2023 Kia Soul - Peter's First Review of this redesigned model! 

I love the Soul and own a Soul EV. I disagree, I think the Soul has more competition than ever, but most of the competition has available AWD. One thing to note, in Canada the Soul used to be much more popular than it has been lately, and the data shows that this is directly related to competition from within the class. I'm not sure how much longer we'll have a Kia Soul. I kind of expect it to phase out with this latest redesign. We know Kia is moving heavily EV, so if my assumptions are right, I would love to see the Soul return as a really competitive budget friendly EV. Their current EV strategy would allow it to be 2wd or AWD. So that would be interesting to me. But it may never happen.

@@PeterLoweOne i live in Connecticut and the availability of 2023 Soul is still very limited. I know a lot of Soul owners are repeat customers but this lack of availability will hurt sales figures and probably doom its future. It doesn't seem any other car directly competes. It remains unique. EV's are not going to be the long range future of cars but adding AWD to the Soul would surely save it, in my opinion.

@@randytim512 So I know that Kia is viewing the Seltos as the Soul replacement. The last time I checked, there was no plan for a next generation Soul after this. I've always suggested that they should bring back a Soul as a full EV and launch it as their first truly affordable EV, but we'll see. The gasoline Soul is going to be done though, I think. I know that, at least in Canada, Kia is bringing in as many Seltos as they can, and very few Souls. We'll see if that means that Soul owners migrate to another brand, or continue to find something in the current lineup. It will be interesting to see.

@@PeterLoweOne I read that Kia plans to introduce the 2024 Soul next Summer. Is that what your hearing too? If they discontinue it I guess the Seltos and competitors like the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30 too might be the choices. 👍

@@randytim512 I heard that the Soul EV is likely gone. I haven't heard about a future Soul, but to be fair, I've been out of the Kia world for a while and haven't asked anyone. From a sales numbers perspective, I do know that the plan involves some hope that the Soul buyers move to Seltos.

Hi! I actually remember your user name! Thanks for checking out this video! Yeah, I've been making videos on this channel, pretty much daily, since late August. Thanks for your kind words! I hope you're also well!

Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experiences!

So, I'm confused. Do the 23's have LED headlights? I watched another 23 model year and the reviewer said that was the one downfall, the headlights were still old school incandescent lamps.

Nice! Yeah, the Soul is a great car. We own the Soul EV, and it's been great for us, small and easy to drive and park, but big enough on the inside for just about everything that we need to do with a vehicle. Great car, for sure!

Thanks so much for watching! I really like that Lunar Orange colour too! When we ordered our Soul, we wanted to get a brighter colour. (Your orange wasn't available on the EV at the time) but when the grey one showed up months earlier than the brighter colour, we made a decision to go with it instead. The Soul looks great in that Orange, I agree!

Orange 🍊 love their color

I agree! I love my Soul EV!

Hello! Thanks for watching! Yeah, the Soul really is a great car!

Great car! I think you'll love the updates on the newer ones. I used to love the older Souls (that sounds funny when I say it!) but the newer ones have a much improved ride, but still keep that character of the original. Thanks for watching!

Haha! Great question! When I worked with Kia in a previous life, and that purple change came in, we tried to find out if there was a way to change it, there wasn't. We advocated for user choice... To the best of my knowledge, they have no plans to do that. I hear you though!

Hello! Thanks for watching! It's been incredible out here! I'm very happy to be where I am, and it really has been the best thing for me. I have the flexibility to be involved in a number of projects that aren't on camera, and working with Jim Gilbert's Wheels and Deals has been a perfect fit for me.

1923! Cool.. 😃

Hi! Thanks for commenting! I did do a "good-bye" video on the previous channel, but I don't think they've mentioned it too much since I filmed it. Yeah, I've moved out east and have been here since April. It's been a great move for me. I'm still able to make daily videos, but I'm now able to be involved in a number of other pursuits off camera which really interest me. It's been a very positive thing for me!!

@@PeterLoweOne I’m happy that you’re happy!

