The Kia Soul EV is a uniquely styled electric car with excellent range
Kia Soul EV Review
The Kia Soul EV, launched in 2014, was Kia’s first mass market electric car.
In 2020, Kia refreshed the Soul EV for the second time, giving it a much bigger battery (64 kWh) and considerably more range (252 miles, real world). It’s a quirky electric car that is both fun to look at and drive.
Although the Soul EV looks radically different to Kia’s other fully electric car, the e-Niro, underneath they are almost identical.
The Soul EV and the e-Niro are also priced very similarly, so probably best to take both cars for a test drive to see which one feels best for you.
Positives
- Funky, quirky styling
- Excellent range on a single charge
- Family-sized
- Kia 7-year warranty
Negatives
- Not the cheapest of EVs
Kia Soul EV Range & Charging
It has a 64 kWh battery which gives it a range of about 252 miles, in the real world, on a single charge.
That kind of range means – for the majority of driving situations – you no longer have to plan ahead regarding where and when you charge the car. You simply do all the driving you need to do during the day, come home, plug in, and then charge your car at night (using the car’s built-in timer) on a cheap, off-peak tariff.
If you do need to go on a long trip, the Soul EV has a pretty high rapid charging rate of 77 kW (DC). This allows you to charge your car at the motorway service station while you go for a sandwich and a coffee. By the time you’ve finished your food and checked your email (say 20-40 minutes later), the car will be ready to go again. It won’t be charged to 100% – more likely 70-80% – but that should be plenty to get you to your destination.
For electric cars in the £30,000 to £35,000 bracket, the Soul EV and the e-Niro 3 sibling currently have the highest range of all the brands / models available.
Soul EV Price
The current price is £37,295, including the government grant.
There’s just one version at the moment called ‘First Edition’. No doubt other trim levels will follow.
So it’s not the cheapest of EVs. However, in its segment of fairly spacious electric cars between £30,000 and £35,000, it’s a very strong candidate. Here’s a price comparison, ranked in order of range:
- Kia e-Niro 3: from £37,100, with 254 miles of range
- Kia Soul EV, First Edition: from £37,295, with 252 miles of range
- Nissan Leaf e+ N-Tec: from £0, with 215 miles of range
- DS Crossback E-Tense, Performance Line: from £31,490, with 185 miles of range
- Peugeot e-2008, Allure: from £31,315, with 185 miles of range
The Soul EV is a classy electric car that represents good value for money, assuming your budget stretches that far.
Who is the Kia Soul EV for?
This Kia electric car is front-wheel drive, has 5 doors and 5 seats.
Its 150 kW motor (201 bhp) gives it a top speed of 104 mph. It can go from 0 to 62 mph in 7.6 seconds. Instant acceleration is one of the hallmarks of electric cars, and the Soul EV doesn’t disappoint.
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 (315 litres) is note as big as the e-Niro (451 litres). You’ll either love or loathe the boxy look. It’s very much a Marmite car.
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.
Inside, the First Edition is very well specced, giving you:
- 10-speaker Harmon-Kardon premium sound system
- 10.25-inch touchscreen satellite navigation with European mapping
- Head Up Display (HUD)
- Adaptive cruise control
- Black leather upholstery
- LED headlights
- LED daytime running lights
- Wireless mobile phone charger
- Lane follow assist (LFA)
- Regenerative braking controlled by paddle shift on steering wheel
- Reversing camera
- Blind spot detection (BSD) with Rear-cross traffic alert (RCTA)
- Heated seats (front)
- 8-way driver’s electrically adjustable seat
- UVO App Connectivity
- Apple CarPlay & Android Auto with voice control
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.
