2020 Kia Soul GT Line Turbo FIRST DRIVE REVIEW: How to send a box to finishing school

[@joealfanophotography9568]

Picked up the 2021 Kia Soul Turbo and the ride is more refined and I love the remote start now on the key fob. I got the Pearl White version and it’s a really cool looking car. Very happy so far.

[@dopemuffinz1000]

How is it

[@joealfanophotography9568]

@@dopemuffinz1000 I drive a lot putting in about 30,000 miles per year. It’s been a great car so far and for me really fun to drive. For me a turbo that takes regular gas is one of the best features.

[@hbm_54]

I think people are being more aware about design nowadays, especially younger generations. Humans are very visual beings and good marketing always finds a way to exploit that. I think KIA has been doing a great job for the past few years (since Shreier took over, pretty much) and they are still improving their corporate identity without making their car line up look like the same model in XS, S, M, L and XL sizes, which some car manufacturers are doing and is massively disappointing. Great review, as always! Cheers!.

[@TalismanPHX]

The White Soul looks a lot like a Star Wars storm trooper from the head on view

[@Tomatohater64]

Kia Soul GT turbo all the way!

[@meikasroom851]

My mom has a 2011 Soul Classic. Has the 4 speed auto with a manula shift mode. I drive it sometimes on road trips cause I daily an 80 c10. When i do use it, I get excited cause the car overall is quick in the manual mode and its nimble due to the wider and bigger 18" rims. She has 245mm tires all the way around, you woukd think it would be top heavy but no this car moves without a turbo lol. Made me wanna stop at a Kia dealer in the next few months. Not to mention with 150k original miles and nothing at all going wrong on the car to date(other than basic maintenance) the Kia Soul is a rock solid car. This is coming from a dude who dailys an old squarebody chevy.. I live and breath the Big 3 but this car is good people. Kia has outdone themselves.

[@maxlugo4418]

i really like you videos, they are very detailed and fun to watch! keep up with the good work!

[@wb7942]

How do I tell a KIA representative who can actually do something about it that the new 2020 Soul needs ventilated front seats to go with the heated front seats? I'm in Florida and vehicles are greenhouses.

[@EchoSigma6]

The best part of this video are the cute dogs at the end. I do like the Souls and probably in the non-turbo version because they’re practical.

[@mavsguy842]

I don’t mind combining the tech and first drive reviews into a single video, but I enjoy them being separate when you have a lot to talk about, technically.

[@markrussell24]

I would say, it is about standing out and part of that is the contrarian-inspired cube shape. Kia knew it tagged the market with the Soul, and so to see the refined and stylized re-fresh is an affirmation of its place in the market. This might just headline as being the next Mark-mobile. Need to test drive ASAP!

[@hwd71]

Looks like a mini Land Rover Evoque.

[@jimbrown341]

9:50 Oh look, a Gen 2 Kia Soul sighting! Damn is that sexy. The Kia Soul Gen 1 looks ugly on the road but the Gen 2 is just a sexy beast. I like Gen 2 more than Gen 3 to be honest. They got rid of the epic full panoramic roof too :( The Kia Soul is just a fresh breath of air in the car industry. It's fun, practical, and feature heavy. It has the incredible 10 year/100k mile powertrain warranty on it too.

[@davevolz6138]

Jim Brown Love my gen 2 turbo!!!

[@kevinvines1846]

Dave Volz me too!

[@chico1014]

Only the premium brands like Mercedes come with vinyl seats and make the heated steering and heated rear seats an option

[@MotoManTV]

Can't argue with that statement:) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYfEmGWAnpJnps0

[@golgoth7600]

Keep up the good work! Love your videos!

[@johnb4314]

For me you hit just the right details, but not too long.

[@ingenunis5003]

I really like the KIA SOUL & the HYUNDAI KONA in the Ultimate trimline❤️

[@meikasroom851]

Now we just need a full sized truck from Kia. It has to be able to compete with the big 3 though. Toyota and Nissan are both learning that with there lack of or lack luster heavy duty segments.

