Foglights are standard on the Soul2, as is electronic stability control and traction control (two things the base model Soul misses out on). A comprehensive suite of six airbags is also standard, and includes two front and two side airbags for the front seats along with two full-length curtain airbags.

Active headrests and pretensioning seatbelts are fitted to the front seats, while ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and braking assist is standard equipment.

Mechanical Package

The Soul is fairly simple in its mechanical layout. Our tester came fitted with a 94kW 1.6 litre turbodiesel four which was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, and both units gave good – if unexciting – performance.

Thanks to a variable-geometry turbocharger and common-rail diesel injection, the oil-burner proved to be a reasonably thrifty unit when driven sedately.

With 260Nm of torque available from a low 1900rpm, the CRDi’s motor is a grunty one and pulls the Soul along with ease.

However, getting on the gas doesn’t necessarily equal an increase in pace. The turbo runs out of puff fairly early in the piece, and there’s no point hanging onto a gear beyond 4000rpm. As a result, overtaking requires some planning – and patience.

The transmission is hooked up to the front wheels only, and although the Soul’s mini-SUV flavour might hint otherwise, an all-wheel-drive layout is not on offer.

The gear ratios are unique to the diesel, and reasonably well spaced to take advantage of the 1.6 litre engine’s torque. But while Kia says new double and triple-cone synchronizers smooth out gearchanges, we still found the shifter to be a touch notchy and more than a little reluctant to slot into the gate at times.

Disc brakes are fitted to all four wheels, with ventilated discs up front and solid discs at the rear. Braking performance was more than adequate, and the ABS system works well on wet tarmac.

With a kerb weight of  1254kg, the Kia is certainly a lot lighter than its chunky proportions suggest, and fuel economy is quoted as being 5.2l/100km on the combined cycle. The best we could record was 8.2l/100km, but that’s still a decent figure considering it was mostly driven through hilly terrain.

The Drive

So the engine runs out of breath a bit early and the gearbox doesn’t like being rushed, but how does the Soul handle urban tarmac?

Pretty well, as it turns out. It rides comfortably, absorbs bumps with aplomb and is easy to manoeuvre at low speeds. The electro-mechanical power steering dulls any feedback through the wheel, but the average Soul buyer probably won’t miss it anyway.

There is an abundance of roll through long corners and the Soul isn’t the sharpest handler around, though. Large potholes can unsettle the chassis and the front wheels can break traction in the wet with just an over-enthusiastic flex of the ankle, however the stability and traction control systems sort both problems out in short measure.

While forward visibility is good, keeping tabs on what’s hanging around the Soul’s hindquarters is a difficult exercise. The fat C-pillars don’t help rearward visibility, and the small-ish rear window can also make parking difficult. A set of reverse parking sensors would most assuredly help the Soul’s cause.

The Verdict

The Kia Soul2 blends an attractive body with a level of equipment that’s sure to keep the majority of its 20 to 30-something target demographic happy, but is the whole package more a case of form over function?

A little. The Soul’s distinctive shape does diminish the driver’s ability to look over their shoulder and keep an eye on their surroundings, but at the same time the interior packaging is both intelligent and spacious.

Five adults can fit in the Soul comfortably and there’s more than enough room in the back for a week’s groceries. Plus, finding a place to store your various knick-knacks won’t be a challenge given the amount of storage pockets the Kia provides.

It looks good, it turns heads (a remarkable feat for a Kia, it must be said) and with a retail price of $26,690 for the Soul2 CRDi manual (including a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty) it’s a pretty decent deal.

It’s let down by its dynamic performance and a lack of any meaningful grunt, but for new car buyers looking for a cheap, funky and practical vehicle, the Soul certainly fits the bill.

At the wheel, you feel pretty good about the world. And that’s a good thing in any car.

Likes

• Styling
• Spacious interior
• Plethora of storage options
• Good fuel economy
• Relaxed motor
• Commanding driving position

Dislikes

• Not enough power for overtaking
• Ride won’t challenge anything European or Japanese
• Rearward visibility is poor
• Interior materials feel cheap and are easily scratched