I'm sorry to hear this. I have a 2012 I bought new and I'm going to drive that thing until it stops. It's been cheap to run, cheap to repair and - as someone who has never needed the back seats - an excellent dog/camping car. I expected to buy another one once this one gives out in a few years' time.
Not specific to brand. Its the problem with dealers and manufacturers. You have to be fortunate enough to know a dealership that cares about customer service to avoid the headaches. Many couldn’t care less about your Kia’s problems because they only want to deal with profitable service. It was the same way with my Chevy.
If you have to go to a dealer, find one that actually cares.
Totally. I’ve seen so much internet negativity surrounding this car for reasons I don’t understand, it actually seems like a quite attractive little econobox
In my experience, the Soul is usually out for blood. Like a slow-moving mustang. It might see you from 3 lanes away and veer across the interstate to pit you. It might be laying in wait at a stop sign waiting for your right-of-way-having self to venture into its path. It might be backing across the target parking lot at you. You can’t trust them.
We never got the Soul EV in the US, aside from very limited quantities of the first version as a compliance car. Kia decided to push the Niro EV here instead.
You’re lucky, then. The Soul drivers are the worst ones on the road around here. 99% of the time someone is doing something stupid, it’s a soul. I imagine they’ll go back to their Altimas now that the Soul is out.
I know someone who's dream car was a Nissan Cube. I asked him if he could literally pick any car in the world to have for free, maintenance included, what would it be and he said the Cube.
The KIA Sonet is the platform mate of the Hyundai Venue. With the Soul being discontinued, perhaps KIA will bring the Sonet to the USA to fill that slot in their line-up.
It's a shame honestly, from a practicality standpoint they were awesome. With how many cars are moving back to a boxy design though, I'm sorta surprised Honda hasn't revived the Element yet.
I moved basically everything I own in my xB besides my mattress when we bought our house. I think I have the same cargo space as a mid-size SUV while being significantly easier to park.
I do wish they made something like this as an EV. Merging after on-ramps is a bit sketchy and I wish I had some more power, but other than that, I don't have any complaints. Especially since this car is so tiny that I'm like the only person who can park in my garage in my neighborhood.
The Soul / XB is basically as close to a K car we get in the states. In Japan, the number of models in this size and smaller is amazing, they're all super functional.
Shoutout Toyota Sienta! Imagine a newer XBish sided car with rear sliding doors and a 3rd row that gets like 50mpg. Amazing
People call the rav4, Highlander, Corolla cross, Suburban, 4Runner, pilot and HR-V all SUVS… when only the Suburban and 4Runner are true SUVs on that list; the rest are crossovers. The average person is extremely stupid when it comes to cars. There is almost no market for a small body on frame. Most people don’t tow, go off road… instead they do the opposite with large crossovers: Speed and take turns fast, which real body on frame SUVs don’t do comfortably.
Chicken tax. They would have to build it in the usa to be profitable. Also making any strategic planning involving opening factories in the middle of a “trade war” is risky as hell. If toyota was to open up a new factory would it be worth it to launch a brand new model or would it be better to increase production on an existing model to alleviate the long wait lists their customers are currently experiencing. Toyota cant meet demand for any of their existing products they would probably be more profitable finding ways to increase production of their current lineup.
But its ultimately a small market that isn't going to grow so the only thing you can do is take those buyers away from that brand, and a big portion are jeep loyalists so there isn't enough there to have so many competing options.
A large group of older 4Runners owners are disappointed with the build and pricing of the new wave of BoF Toyota trucks and SUVs and would definitely hop over to a quality Nissan truck or SUV if they provided a better value proposition.
Nissan 2015: "our midsize off roader is too competent, let's not advertise or improve it then cancel it right before the segment really takes off again."
Nissan 2025: "the economy is going to shit, let's bring back our mid size offroader into a heavily saturated market while our brand equity is at its lowest."
