Used Kia Soul Hatchback 2009 - 2014 review
Combining fun, fashion and practicality into a town-friendly package isn’t easy – but that’s precisely the aim of the Kia Soul
More used reviews:
- (2019 - )
- (2016 - 18)
- (2019 - )
See used cars for sale
Small SUV
Jump to:
What's the used Kia Soul like?
Ownership cost
Our recommendations
Alternatives
Reliability
Stuart Milne
Updated: 30 March 2017
How we test cars
What's the used Kia Soul like?
Inaccurate and slightly silly names are strewn throughout the world of cars. But in the case of the Kia Soul, the badge it wears on its rump isn’t quite as daft as it might at first sound.
For starters, its funky looks and gaudy paint jobs add personality, and are reminiscent of its most fashionable small SUV rivals – the Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman.
Overview
Combining fun, fashion and practicality into a town-friendly package isn’t easy – but that’s precisely the aim of the Kia Soul
Pros
- Individual looks
- Spacious interior
- Good value
Cons
- Jittery ride
- Cheap dashboard plastics
- Noisy engines
Used cars available now
In partnership with
Kia SOUL
1.6 CRDi Tempest Euro 4 5dr
£995
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi Shaker Euro 4 5dr
£1,000
Kia Soul
1.6 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,390
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,395
Kia Soul
1.6 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,395
Kia Soul
1.6 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,495
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi Echo Euro 4 5dr
£1,495
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi 2 Auto Euro 4 5dr
£1,595
Kia Soul
1.6 1 Euro 4 5dr
£1,744
See all available cars
See used cars for sale
Yet the Soul is more than just a pretty face. Unlike the most style-conscious small SUVs, it’s actually remarkably practical. There’s loads of room in both front and back seats, for example, while the boot is a very useful square shape, even if it isn’t ultimately much larger than average for the class. It’s also worth noting that when you fold the seats forward, they leave a step, so you don’t get the same flat floor you do in some SUVs.
The dashboard looks unusual, too, with its stereo-inspired design cues, and while some of the plastics are rather low-rent, there’s decent visibility, and all the buttons and switches are close to hand.
advertisement
scroll for more
All the latest deals, offers and much more from the What Car? team. Don't miss out.
See our full privacy notice for more details.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Out on the road, the Kia Soul isn’t the most sophisticated thing going, mind you, and nor is it the most fun. The ride is rather jittery on all but the smoothest roads, and while the body doesn’t lean over too much in fast cornering, vague steering means the Soul isn’t as involving as it could be.
There’s a choice of two engines: a 1.6-litre petrol and a diesel of the same size. Both can become rather noisy when they’re being pushed hard, and in the petrol version, you’ll have to do so regularly as it feels rather lethargic otherwise. The diesel provides more low-down shove, but the trade-off is that you have to put up with a bit of vibration through the steering wheel and pedals.
Tips & Advice
How to test drive a car
There’s no substitute for a test drive in a new car. Take it on a variety of roads and surfaces to ensure it measures up.
Will the car fit your needs?
As part of the test drive, fill the car with regularly-carried luggage, and make sure the family can get comfy before you buy
Ownership cost
What used Kia Soul will I get for my budget?
The cheapest Kia Souls can be had for as little as £2500 these days, but frankly we’d steer clear of these as they’re usually high-mile or previously written-off examples – especially when a decent Soul can be had for so little extra.
advertisement
scroll for more
In fact, just £3000 is enough to get you into an example of the most basic petrol-engined model with an average mileage and a full service history; if you want the diesel model, which is our preference, you’ll need to up that to around £4000.
If you’re after one of the facelifted examples, meanwhile – which were introduced in 2011, and got a lot of detail changes that added up to a much better car – you’ll need to pay around £6000.
How much does cost to run a Kia Soul?
Quite a bit, whether you choose the petrol or the diesel engine. Both cost more both to fuel and to tax than most of their rivals, but the petrol is especially expensive to run because it was quite old technology even when the Soul was new.
If you’re going for an earlier pre-facelift model, official fuel consumption figures stand at 43mpg for the petrol, or 54.3mpg for the diesel, while tax will cost £185 or £130 a year respectively.
In 2011, the facelifted Soul got better running costs, but not by much. The 1.6 petrol’s fuel economy was up to 44.1mpg, though emissions dropped enough to bring the tax bill down to £145 per year. Meanwhile, the new diesel engine could achieve 57.6mpg, and its tax rate consequently dropped to £110 a year.
advertisement
scroll for more
The automatic gearbox on these models was also very old-fashioned, which meant it drove up the costs even more – adding an auto ’box to any Soul will jack up both tax and fuel consumption considerably, so it’s best avoided if at all possible.