[@jum.878]

GT turbo with a manual would be sweeeeeeeet

[@josel.delacruz1317]

civic sport touring hatchback vs soul gt-line? what would you pick?

[@ToreHansen]

Cool car and video, Lexus called by the way and wanted their LS-600 door interior rip-off back.

[@deanlazzari9117]

Always a great watch!

[@demarycabrera5142]

Good morning I am going to buy my son a car what is the best Kia Soul he's at all young man little heavy but not that much what tire engine size I should get?

[@gauchegaucho]

I would get Soul cuz it will make me 10 yrs younger

[@brcarlos]

I think since you moved to this new format of combining tech and first drive reviews and producing a single 10 min video we lost a bit of in depth information that you used to provide us. Have you considered making 15 min long videos when it's a tech and first drive review combined?

[@ann0kie]

I am trying to decide between the Kia Soul and Hyundai Kona... wonder if you had a personal preference.

[@ann0kie]

wow.....that's a brilliant idea! Never thought of that.... You're a genius! @Just think

[@jimbrown341]

The build quality of the Kona is not as good as this Soul. If you got a fully loaded Kona the car STILL has hard plastic on the dashboard and the side of the car. Usually a sign of a lower end vehicle. This Kia Soul has soft touch leatherette on the dash, and on the side of the car. It screams higher end. Then take into consideration that the Kia Soul actually has more leg room in the back seats, has a larger infotainment system, and just better technology in general. The Kona does have the option for AWD. If that matters to you then you can't get that in a Soul. You have to pay $1,400 to have the AWD added to the Kona, or simply buy the highest end trim which I believe starts at $27,000 and moves up to around $30,000. You also might want to check the Kia Soul EX trim too. That has a lot more technology in it compared to the Soul GT 2 liter. You can fit it with full LED lights. You can't do that with the GT 2 liter (the GT 1.6 liter does have LED lights). I think that's what this reviewer is driving, the 1.6 liter. That's the highest end version of the Soul.

[@stephenhendricks103]

They're similar cars, as I'm sure you realize, but here are some things to consider. Styling. In general, Hyundai's are rounder and "swoopier" than Kia's. Personally, I prefer the unique looks of the Soul over the more typical crossover looks of the Kona but you may feel differently. Utility. The Kona has very slightly more cargo space behind the second row (19.2 vs 18.5 cubic ft) but the Soul has more overall cargo space with the back seat down (49.5 vs 45.8). In addition, the Soul's boxlike design allows for more room, especially headroom, in the second row. And that square design also makes the Soul somewhat more versatile in transporting cargo. Engine choices. Lots of comparisons here. At the top trim levels the Soul offers a more powerful engine but at lower trim levels the Hyundai comes out ahead. You have to decide what's important to you in terms of the vehicle's performance/fuel efficiency and the trim level you're willing to pay for. Price. Again, there are some differences in MSRP depending on the trim levels you're comparing. And in the real world you may find that dealers differ in terms of their willingness to discount from MSRP. My experience suggests that a KIA dealer may be willing to offer a larger discount than a Hyundai dealer for a comparable vehicle but that's going to depend on the specific dealers you deal with. You may have to resort to a spreadsheet comparing individual features and prices to come up with a clear difference. Dealer Attitude. This is a point that's usually not mentioned but (assuming you're female) you may find there's a difference between dealers in terms of how they deal with you. Last year when my wife and I were shopping for a crossover that's her daily driver she was especially (and understandably) sensitive to sales people who directed their attention to me rather than to her. And if you plan to use a dealer for service, try to find out how the service department is rated on internet sites. Good luck. Both the Kona and the Soul are excellent vehicles. If you've narrowed your choice to them, I suspect you'll be happy with either choice.

[@ann0kie]

Jim Brown thank you for the information!

[@ann0kie]

Stephen Hendricks thank you for the information!

[@dash-ryan]

You should do a joint video with Doug DeMuro.