Hello! I'm not particularly worried about this engine or transmission combination. Every manufacturer has their issues, and Kia is no exception, but I don't think I would shy away from this car because of potential issues. As far as acceleration, this is the same powertrain as the 2022 model, so it will feel the same to drive. They set these cars up for fuel efficiency, so if they feel slower, you can always drop them in Sport mode to liven things up. Thanks for watching!

@@PeterLoweOne Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my post! I have really enjoyed your in depth Kia videos over the years. Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I really would like to test drive another soul. I really like the interesting styling and flexible cargo room. I'm also need a vehicle with comfortable seats because I drive so much. Great tip on the sport mode too! Thanks again and keep up the great work with the videos!

No. I don't work there anymore. They're doing a great job without me. It's better for me to do what I'm doing! This has been a very positive move for me.

Yeah, that's a feature that a lot of people like. Having owned a Soul alongside other vehicles which have had that 360 camera, the only thing I will say is that the Soul really doesn't need it as much as other vehicles as the visibility is great on the Soul. My 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz had the 360 camera, and with it's raised back windows and pick up bed, it was very tough to see out of that vehicle, but easy to park with those cameras. The Soul is pretty easy to park overall. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!

I've worked with Kia in the past for many years, and, while any car can have issues, this one just isn't widespread. I don't think I've ever seen an issue with the engine in this car.

I'm not an expert on this, but I believe that with these CVT's they don't want the customer working on them. There are sensors attached to read if something isn't correct, and a light will go on in the dash, but again. I don't make these decisions, and don't know the specifics of why they're made.

CVT's are used in most popular brands of small cars these days. They're great for efficiency, and for what they're being asked to do in this class of vehicle, I don't have any issues with them. I'm not a fan of heavy towing with them. Nissan used to have a Pathfinder with 5000 lb towing capacity... They don't offer a CVT in the redesigned model now. As far as maintenance, most modern transmissions are fairly low maintenance these days.

A couple things are different. In the 2020 to 2022 models, the headlights for the LED are in the upper section, and the halogen lights are actually located where the fog lights go on the LED models. But in short, you're correct, it's not a simple plug and play swap. There are differences. This 2023 model does have a different light set up than previous versions too. All of the 2023's are LED front lights.

@@PeterLoweOne Thank you for your answer ... very interesting.

The Canadian head office and American head office for Kia are allowed to operate independently and serve their populations as they see fit. If you and I sat in different offices thousands of miles apart, and were given the spec sheets to create several product lines, we'd probably end up with different cars too. It's as simple as that as to why these cars are different across borders. For most of my career with Kia, there Canadian cars were usually better equipped than the American cars. That may end up changing now, but each company had success with the trims as they were equipping them. The other thing to keep in mind is that American Kia's come with a longer warranty as standard equipment, but that warranty is baked into the price of the car, where in Canada you can add that same warranty on at time of purchase, for an extra cost.

@@PeterLoweOne Thanks for that 'food for thought' clarification. Never even gave all that a thought . . . lol

If you buy your car from Jim Gilbert's Wheels and Deals, they put a protective Cat Strap on the catalytic converter in every one of their cars. As far as the Soul being easier to steal than other cars, that's not true. If someone wants to steal one, a prepared crook can take them from just about any car, quite easily.

Kia believes that the Seltos will fill the need for people wanting an AWD vehicle in a similar price point.

Kia really isn't selling (or producing) nearly the same number of Kia Soul's as they have in the past. I think the Soul is on the way out, I definitely don't expect them to expand the line. The last time it had a turbo, they sold well, but it's not like it reinvigorated the Soul's sales. The Soul is, by far, the longest running box car of the era (Scion XB, Nissan Cube, Honda Element) but the Soul is following the same fate of those other cars now. The end of the era is coming.