Tips & Advice
Organise your motoring life
Whether you need to keep tabs on your insurance renewal, sort breakdown cover, or book a service, My What Car? has you covered
Never miss a motoring date
Remembering to arrange insurance, book a service or buy breakdown cover can be a pain. Fortunately, My What Car? is here to help
Can I buy a car with cash?
Paying cash isn’t always an easy way to a new car – and you may not be able to get the big discounts you might expect
Protect your investment
GAP insurance allows you to get the full price for your car if it’s stolen or written off, but only a quarter of Brits buy it
Reduce your car finance bills
Refinancing your car effectively means taking out one loan to pay off another, which could help reduce your monthly payments, or reduce your finance term
What is hire purchase?
Hire purchase allows you to make monthly payments to buy your next car – although these will be higher than with a PCP
What is PCP finance?
Low monthly payments are key to the appeal of Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements. But are there downsides?
Our recommendations
Which used Kia Soul should I buy?
In 2012, the Kia Soul got a few detail design changes – you can tell the difference because the later model gained daytime running lights in the indicator units beneath the headlights – but more crucially, there were tweaks to the petrol engine to make it more powerful, and a whole new diesel engine which was more efficient and a little smoother. A new six-speed manual gearbox replaced the old five-speed, too, which helped with acceleration and engine noise.
Consequently, we’d have to recommend one of these models, if your budget can stretch that far, but whichever era of Soul you choose, we reckon the diesel is the best bet thanks to its vastly better running costs. For the same reason, a manual version makes far more sense than an automatic.
advertisement
scroll for more
The basic Soul range was quite limited, with just two trim levels, simply named ‘1’ and ‘2’. ‘1’ gets you air conditioning, electric windows and a CD player, while ‘2’ adds 16-inch alloy wheels, steering wheel controls for the stereo, and iPod compatibility.
In addition, there was a string of special edition models, one of which would be our choice as they came with some nice extra bits of equipment and often don’t cost all that much more than the standard version. The best-equipped of these was the Inferno, which came with heated seats, leather upholstery and a keyless entry and starting system, though you have to put up with rather naff dragon decals emblazoned on the side of the car.
Our favourite Kia Soul: 1.6 CRDi special editions
Tips & Advice
Avoid ULEZ and clean-air zone fines
If you regularly drive into a clean air zone, you’ll want to ensure your next car is compliant to avoid costly fines
Alternatives
What alternatives should I consider to a used Kia Soul?
The most natural rival to the Kia Soul is the Nissan Juke, which is a little cheaper to run than the Soul, but suffers from a firm ride, cramped rear seats and a small boot.
advertisement
scroll for more
Or you could go for a Mini Countryman, which features a better-made, more stylish interior, a more fashionable badge, and far cheaper running costs – though you’ll pay an awful lot more for one of these in the first place, and there are some question marks over reliability.
If you’re after a practical small car, the Renault Captur is very clever, though it isn’t all that fast, and can’t quite match the Soul for rear seat space.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
How reliable is the Kia Soul EV ?
Kia Soul EV
Read reliability
Used cars available now
In partnership with
Kia SOUL
1.6 CRDi Tempest Euro 4 5dr
£995
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi Shaker Euro 4 5dr
£1,000
Kia Soul
1.6 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,390
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,395
Kia Soul
1.6 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,395
Kia Soul
1.6 2 Euro 4 5dr
£1,495
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi Echo Euro 4 5dr
£1,495
Kia Soul
1.6 CRDi 2 Auto Euro 4 5dr
£1,595
Kia Soul
1.6 1 Euro 4 5dr
£1,744
See all available cars
About the writer
Name: Stuart Milne
Title: Digital editor
Follow Stuart Milne on
Stuart has been a motoring journalist for more than 25 years, writing and editing for a wide range of consumer titles. Today, Stuart is responsible for the smooth running of whatcar.com and all of its related social and digital channels. And he’s the man responsible for making sure you're able to find What Car?’s industry-leading content whenever you search for it.
News and advice
Sponsored
What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable small SUVs
In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable small SUVs in the UK
Mon Mar 16 2026
Feature
Kia EV3 reader test team
The Kia EV3 is the brand's all-new small electric SUV. We've asked a panel of readers to check it over and tell us what they think of it
Thu Feb 19 2026
Feature
BYD Atto 3 long-term test
Can an unfamiliar car brand show established names a thing or two when it comes to comfortable, practical and cost-effective electric motoring? We're finding out
Fri Jan 5 2024
Slideshow
20 most reliable used SUVs
There are all sorts of secondhand SUVs to choose from, but not all of them will be a joy to live with. To help you choose the best, we round-up the 20 SUVs least likely to let you down
See all latest advice