Best Used Luxury Car 2013: The Car Connection's Picks
Luxury cars offer a little more—of what matters to nearly everyone but the most dedicated... Read More
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fabric seats with the word “soul” woven in that will glow in the dark, possibly taking the breath away from the entire female population of the Oklahoma panhandle
Auxiliary audio/USB jacks and a 12-volt power outlet are conveniently grouped together at the bottom of the center stack.
Audio quality is plenty sufficient for the MP3 generation or baby-boomer talk radio.
315-watt stereo that includes a set of glowing red speaker lights that are either ridiculously cool or just plain ridiculous, depending on how old you are
Bluetooth phone system lets you voice dial by name. iPod integration is standard and the audio system produces good clarity.
FEATURES | 9 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
fabric seats with the word “soul” woven in that will glow in the dark, possibly taking the breath away from the entire female population of the Oklahoma panhandle
Car and Driver
Auxiliary audio/USB jacks and a 12-volt power outlet are conveniently grouped together at the bottom of the center stack.
Consumer Guide
Audio quality is plenty sufficient for the MP3 generation or baby-boomer talk radio.
Edmunds
315-watt stereo that includes a set of glowing red speaker lights that are either ridiculously cool or just plain ridiculous, depending on how old you are
Autoblog
Bluetooth phone system lets you voice dial by name. iPod integration is standard and the audio system produces good clarity.
CNET
The Soul also handily beats its older competitors in standard and optional features, with only the Scion xB nearing its offerings. Standard features on the base Soul include tilt steering, air conditioning, Sirius Satellite Radio (the first three months of service are free), USB and auxiliary inputs for music players, and power windows. Lacking on all models are auto-up power windows and telescoping steering. The Soul+ adds cruise control, steering-wheel audio switches, Bluetooth connectivity, and dual 12V outlets. Next up is the Soul! gets a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a tan-and-houndstooth interior trim package, and a 315-watt audio system with speaker lighting, which illuminates according to music beat or "mood."
At the top of the line is the $16,950 Soul Sport, which has the same features as the Soul! but adds 18-inch wheels, sport suspension, metal pedals, and a red-on-black interior scheme.
The Car Connection has found the combination of cavernous cargo capacity, and simple switchgear with a satisfying, quality feel, to help the Soul feel even better than the sum of its parts. The awesome-sounding (optional) 315-watt sound system and well-integrated Bluetooth add to that impression.
Options on various Soul models include a sunroof, that sound-system upgrade, and more than 60 accessories, from styling add-ons to interior trim. A navigation system isn't offered, nor is a hard-drive-based audio system, a notable omission.
Two different Special Edition Soul models will be offered in the 2011 model year; both will be based on the Soul+ trim and include automatic climate control plus unique exterior styling and special accessories.
Conclusion
With the 2011 Kia Soul, you get a lot of features for surprisingly little money.
