‘Despite my nearaddiction to petrol engines, I had a lot of fun in the Soul EV’
paddle to put the regenerative braking system into its fiercest setting. As well as feeding energy back into the battery that would otherwise be wasted, this smoothly slowed the car to a perfect cornering speed when I lifted off before a bend, setting me up to slingshot out the other side, muscle-car style, on a wave of relentless electric thrust.
Okay, a similarly quick petrol-powered car would have a fruity exhaust note to add to its appeal, but I found the Soul’s Jetsons-meetsStar Trek warp drive whine quite addictive.
So, despite my near-addiction to free-revving petrol engines, I found myself having a lot of fun in the all-electric Soul, and that was a huge bonus, given that we’re talking about what is a very practical SUV. My lanky frame had no problem fitting into any of the five seats, even if I climbed into the back with the seat in front set for my driving position. And while the boot looked unpromising at first, dropping the adjustable floor greatly increases its capacity; a big weekly shop barely touches the sides.
Gripes? Well, the ride is a bit on the firm side, and given that this car doesn’t exactly change direction like a housefly, softening it up a bit probably wouldn’t do it any harm. Plus, while everything inside feels robust and would undoubtedly stand up well to a family hammering, the Soul would feel more like a £34,995 machine if the materials were a bit plusher. Mind you, it has clung onto its value pretty tenaciously over my six months with it.
So, I can relate to the romantic appeal of steam locomotives, and in the same vein, I love the mechanical excitement inherent to combustion-engined cars. But right now, the idea of trading in the Soul EV for something petrol-powered feels like a big step backwards.
LOGBOOK
Kia Soul EV First Edition
Mileage 5996
List price £34,995 Target Price na
Price as tested £34,995
Test range 276 miles
Official range 280 miles
Dealer price now £34,415
Private price now £30,591
Running costs (excluding depreciation) Electricity £459