Kia Soul 2020: an extremely successful box matures … with caution



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Picture: Kia

Forget about the "+" and "!" Finishing levels you're used to – they're no longer in the 2020 model year. For its new design, the long-time Kia Soul subcompact (dare to call it a crossover? ) Grows slightly longer but much more mature, adopting a wiser face and a finer composition imitating that of other Kia models.

The new face, reminiscent of the Dodge Charger of all vehicles, is just one of many changes to come for 2020. One thing that does not change is the inherent funkiness of the model. This thing did not become fixed.

2020 Soul buyers will be able to choose from six trim levels – LX, S, X-Line, GT-Line, EX and EX Designer Collection – and discover that the 1.6-liter four-cylinder can not be found. This 130-horsepower plant is being replaced by a 2.0-liter plant from Kia Forte and Hyundai Elantra.

The power is 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, transmitted to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox or the Kia Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) – a unit also borrowed from the Forte. An optional 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of power, returns to a seven-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission.

Picture: Kia

For 2020, the wheelbase of the Soul grows 1.2 inches long, with a total length of 2.2 inches extra. The width and height remain in place. The cargo volume increases slightly, by five cubic feet, although the space for the rear legs decreases by three tenths of an inch. Are you likely to notice? No.

However, you'll notice the many design changes, including narrower headlights underlined by an LED light bar and a gaping lower grille that looks like it's ready to suck up pets. Wrap-around side vents add muscularity. The high, vertically oriented rear lights that we saw on previous models are now migrating partly around the rear glass. Kia has also added a pillar C to ensure that passers-by know that it is a soul they are watching, not a strange resurrected Scion. Of course, the profile of the car remains strongly that of a soul.

Picture: Kia

If you're really in the mood to brag, the GT-Line and X-Line trims are your baby. The first concerns the sport (new front and rear fairings, black mirrors, side skirts with red buttons, 18-inch rubber, escutcheon, chrome-finished central exhaust, turbo engine and improved brakes available), while the X Line gives your soul feel that you are ready to face the Oregon Trail. Body coatings, super-charged defenses and other off-road vehicle-inspired objects (less all-wheel drive) appear on X-Line.

If this does not suit your needs, the EX Designer Collection features 18-inch black-spoke wheels, LED headlights and fog lights, and two-tone paint.

Picture: Kia

Upgrades continue indoors, with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a 10.25-inch touchscreen (standard on EX and GT-Line models, provided you've upgraded to the latter with turbo engine). Two Bluetooth users can now connect at any time and an eight-inch head-up display is listed in the options list. The security features span the gamut, even though Kia has not broken down their availability over the entire adjustment range.

If you think the soul has not lost some of its … reshuffle, Kia would like to inform you of its new mood lighting system. What's more funky and cool than adjusting the ambient light in the cab of your car to set the tone of the evening? Your choices are summed up in six grumpy colors: "Hey! Yo! "(What is it in the name of God …)," Party Time "(is not it always, when you drive a soul?)," Traveling "(boooooring)," Romance "( tell us more), "Midnight City" (was not it a Cars album?) and "CafĂ©" (do not tell us more).

As for pricing, Kia did not reveal this until the 2020 Soul release date in the first half of next year.

Picture: Kia

[Images: Kia Motors]

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