I have Soul
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I have Soul
As many of you know now, a week ago today I bought a 2012 Kia Soul as my practical car to move a future dog and gear for existing hobbies such as MTB, camping and hiking. I can actually drive in comfort going to hiking trails while getting great MPG.
Initial Quality:
I was impressed with Kia when I saw it in person. Fit and finish were on par with the overall market. The panen gap is tight, nothing is loose, nothing squeeks or rattles. Nothing is falling off. Paint looks good with very little orange peeling, unline I saw on some other brands (new cars). Doors have a nice, solid thud when closing. Usually econoboxes - especially older Kias - feel like tin-cans. Not the case here.
Performance:
2.0L I4, 164hp and 140 some torque. 2700 pounds. With the 6-speed manual this car is quite peppy and has plenty of power. The suspension is stiff but not jarringly so and it handles well. The vehicle has surprisingly little body roll, for as tall as she is. Gearbox is smooth and fairly short in the throws. It reminds me very much of my old VW gearbox. It's only a little more rubbery but overall the feel is good and precise. The clutch is expectedly light, which doesn't leave a lot of feedback but it's quite natural. I had more trouble adjusting to the electronic throttle than I had to the clutch.
Features:
This vehicle competes with anything in the market in the same price bracket. My Soul came with 16" allow wheels, all around tint, excluding only the windshield, rear deflector designed to keep the back window cleaner from road spray, auto-dimming mirror, mats, organizers and various thingamajigs that no one should ever be paying extra for. Where the Kia shines is the list of standard features that include heated outside mirrors, all power accessories, standard bluetooth, standard sat radio, standard aux, USB and Ipod plugs. I even get 14 more months left of the Sat radio subscription. Very cool.
Practicality:
This is a hatchback and it's boxy. Plenty of cool storage inside. The rear seats fold flat. Little things like tiny, out-of-the-way hooks to keep the rear seatbelt out of the way when folding the seats shows me that Kia was thinking long-term and thinking details. I like that a lot. It will serve great hauling my soon-to-have dog around and all my other junk. I plan to put a small hitch out back and utilize a hitch-mounted bike carrier. I wasn't a fan of the roof rack I had on my Golf. It was noisy and got in the way. Since I don't have to carry kayaks or anything, a hitch arrier will do great. Besides, it's cheaper.
FOSE: I'll ask the gf to demo.
Bottom line:
There aren't many things that I don't like about this car. The few that are there, can be easily remedied. One is the crappy stock tires, which are worthless in the rain.
Yes, that yellow dealer tag's been gone.
Here's a better picture (not mine) to show the color. My phone's pictures suck.
Initial Quality:
I was impressed with Kia when I saw it in person. Fit and finish were on par with the overall market. The panen gap is tight, nothing is loose, nothing squeeks or rattles. Nothing is falling off. Paint looks good with very little orange peeling, unline I saw on some other brands (new cars). Doors have a nice, solid thud when closing. Usually econoboxes - especially older Kias - feel like tin-cans. Not the case here.
Performance:
2.0L I4, 164hp and 140 some torque. 2700 pounds. With the 6-speed manual this car is quite peppy and has plenty of power. The suspension is stiff but not jarringly so and it handles well. The vehicle has surprisingly little body roll, for as tall as she is. Gearbox is smooth and fairly short in the throws. It reminds me very much of my old VW gearbox. It's only a little more rubbery but overall the feel is good and precise. The clutch is expectedly light, which doesn't leave a lot of feedback but it's quite natural. I had more trouble adjusting to the electronic throttle than I had to the clutch.
Features:
This vehicle competes with anything in the market in the same price bracket. My Soul came with 16" allow wheels, all around tint, excluding only the windshield, rear deflector designed to keep the back window cleaner from road spray, auto-dimming mirror, mats, organizers and various thingamajigs that no one should ever be paying extra for. Where the Kia shines is the list of standard features that include heated outside mirrors, all power accessories, standard bluetooth, standard sat radio, standard aux, USB and Ipod plugs. I even get 14 more months left of the Sat radio subscription. Very cool.
Practicality:
This is a hatchback and it's boxy. Plenty of cool storage inside. The rear seats fold flat. Little things like tiny, out-of-the-way hooks to keep the rear seatbelt out of the way when folding the seats shows me that Kia was thinking long-term and thinking details. I like that a lot. It will serve great hauling my soon-to-have dog around and all my other junk. I plan to put a small hitch out back and utilize a hitch-mounted bike carrier. I wasn't a fan of the roof rack I had on my Golf. It was noisy and got in the way. Since I don't have to carry kayaks or anything, a hitch arrier will do great. Besides, it's cheaper.
FOSE: I'll ask the gf to demo.
Bottom line:
There aren't many things that I don't like about this car. The few that are there, can be easily remedied. One is the crappy stock tires, which are worthless in the rain.
Yes, that yellow dealer tag's been gone.
Here's a better picture (not mine) to show the color. My phone's pictures suck.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
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Re: I have Soul
Very nice! I was intrigued by the Soul when I first saw the commercial with the hamsters in it. Looks like a very "cool" car, like the Scions. Take some pictures of the interior!
