Since the nameplate's introduction in 2009, the company has sold over 1.5 million of them in the United States.
In the 2000s, there was a micro trend of automakers bringing boxy hatchbacks to the United States. For example, there was the Honda Element, Nissan Cube, and Scion xB. The Soul arrived at around the same time as these vehicles but managed to outlast them all. All stories eventually come to an end, though. The boxy model appealed to a new segment of the market for the automaker by offering a stylish, compact vehicle that also offered impressive cargo capacity for its relatively small physical footprint.
The Soul was one of the cornerstones in Kia gaining a foothold in the United States and this one-of-a-kind vehicle – and the marketing supporting it – helped Kia move to where it resides today.
– Eric Watson, vice president of sales at Kia America
The Soul's boxy shape came from the Kia Design Center America. The team's brief was to come up with a vehicle that combined the usability of a compact hatchback with the proportions of an SUV. The crew came up with the shorthand of a “boar wearing a backpack” to describe this idea. The designers wanted to interpret the tough animal's physical strength, but relatively small size, into an automobile.
The Soul concept (pictured below) originally debuted as a concept at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The show car looked remarkably similar to the eventual production model that launched in the US for the 2010 model year. It still had a boxy exterior but with a more complex shape for the headlights and flush-mounted door handles.
2006 kia soul concept
The Soul launched in the US with two engine options. The entry-level powerplant was a 1.6-liter four-cylinder making 122 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque, coming exclusively with a five-speed manual gearbox. The other choice was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 142 hp and 137 lb-ft, with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.
The base Soul was a fairly basic machine, with simple amenities such as auto-off headlights, 15-inch steel wheels, and black body trim. More upmarket trims added nicer features such as keyless entry, body-color exterior accents, a power sunroof, and alloy wheels.
In 2012, the Soul received a refresh with very slight styling tweaks but new powertrains. The upgraded 1.6-liter engine now made 138 hp and 123 lb-ft, while hooking up to a six-speed manual. The 2.0-liter produced 164 hp and 148 lb-ft, while attaching to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.
The second-gen Soul (above) arrived in 2014 with a slightly less boxy appearance. The biggest change came for the 2017 model year refresh when Kia introduced a turbocharged engine to the model for the first time. The turbo 1.6-liter made 201 hp and 195 lb-ft., turning the Soul into a mildly hot hatchback. The second-gen model also served as the basis for the first Soul EV.
The current, third-gen Soul (below) launched in 2020. It remained boxy but had smoother lines than any previous iteration. There were now two powertrain choices: a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder.
In addition to three generations of production versions, Kia built several Soul-based concepts over the years. In 2009, the Soul'ster reimagined the vehicle as a pint-sized pickup. It was an intriguing idea, but never saw production. Alternatively, the Track'ster (pictured above) turned the model into a proper hot hatch with a two-door body, featuring bulging rear fenders. The revised powertrain made 250 hp and used all-wheel drive. Again, it never got a spot in the automaker's lineup. Finally, the 2015 Trail’ster converted the Soul into an off-roader with a raised ride height and all-wheel drive. Like the rest, it didn't go on sale.
The Soul will be missed. At the moment, there's no info about how Kia intends to fill the new hole in its lineup. With over 1.5 million units built over 16 years, there's clearly a market for a vehicle that blurs the lines between a five-door hatchback and a compact SUV. We look forward to seeing what the brand does next.