[@cyclone1513]

Dude, yes

[@gauchegaucho]

And this...........,! Is what you and I have been waiting for a Kia Soul

[@MotoManTV]

@@bukkuk5949 How about a Gullwing Mercedes? Maybe a 512 Boxer? G63? XK150s?

[@dash-ryan]

MotoManTV Yes all those! But gullwing would be cool.

[@dash-ryan]

What the ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKS7gYGMpbaYb5o ... did you guys plan this?

[@IceDree]

WHAT'S THAT ABOUT LL COOL J ???!!! The Cooper 5door is the only competition I can think of, but its more expensive.

[@setsunaes]

I like the GT Line but i feel it kind of expensive for being a Soul...

[@peterhong526]

Lol..10 & 2 steering wheel grip Entertaining review! Almost feels like Bill Nye the science guy talkin bout cars..

[@chadl5532]

my wife loves her kia soul

[@deegeorge5711]

The torque steer issue at the beginning-is that a defect in design or the build? Should one be concerned about purchasing a soul with that kind of torque steer

[@joealfanophotography9568]

It’s really not that bad. The car is pretty quick so just hold onto the steering wheel. You feel it the most when gunning it and turning left at the same time. Like I said though it’s not that bad.

[@henrygraterol]

I like everything on the new car vs the old except the new front end look. I prefer the bug eye look of the previous generation, this does not look like an evolution of the old design. Maybe they were going for a more electrfied appearance. Also, dont like that main lights are in the bottom, specially the ones on the base model make the car look worse. I might be wrong, sales might prove me wrong. I will pass this time until the next update.

[@MEAMERIE]

the way he was going down that narrow street though lol

[@jimbrown341]

He was riding that car like he didn't own it. Jeez, that's just inconsiderate. He even went over a speed bump going like 40mph. Ugh. This isn't an off-roading vehicle.

[@MEAMERIE]

Jim Brown lol right.. I was like did he do that on purpose?

[@yendoradon7836]

The car is glided together?

[@JTube571]

Most cars use high strength adhesive in conjunction with spot welds for construction these days. It's nothing new.

[@stephenhendricks103]

Spellcheck is your friend.

[@deegeorge5711]

j-Tube 😳😳😬

[@jeffr.3464]

Any thoughts on the DCT and/or 1.6 turbo reliability in Kia / Hyundai products?

[@marcmontebello]

Car and driver had issues with premature wear and slippage on their long term soul DCT turbo and i've read similar complaints on the soul forums. I test drove the DCT before buying (the previous generation) and actually preferred the regular sportmatic 6 speed. Unfortunately this one came with the slower 2L GDI but that engine may prove to be more reliable in the long run as well.

[@gauchegaucho]

Can you believe that? One of the cheapest car brands keep making one of the better looking cars!!!

[@jimbrown341]

Check their Kia Stinger model. I've seen car reviewers give it higher review scores than BMW and Mercedes Benz luxury vehicles. Kia is a force to be reckoned with right now. They are making other car manufacturers step their game up. There's many car manufacturers getting out of the sedan market because of companies like Kia stealing their customer base. People are realizing that companies like Ford and Chevy are not giving you the same kind of bang for the buck... then there's the reliability difference too.

[@limpunsing224]

Nice small car with a maximized interior space

[@drea177cha5er]

Zee germans need to start making stuff like heated seats standard. So ridiculous. They charge subscription for apple car play now too?! Sigh

[@stephenhendricks103]

As a long standing owner of German motorcycles and cars, I can tell you that you get used to taking what they offer in the form they offer it, salute, and shut up. :)

[@Sajikibara]

It's a shame it costs so much for the dct... This is pretty much a hatchback and you can get so much more from something like an Elantra GT N line, a gti, or Mazda's new 3 all around that price. Idk, I want to like the soul, it looks cool but not for that much... They totally lost me at that price.

