Used 2015 Kia Soul Consumer Reviews
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Inferno Red Plus Mostly Delights
Ian Dogole, 05/17/2016
updated 05/28/2019
2015 Kia Soul + 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
100 of 101 people found this review helpful
Update (5.26.2019) - Beware the A/C drainage hose. It is made too narrow and can clog, causing the windshield to fog up in seconds. This caused a few dangerous driving situations for me. My local dealer said that many Kia Souls had come in with this problem. It took them 5 minutes to clear it. You can get this done at the same time as an oil change. In the late summer of 2015, my 2000 Honda CR-V, which had performed flawlessly for 15 years, began to have some issues and I commenced searching for its successor. I was set on purchasing a 2015 Honda Fit, but in August the model and color (red) I wanted wasn't available in Northern California, so I considered my Plan B - a Kia Soul. I had started to notice these quirky-looking, boxy vehicles after the redesign and I was quite attracted to the refreshed look. The reviews across numerous sites were mostly very favorable and I decided to visit Kia of Marin for a test drive. I immediately noticed how solid the vehicle felt and similar to the CR-V, I really liked the sensation of sitting high vs. the Fit, which has a lower profile. Overall, I was very impressed and when I inquired about the availability of an Inferno Red Plus, the dealer was able to get one in 2 days. What really cinched the deal was Kia's $2,000 discount and the availability of a 1.9% financing deal for 66 months with no money down. Bottom line - I drove out in a new Soul Plus for less than 19K, including tax and license. Seems like a great value. Driving experiences - After 5,000 miles here is what I have learned: First, I had a few negative early impressions, which have moderated or reversed over time: 1. Blind spot on the passenger side - Due to the rather thick pillars where the tail lights reside, I had to get used to a significant blind spot, which requires me to position the side mirror in such a way that I can see a car in that blind spot and I do a visual check every time I make a lane change to the right. On the driver's side, I have no problem. I don't like the blind spot, but I deal with it. 2. No CD Player - As an older driver accustomed to having CD's in the car, this was going to be a deal-breaker for me but I decided to open my mind to using a flash drive and plugging into the USB port. Good move! I don't miss the CDs and the clutter at all and I can put so much music on a flash drive. It's really a no-brainer. 3. No spare tire - That's just silly and this "kit" they provide is a joke. Pay the $250 or so for the spare tire assembly unless you love repairing them on the side of the road. 4. Back seat doesn't lay flat when folded down and falls about 6" short of the front seat. As a percussionist with lots of drums and other gear, I thought this would really suck for me, but it was a false alarm. I get all of my instruments into the vehicle with no problem and I use the "gap" between the seats to store skinny items like cymbals, mic stands etc. Driving - The Soul drives smoothly and confidently and I don't experience the "vague" steering that many reviewers have noted. It handles curves just fine and gets up hills (many in Marin County where I live) without undue effort and doesn't roll back when stopped on a hill, which is a revelation. Breaking is good enough and power is more than adequate with the 2-liter engine. Gas Mileage - This is a weak point of the Soul as my combined mileage is less than 22 in Eco mode, not the bogus 26 MPG claimed on the sticker. However, since I monitor the MPG on every trip, if I stay on the freeway, the car will return roughly 31 MPG. It's on the side streets and hills where it falls back to about 18 MPG. Stereo System - Since I didn't get the upgraded audio package, I settled for replacing the front component speakers and the rear coaxial speakers with new Hertz speakers and the sonic experience improved dramatically. Comfort - I would give this 5 stars if it weren't for the annoying positioning and hard materials of the headrests. The headrest feels really uncomfortable when I lean into it. The seats are very comfortable and I feel like I have plenty of room as a driver and I know passengers feel quite comfortable as well. Other - All the doors and the rear gate open effortlessly, making it a breeze for me to get all my gear in and out of the vehicle. Beware of the key fobs. I didn't like the idea of carrying 2 bulky key fobs in case I misplaced one and the dealer had no suggestions for how to get a simple spare key made. After countless calls to Kia and to locksmiths who wanted to charge up to $200 to make one for me, I found a local locksmith who used a Lexus blank to make me a spare that I can put in my wallet which opens the doors and starts the engine ... for $35. I highly recommend this option if you are like me and never want to be locked out. Overall, this is a very fun car to drive and a great value to boot, especially if you can wait for a year-end deal. It's quirky, but I can't think of a better option in this price range.
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Great fun at a reasonable price
Tim Parker, 11/25/2015
2015 Kia Soul + 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
40 of 40 people found this review helpful
I shopped for a Soul a year ago and ended up buying a Honda Civic instead. No knock on the Civic, but it just wasn't the right car for me, and I found myself still looking. I came back around to the Soul. Kia had special financing, and the dealer was offering a better deal than I could find a year ago, so I took the plunge and bought the 2016 Soul+ with the Audio/Nav package. Wow! I'm so glad I bought it! I love the extra driving height and extra headroom. There's more room in the back seat. There's more cargo room. It's fun to drive. Acceleration is good with the 2.0 liter engine. Handling is good. Pro reviewers talk about "numb" steering but I don't notice it. It drives and handles fine. That said, it's not a sports car so don't buy this if that's what you want. It has lots of creature comforts like a great audio system that thumps you in the chest if you want it to, but can be tamed if desired. The nav system works well. I didn't think I wanted it, but now that I have it I use it often. I like the climate control system. I have it set and never need to touch it. It keeps the cabin comfortable no matter what the outside temp is. It has a large touch screen that is easy to use and pretty intuitive. You can check Kia's site for a full breakdown of features. For me the important thing is the features it has all work together to create a fun and comfortable driving experience. I've only had it a month so I can't comment on long term durability, but so far there's not a squeak, not a rattle, everything works flawlessly, and the materials and workmanship are first rate, especially for a vehicle in this price range. A+ for the Soul!
