wheel drive, which matters a lot if you live somewhere that actually sees winter. The Chevrolet Trailblazer competes closely on space and price but leans more toward a traditional SUV look that some buyers will prefer over the Soul’s boxier styling. None of these rivals replicate the Soul’s specific combination of cargo capacity and headroom in this exact footprint, and that’s the card the Soul keeps playing.
Biggest Strength and Biggest Weakness
The Soul’s biggest strength is unmatched practicality for the money. Cargo space, headroom, and a low starting price combine into a package that’s genuinely hard to beat if those are your priorities. The biggest weakness is just as clear: losing the turbo engine and AWD option means the 2023 Soul appeals to a narrower kind of buyer than the previous generation did. Anyone who wanted the sportier or more capable version of this car now has to look elsewhere.
Which Trim Does Cardrav Recommend?
The S trim is the sweet spot in this lineup. It adds blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert over the base LX, along with the bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen, dual-zone climate control, and wireless charging, all for a price increase that’s easy to justify once you compare the feature list. The GT-Line adds style and an 18-inch wheel package, but the S delivers the safety and tech upgrades that matter most for daily use without paying extra purely for looks.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?
Buy the 2023 Kia Soul if you want the most cargo space and headroom you can get for the money, and if your driving is mostly city streets and short trips rather than long highway hauls. It’s affordable, practical, and now comes with a genuinely strong standard safety suite across every trim.
Skip it if you need all-wheel drive, want more highway refinement, or were hoping for the sportier turbocharged version that used to exist. This is a car built around a very specific strength, and if that strength lines up with what you actually need, it’s one of the smarter buys in the segment.
FAQ
Is the 2023 Kia Soul a good value?
Yes. The 2023 Kia Soul undercuts most subcompact crossover rivals on price while offering more cargo space and standard safety tech than several competitors in the same bracket.
What engine does the 2023 Kia Soul use?
Every 2023 Kia Soul trim runs the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission.
Does the 2023 Kia Soul come in all-wheel drive?
No. The 2023 Kia Soul is front-wheel drive only across all four trims, with no AWD option available at any price point.
What’s new on the 2023 Kia Soul?
The 2023 Kia Soul dropped the Turbo and X-Line trims, lost its turbocharged engine option, gained a refreshed front and rear fascia, and now includes more standard safety features across the lineup.
How much cargo space does the 2023 Kia Soul have?
The 2023 Kia Soul offers 24.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 62.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.