[@jrwaters943]

Austin Agli a comparably equipped Elantra GT N Line is about $1k more than the Soul GT Line w/ destination. But it is a better value overall due to the rear suspension, full-speed adaptive cruise and pano roof. I just wish we got the cool red seatbelts here in the states :(

[@MotoManTV]

New Mazda3 episode coming towards the end of March . . .

[@Sajikibara]

@@MotoManTV perfect!

[@stephenhendricks103]

I think you should be careful making casual comparisons of MSRP's. I own a VW GTI as well as a KIA Sorento and I can assure you that while you can purchase a GTI for about the same price as the top trims of the KIA Soul, it will not be nearly as well equipped. I much prefer the driving dynamics of the GTI but I also realize that a GTI with roughly comparable features will run about $5000 to $7000 more than the KIA Soul. Furthermore, the MSRP a manufacturer sets for a particular model may be designed to send a message to consumers rather than represent what one is likely to pay as a result of a serious price negotiation. In KIA's case the MSRP for their vehicles is meant to say to a customer, "This is what our vehicle is worth. It's about the same price as its competitors but it comes better equipped." Based on my experience purchasing two KIA's in the last six years and helping others purchase two others, I'd estimate that the $27,000 MSRP for the top trim Kia Soul will sell for about $24,000 or less from a typical KIA dealer. Dealers of other brands may discount their vehicles as well, of course. Especially for less popular models that they want to move off their lot. But in my experience KIA dealers are more willing to deal than Hyundai, VW, or Mazda dealers. Don't be fooled by MSRP's.

[@Sajikibara]

@@stephenhendricks103 that's good to know, I'll have to keep an eye on their pricing over time. This isnt half bad (the GT line) and I do like the new Mazda...I shall see within due time

[@ShenghongZhang]

there's one more "engine" off, the EV. And it has the most power and toqure.

[@stephenhendricks103]

Yup. And it's going to be a game changer with a range of nearly 250 miles that costs less than $10 to fully recharge.

[@typeXJuggernaut]

No Soul turbo model is sold in Canada thumbs down to """Kia""" on that moronic decision. Canada gets the shaft with 2L all show NO GO GT

[@joe7801]

I would rather take my bicycle than either on if those cars. 😝

[@TD05SSLegacy]

Get your foot off the seat

[@quietguy1948]

Gotta give you a Thumbs DOWN here, MM. This video was a mass of confusion, little info about the models nothing on the 2.0 engine performance factoids. I know you can do better - this one was just DISorganized, buddy.

[@jrwaters943]

How is Kia a steel company masquerading as a car company? Kia is not Hyundai (and vice versa). Hyundai owns a 1/3 stake in Kia Motors and Kia owns varying percentages of 22 different Hyundai companies, but what you’re saying is quite a stretch. Especially since Hyundai Steel is operationally very removed from their auto division. Sure they benefit from the relationship, but do you also consider McDonalds a livestock farming company masquerading as a fast food restaurant?? As far as structural adhesives which you love to blather on about, this is not some rarified thing that was only reserved for Lotus as you often like to namedrop. You know what other car used structural adhesives before the 21st century? The Chrysler Sebring. Enough said. Regarding your final question. The Soul would win my money in a battle with the Kona. The packaging is better. It’s more comfortable and open feeling. The upright windshield makes it possible to see stoplights without having to duck your head if you’re a taller driver. The cargo capacity is better. And the interior, at least in the top spec model feels less cheap in places (the dash mainly). And the shape of the Soul is somewhat more iconic and less “modern CUV styling of the moment.” The lack of AWD is a bummer though.

[@JFomo]

Swoosh right over your head.

[@jrwaters943]

@@JFomo Its okay to be wrong.