I didn't design the car. 🤷‍♂️ The Soul has never done that, but I know that several GM products have done that in the past.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

I wouldn't expect it anytime soon. I think the Soul will be done soon. If Kia's goal was astronomical fuel efficiency, they wouldn't make something in the shape of the Soul. Having said that, Kia executives have stated in the past that they wouldn't be designing their vehicles ONLY for efficiency, and that shows in shapes like the EV9. There's room in my mind for an ultra efficient Soul, but seeing as in Canada, and around the world, you can still buy an all electric Kia Soul, if Kia was to continue with the Soul, I would expect it to he all electric, and not hybrid.

I don't worry about that at all. The new back up camera is VERY clear, and the screen is massive compared to the 2014. My Soul EV will actually stop on it's own if you try to back out into traffic, so there are plenty of features that make the Soul great without needing those sensors anymore.

I prefer them.... Maybe our driving styles are different but I like the audio beeps to supplement the backup camera

@@davidbloomberg9494 Yeah, I hear you. I'm not saying you're wrong. I just have seen several people say that they need them, and then buy a car like this, and be perfectly content as they get used to their new vehicles. I used to be very very involved with Kia vehicles, and Kia owners, so I've seen that happen on this specific car dozens of times.

That's a good point. With it designed as is, there's no natural position where it blends in.

Engine oil burning*

I have a feeling that this issue is like many vehicles. It's probably not nearly as widespread as it seems online. I've never seen a Soul with that issue and I worked at a busy Kia dealer for years.

I don't think that was the 2020 or 22 souls but I know that the engines were burning 2015/16 sportage's, optimas, etc.

This car doesn't have a subwoofer at all.

@@PeterLoweOne mine soul do have Twoo

That was never an issue in Canadian cars. Great question though. Canadian cars are equipped differently and they're not easy to steal.

Haha! You've seen me before!

That's just about impossible to answer. If you value the efficiency of a hybrid, the Soul isn't offered as a hybrid. I own a Soul EV, which wasn't available in every market, but is more efficient again. It really depends on your tastes. I have family members who own the Niro and love it, and I own the Soul and love it. So the best thing to do is to sit in them, and take them for a spin to see which one you feel a connection to. You'll probably know very quickly which one is best for you.

Kia brought out the Seltos which became an instant hit for them. Apparently the decision was made that the Seltos as an AWD vehicle would have a more broad appeal than a Soul with AWD. I also believe that this will be the last Soul for a while. I've advocated for Kia to bring the Soul back as the first truly affordable EV from Kia. Maybe it will happen, but I believe that this may be the last gasoline powered Soul based on discussions that I've had when I worked with Kia.

I love the Soul that I own. Great car!

When you say that you're seeing different prices. A new dealer should post MSRP, along with freight and taxes. If it's beyond that, I would find a different dealer. Here in Fredericton, Jim Gilbert's Wheels and Deals is probably the best place to buy as you can count on their team to be very open about pricing, and the value that you're getting.

Not on this trim. I'm filming in Canada, so if you're from somewhere else, your trims may be different.

Haha! You remember me from a past life!!

I have bad news for you! No automaker will actively target seniors. If they target 50 year olds, that would be the top end of the market they want to reach for. Automakers always look for a demographic that will stay with them a long time. The Soul has always been marketed to young active people, and it has always sold well with older people who are just as you described.

You're first! By a wide margin! Have a great evening!

I film in Canada. You might be from somewhere else? It's an EX here in Canada.

@@PeterLoweOne Oh OK, sorry about that. In the US, the EX has push button start and a bigger info-tainment screen. The one in the video would be a LX here. Wonder why the difference?

@@kevinps3798 I used to run the largest Kia and Hyundai RU-vid channel in the world before moving to this channel. So I actually have an answer for you! Kia Canada and Kia America are completely different companies and they get to choose what is in each trim line independently of the other company. On average, Kia vehicles in Canada are better equipped than in the U.S. at the same trim line. For years, virtually every model at every trim had things like heated seats and often a heated steering wheel, but yeah, things are changing a little bit in that regard. Anyway! Thanks for watching! I hope that helped!

Haha! I like the new logo! And I don't think the Soul is designed to be an "exciting car" but it's definitely a car that makes a lot of people happy! It's practical and works well for those who own them.

The car looks awesome especially in a cool color like we have in the US