- potownrob
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Re: I have Soul
the look is somehow growing on me. i see a black one around here almost everyday. did you consider the other colors?? i don't think i've seen the green one in person, at least not lately.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
- theholycow
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Re: I have Soul
The commercials annoy me.
In your pictures it looks a little less intolerably over-the-top, stylewise. Cool. The front end is goofy and foreign-looking, though...never noticed that before. That crap doesn't matter much to me anyway.
Definitely get interior shots.
So what's with the tint? Doesn't look like anything you could get OEM...
In your pictures it looks a little less intolerably over-the-top, stylewise. Cool. The front end is goofy and foreign-looking, though...never noticed that before. That crap doesn't matter much to me anyway.
Definitely get interior shots.
So what's with the tint? Doesn't look like anything you could get OEM...
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
- AHTOXA
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Re: I have Soul
Will post some interior shorts in the next few days.
Cool car or not, it could not be beat for options, versatility and price. I do admit that I like the way it looks.
Cool car or not, it could not be beat for options, versatility and price. I do admit that I like the way it looks.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
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Re: I have Soul
Rob, the only other color, that I considered was the burnt orange/bronze. I didn't get that only because it's available on top-trim only. Top trim only comes with an autotragic trans. Big no-no. Mine's the mid-level trim.
Cow, the tint is 35%, which is state-legal. Very well done and it's a dealer installed option. Very accurate edges and not a single air bubble. I was a bit sceptical of it, but I ended up not paying for the option and whomever did it, did a great job. Win-win for me.
EDIT: Here in Dallas, many new vehicles are sold with all-around tint (exclusing windshield). It's a popular option when thinking of the summer heat here and the sun. many dealers will take advantage of that to jack up the price.
Cow, the tint is 35%, which is state-legal. Very well done and it's a dealer installed option. Very accurate edges and not a single air bubble. I was a bit sceptical of it, but I ended up not paying for the option and whomever did it, did a great job. Win-win for me.
EDIT: Here in Dallas, many new vehicles are sold with all-around tint (exclusing windshield). It's a popular option when thinking of the summer heat here and the sun. many dealers will take advantage of that to jack up the price.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
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Re: I have Soul
But you're not a soldier? /obscureKillerslyrics
Anyway, yay! Seems sweet. Sat in one at the auto show today, only thing I really didn't like was that "SOUL" was vajazzled on every fabric surface on the interior
Anyway, yay! Seems sweet. Sat in one at the auto show today, only thing I really didn't like was that "SOUL" was vajazzled on every fabric surface on the interior
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Re: I have Soul
Agreed regarding the soul inscribings on the seats. Unfortunately that's the only choice you get in terms of seat fabric with the mid trim. Only base gets plain seats. I didn't want the 1.6 liter that comes with the base.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
- potownrob
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Re: I have Soul
did you get to drive the base 1.6 model? if so, how was it?AHTOXA wrote:I didn't want the 1.6 liter that comes with the base.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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Re: I have Soul
Nice . I love basic, simple cars, especially when they come with manual transmissions. It seems to be a lost art these days.
1986 Mazda RX-7 sport - slowly returning to the Earth
1986 Mazda RX-7 base - Project car, ???, In pieces, turbo parts around.
1986 Mazda RX-7 base - Project car, ???, In pieces, turbo parts around.
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Re: I have Soul
Does not compute.noob5,000,000 wrote:basic, simple cars
AHTOXA wrote:This vehicle competes with anything in the market in the same price bracket. My Soul came with 16" allow wheels, all around tint, excluding only the windshield, rear deflector designed to keep the back window cleaner from road spray, auto-dimming mirror, mats, organizers and various thingamajigs that no one should ever be paying extra for. Where the Kia shines is the list of standard features that include heated outside mirrors, all power accessories, standard bluetooth, standard sat radio, standard aux, USB and Ipod plugs. I even get 14 more months left of the Sat radio subscription. Very cool.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT
Put your car in your sig!
Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
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watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
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Re: I have Soul
Yeah, well... It's cool.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's not a behemoth. Or something.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's not a behemoth. Or something.
1986 Mazda RX-7 sport - slowly returning to the Earth
1986 Mazda RX-7 base - Project car, ???, In pieces, turbo parts around.
1986 Mazda RX-7 base - Project car, ???, In pieces, turbo parts around.
Re: I have Soul
Looks good. Why does the front end look so different on your Soul compared to that last picture you posted? The headlights and the front fascia are quite a bit different. Did they do a facelift already?
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Re: I have Soul
Yeah, mine is facelifted. Tails are differed as well. For 2012 they also boosted horsepower AND fuel economy for both engines.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
Re: I have Soul
And I just noticed that you got turn signals in your side mirror housings, which looks like the pre-facelift version did not.AHTOXA wrote:Yeah, mine is facelifted. Tails are differed as well. For 2012 they also boosted horsepower AND fuel economy for both engines.