[@stephenhendricks103]

Correct regarding the "steel company" comment. It's Hyundai that's usually pointed to as the "steel company masquerading as a car company." In the first decade of the current century Hyundai rescued KIA from bankruptcy with a huge infusion of capital. It's definitely the big brother in what is referred to as "affiliated" organizations. Bottom line is that the Hyundai/KIA conglomerate has become a major force in automotive design and engineering in the last two decades. And their slicing of market segments into sub-segments with vehicles that share designs, engineering, and components while appealing to slightly different sets of customers is extremely well done. (Kia Stinger vs Genesis G70; Kia Sorento vs Hyundai Santa Fe; Hyundai Palisade vs Kia Telluride.) As far as the absence of AWD is concerned, KIA maintains their research indicates it's not a priority for potential Soul customers. That may be a self-serving rationale but it's certainly true that in a vehicle as small and light as the Soul a good set of winter tires and the weight of the engine over the drive wheels will handle at least 90% of the situations where AWD is an advantage. Further, though KIA doesn't mention it, I suspect that they avoided offering AWD in the Soul to simplify the engineering and production of the forthcoming extended range Soul EV. That large 64KW battery sitting beneath the Soul would definitely complicate adding AWD to the common platform.

[@jrwaters943]

Stephen Hendricks it didn’t complicate things for the Soul’s platform mate the Kona which offers both an EV and a gas powered AWD version. Otherwise, good points. 👍🏻

[@stephenhendricks103]

@Just think I agree that AWD isn't needed in a vehicle this size compared to a set of winter tires and the weight of the engine over the FWD front wheels. However, KIA's decision to limit a manual transmission to a basic trim level is based on the same rationale as other manufacturers. If dealers are going to have unsold vehicles sitting on their lots, they prefer that they are less expensive models. Internet calls for MT's don't match actual sales in any but a few vehicles. (e.g GTI/Golf R; Civic Type R; WRX STI) As far as turbocharging is concerned, it's certainly true that a naturally aspirated engine is likely to be more durable in the long run. But it's less an issue in small cars than in larger vehicles such as two ton crossovers. And it's less of an issue in vehicles likely to be traded in 5 to 7 years than in those kept for, say, ten years. Finally, the bottom line is that improved performance from small engines is a strong selling point for many consumers. Even for those customers who don't purchase a model with that feature. It's like people who purchase a less expensive home in an upscale neighborhood. The "halo" effect.

[@OneDay915-r]

Get a standard 😂😂

[@GhostOfAMachine]

Thats what I ended up getting for my Soul. Don't like automatics

[@jabbadahuttful]

He does an OK job of reviewing the cars, but sorry to say his self possessed, big ego personality is a total turn off for me.

[@ToreHansen]

This is a car channel, not the Rob Lowe channel.

[@JTube571]

I never understand why people need to let us know stuff like this. Like, why can't you just keep it to yourself and move on?

[@jabbadahuttful]

j-Tube constructive criticism maybe?

[@jabbadahuttful]

Tore Hansen Presentation is a huge part of the viewing experience.

[@ToreHansen]

@@jabbadahuttful Did someone force you to watch or?

[@headcas620]

They're both shit cars.

[@jimbrown341]

Shit cars in what way? The Kia Soul gets outstanding reviews by its car reviewing peers. It has some of the best reliability on the market. Comes packed with incredible amounts of technology and features, has a industry high 10 year/100k mile powertrain warranty (would a shit car, come with a warranty that large?), and all around $20k. It's incredibly practical too. That hatchback style rear lift gate is for the modern millennial on the go who likes to put things in and out of their car. There's a reason why Kia sells 100k of these cars every year.... it has a cult following.

[@stephenhendricks103]

@@jimbrown341 And that "cult" has a demographic mix rivaling Willie Nelson. Around Seattle I see everyone from millennial hipsters to aging boomers driving Souls.

[@headcas620]

Hyundai thanks you. .05 cents has been deposited into your account.

[@jimbrown341]

@@headcas620 Just an ignorant fool. Keep living in your bubble.

[@headcas620]

@@jimbrown341 It's like every econobox. Gutless base engine, laggy turbo optional engine. The things you touch don't feel like a quality item.

[@xadam2dudex]

Direct injection too many problems not good ..the camera looks like he is driving like a crazy person