The 2023 Kia Soul GT-Line Subcompact Crossover SUV
You Are What You Drive — A Bottom Line Review
The Bottom Line: What is a Soul? The Soul is a subcompact crossover SUV built in Gwangju, Korea, and is sold worldwide by Kia. The Soul is Kia’s entry level SUV with a base price of only $19,890. We recommend spending an extra $500 for the LX Technology package, which adds blind spot monitoring, and a nice set of alloy wheels.
The 2023 subcompact SUV class is a very crowded one, with over 15 vehicles competing for your hard earned money. The Kia Soul is at the top of the list with a low entry price, good gas mileage and the longest lasting warranty of them all.
The fuel economy rating is 28 MPG in the city, 33 MPG on the highway, and a nice and even 30 MPG in combined overall driving. The greenhouse gas rating is a 6 and the smog rating is a 7, both out of 10. The Kia warranty lasts for 5 years / 60,000 miles on the entire car, 10 years / 100,000 miles on the powertrain and you get roadside assistance for 5 years / 60,000, all at no extra cost.
With a best in class warranty, good gas mileage, low emissions and a sub $20,000 base price, the Kia Soul makes for an earth friendly, good looking and nice driving crossover subcompact SUV, with the space and comfort to be an everyday driver in style.
A total of 4 trim levels make up the 2023 Kia Soul lineup. They are the LX, S, GT-Line and EX. All trim levels have the same 147 HP horsepower naturally aspirated 2.0L liter gas engine, bolted to an intelligent CVT automatic transmission, with drive mode select.
The most popular Kia Soul is the LX model. Out of the 4 trims, the least expensive one is always the model most people buy. The LX costs only $19,890, plus the sales tax, license plates, and destination charge, while the top of the line EX trim starts at $25,385.
This week Kia sent me a 2023 Soul GT-Line SUV with a base window sticker price of $23,390 to test drive and review. The options on the test SUV are: the carpeted floor mats for $135. The MSRP manufactures suggested retail price, including the $1,295 delivery charge, is: $24,820.
After adding in the state and local sale tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the out the door and in your garage total purchase price came to: $27,922. For less than $28 Grand you can buy a very nicely equipped 2023 Kia Soul GT-Line SUV that will keep you on the road, with no worries for any major car repairs, for a decade. In today’s world that’s like getting a birthday present, everyday you drive the car, for the next 10 years.
The Soul is a great car to drive, and it has all the amenities that you need to make it safe and sound. Kia has one of the best group of driver assist technology features, and they are: forward collision avoidance assist, blind spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, driver attention warning and high beam assist.
Safety is further enhanced with a set of dual front advanced airbags, dual front seat mounted inside and full length curtain airbags, electronic stability control and hill start assist control.
Comfort and Tech start with a 10.25” center stack touch screen with navigation and Map Care, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, a rear view camera system, a USB multimedia port, rear USB charge ports, dual zone automatic climate control, a smart key with push button start, a GT-Line sport designed leather wrapped steering wheel and a wireless phone charging pad.
This GT-Line trim includes all of the features from the Soul S, plus synthetic leather upholstery with cloth accents, restyled front and rear bumpers, a rear center exit exhaust pipe, a cool looking set of 18” alloy wheels, a power sunroof with sunshade, GT-Line exterior styling, roof rack ready mounting points, heated outside mirrors, rear privacy glass and a compact spare tire.
When you’re ready to buy a new subcompact SUV, the 2023 Kia Soul should be on your ride and drive list, as it’s rated as one of the most fun to drive cars for sale in the entire subcompact SUV class. Whoever said that good things come in small packages, must have been driving a Kia Soul SUV!
Call, click or visit your local Kia dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on the new 2023 Soul GT. And remember that the base price for a new Soul starts at only $19,890. Kia Movement that Inspires.
Be smart, stay safe, and just breathe. Remember, “You Are What You Drive” And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today”.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a “Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense” editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. “Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire. Net at www.autowire.net