Kia Soul EV

The Kia Soul EV is a uniquely styled electric car

Introduction to Kia Soul EV

The Kia Soul EV, launched in 2014, was Kia’s first mass market electric car.

In 2018, Kia refreshed the Soul EV, giving it a slightly bigger battery and more range. It’s a quirky electric car that is both fun to look at and drive.

Now in 2019, the Soul EV is actually not currently available new in the UK. Kia have stopped bringing it in. There will be a revamped Soul EV coming in 2020. So, unfortunately, right now, you cannot buy a new Soul EV. Our review below can therefore serve as a guide if you are thinking of buying second hand.

Kia’s other 100% electric vehicle is the award-winning e-Niro. It costs about £6,000 more, but well worth checking out if you regularly travel long distances. Annoyingly, again, Kia cannot supply the e-Niro to the UK in 2019. Come on Kia – pull your finger out!

Kia Soul EV – Range

It has a 33 kWh battery which gives it a range of about 116 miles, in the real world, on a single charge.

This range puts the Soul EV at the lower end of the market. It’s the lowest range of all the 5-seat electric cars in the UK.

Its range can however be given a solid boost at motorway service stations. It has 50 kW rapid charging capabilities via its CHAdeMO connector. This means you can go for lunch, have a flat white, check Twitter, and then return to a nicely charged up car.

Who is the Kia Soul EV for?

This Kia electric car is front-wheel drive, has 5 doors and 5 seats.

Its 81 kW motor (109 bhp) gives it a top speed of 90 mph. It can go from 0 to 62 mph in 11.2 seconds. Not particularly quick for EV standards, but many electric car owners are not looking for all-out performance.

Space in the back seats is fine for both legroom and headroom. Like many electric cars in this segment, the Soul EV could be your next family car, although its boot is not enormous. You’ll either love or loathe the boxy look. It’s very much a Marmite car.

If you need to go on longer trips regularly, then it might be better to go for an EV with greater range. At least, if need be, the rapid charging interface is very good.

Would it be a nice city car? Yes it would. It’s almost as compact as a Renault Zoe. It has a reasonably high driving position, so you feel in command as you drive around without emitting any pollutants at all. As city centre restrictions on emissions become tougher and tougher, having an electric car is becoming a big advantage.

• If you would like more information about EVs in general, please see our main Electric Cars page.

• For specific details, see the main Kia UK Soul EV website.

• Otherwise, please scroll down to the Reviews section below for independent analyses.