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One year with my 2015 Kia Soul !
John Holliday, 02/01/2016
updated 02/06/2018
2015 Kia Soul ! 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
47 of 48 people found this review helpful
I have driven the Soul for a year now for 7000 miles. The Audio amplifier failed and was replaced. The drives door seal split open from getting in and out Was replaced and 6 months later has split again. I really like the car except for the headrest which is much too close to my head when driving. I cannot adjust it enough to make it comfortable. That one item may keep me from buying another if Kia doesn't correct it. According the forums, I am not the only one with this complaint. I have replaced the original tires with Bridgestone Driveguard run flat tires. They are great. Kia service has bean very good! Another year, now at 13,00 miles with no problems other than having to buy a new battery. Now three years old with a little over 16,000 miles. No problems with anything. It is a good car for seniors, plenty of room, easy to get in or out of and my rollator fits in the back with very little effort. I would be tempted to replace it with another Soul, new turbo engine, safety items, even folding mirrors. I have mastered the headrest proble by reclining the back a little..
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Still fun driving…not happy with quality issues.
marjorie james, 12/16/2015
updated 11/08/2023
2015 Kia Soul + 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
84 of 88 people found this review helpful
Great car for driving. Very comfortable, easy to get in and out of for us older folks. Zippy attitude in the city and on the highway. Just did a day in San Francisco and what fun. No trouble up or down the steep hills. The vehicle did not roll back when stopped on a hill at a light. First time ever either stick or auto. Hate the fact that the car is marketed for youngsters. This car has so much going for it. Great headroom. Both front and rear seats are comfortable and roomy. I came from a Mazada MPV and only regret is less room in trunk area. Mileage is soooo much better and the direct front wheel handling is fantastic. Have tried to do all kinds of driving since purchasing this vehicle and in all areas mountains, to freeway, city to country it is really a gem. Glad I found this lovable drive-able car to be a very good choice for my last car purchase. Truly believe it will do the job until I stop driving. It doesn't hurt to have a really good warranty longer than the rest of the market.
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Perfect small car for tall drivers! Awesome! A++
Jim B, 11/14/2015
updated 11/30/2020
2015 Kia Soul 4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 6M)
53 of 55 people found this review helpful
I was in dire need of a good car. Tried finding a good used car with less then 100k miles on it but everyone wanted damn near $7,500 for one. So, I decided to buy a brand new small car for ~$15,000. I purchased a 2015 Kia Soul with a 1.6L engine and a manual transmission. I'm 6'3", 220 pounds and I have lots of head room and leg room in it. This is the first car I have ever drove that I could not drive with the seat fully back, there's that much leg room! Even in the back seat I have plenty of head room and leg room, that's a rare find even on more expensive cars! The 1.6L engine is on the smaller side but with the manual transmission I can nail the peak horsepower curves for some impressive acceleration. No problems quickly reaching highway speeds. The engine make a cool deep throttle sound at 3500 to 5500 rpm in hard acceleration. Interior is awesome, I've owned it for nearly 8 months and drove for over 20k miles and I'm still finding neat features about it. The cargo area is smaller then most but it can handle one overloaded grocery cart full of groceries easily. I installed a small trailer hitch on it and use a cargo hitch basket for long trips with the kids. The internal storage area and the cargo basket will carry luggage for four people with plenty of room to spare. The only negative I've seen is the back two corners do have a larger then normal blind spot, but I consider this a very minor problem. UPDATE- After 1 year and 3 months and 33k miles of driving my new Kia Soul I still love it! Added a trailer hitch which I use for a trailer hitch tray. Perfect for hauling push mower, weed wacker and gas can. Even use a small trailer with my Kia Soul to help clean up the yard from tree trimmer and such and to help friends move their belongings. Absolutely no problems with it. Found the idea MPG at 40-50 mph, I can reach 38mpg at those speeds. High speed expressway driving greatly reduces MPG to 33MPG due to wind resistance and a high reving 6th gear. Still wished Kia would have made a 7th gear but I believe most people would not understand that you could only use 7th gear under certain idea conditions. UPDATE- After 1 year 9 months and 45,000, no problems at all with my 2015 Kia Soul. I'm still loving it! :-) *****GAS MILLAGE IS A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT IS LISTED******* 29-33mpg driving it like I stole it LOL. 35-38mpg if taking it easy at 45-55mph on highway. UPDATE- After 2 years and 3 months and 55,000 miles: Took out a 10 point buck with it. Knocked the [non-permissible content removed] antlers right off him. I was surprised to find almost no damage to the car, nothing worth filing an insurance claim on. Hit a huge pot hole which bent the rim. Beat the rim back into shape and all is good again. Surprising there was no damage to the front suspension. Gas mileage still a lot better than listed. Tires are worn pretty bad, will need to replace then at 60,000 miles. UPDATE- 3 years and 3 months and 80,000 miles: still running great. Original tires lasted 65,000 miles. Replaced tires. Replaced all three wipers. Driver side door key lock failed. Bad tumblers? I don't have a remote key less entry so driver lock was used constantly. Still 100% happy with my Kia Soul. Hoping for 300,000 miles out of it. Update- 5 years & 9 months, 141,000 miles. Still running very good. The 1.6L engine burns a little oil. Both door key locks failed. Looking like we will make 200k miles at least. Got a free, brand new Cat. Converter installed free by a Kia Factory recall. Body still good. I will be installing a good used low mileage 1.6L engine when it does fail.
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