Also Nissan 2025: let's just stretch out the Sentra platform, add 2 inches of ground clearance without doing anything else other than adding a hybrid trim and start the pricing at $45K
Oh shit really?? I misread the first comment in the chain as saying "if" it came back lol
I am so surprised at a Japanese OEM rebooting a brand name in the same context as its namesake. That's awesome. Hopefully they still don't start at $50+K but I suppose that's the market now
Toyota has 3 mid sized 4x4s on the market currently. I think it'd make more sense to make it a trim level for the Prado. They could give it an FJ-esque front end and a white roof
If you just want a box with wheels the soul is so great. I give absolutely 0 fucks about that car, i plan on running it into the ground. If i want to have fun i hop on one of my motorcycles being said... idk why but it is a decent car to drive... and it's held up oddly well all things considered.
Warm take: This car was over-hated. It made sense for its time. It was a small, affordable, relatively practical um... thing, and was only let down by lame powertrains and being a Hyundai in the 2010's.
We have 2, 2010, Kia Souls. Because we loved our first one so much, we just purchased a second used Soul last year. Both are manuals, both have larger motors than the base models, and both have been reliable and fun to drive. They are spacious, and we love their shape! Sad to see the Soul go, but when they discounted the manual we were not interested in purchasing a newer one.
Dude, the VW unpimp your auto were also hugely influential for making VW cool again. That and the rabbit campaign where you could get a statue of the rabbit mascot with your car.
My daughter is studying to become a teacher. She wants a Soul-EV because that’s what high school teachers drive. I’m fine with that because it’ll be a really cheap commuter car for her when she finds a decent priced used one.
The lady Gaga commercial is the reason why one of my high school friends got one. He could’ve gotten anything, his parents got his older brother a SRT8 challenger.
Between Crocodile Dundee and the Subaru logo kinda looking like an Australian flag, I thought they were an Australian carmaker for an embarrassingly long time, until I got some "GT" game and found out that they were Japanese instead..
If the thing wasn’t so reliable, I’d agree with you. Other than a new PCv valve and needing a walnut blasting on the intake valves, it hasn’t needed any major work
The Hyundai Venue is shorter in length, so it is a little easier to park. Also, the Venue is outfitted with the 1.6 liter I4, which has an excellent track record, whereas the engine in the Soul has had a few problems over the years.
I am on my 2nd Kia Soul. First, the vandy apple red one and then the dark silver. This car is amazing. Great on gas, spacious, and you ride high like an SUV. I have camped in my Soul many nights at the beach. Its long enough for a 5ft 7in person to lay in diagonally or straight through if you use the middle console. Plenty of room to turn into a cute like camper if you take out the seats and do it up. Perhaps that's what I will do with mine now since it is being put to rest. God bless you, Kia Soul. I love this little car.
I had a 2014. Terrible year but it was so cheap to fix. Things would go bad and small fix, but it was a ton of small random shit. At 175k I started ignoring check engine lights. At 200k a buddy of mine took it off my hands and fixed that bad girl up in his backyard and is keeping it on the road. They’re a shitbox for sure but for a daily beater they weren’t half bad.
Kia Soul is gone, and with it the dancing hamster era ends. Hard to believe that quirky marketing became such a cult classic. RIP little dancing hamsters 🐹❤️
Darn! What a huge bummer. Looks like the market is shifting towards bigger cars. Yay consumerism! It's the ultimate single, child-free millennial woman's car and I'm holding on to mine till the end!
My first car ever, after getting my driver's license at 55. I love it so much. My EX has so many cool features. Myself I'll trade it in for a new one before they're gone.
Whelp, I tried three times to quote block the press release and got auto-modded each time, so I guess no quote block.
As someone who has had two Souls in our family (previously a 2011 and currently a 2020), this is a huge bummer. Goodbye cool, funky cars and hello homogenization.
I hope that the loss of the Soul leads to, finally, the introduction of the EV3 to North America.
I’m from a family with three Kia Souls (both my parents and now me). And yes we have been made fun of by neighbors when all three are parked in the driveway of my parents’ house lol. To say we’re devastated is an understatement!
i'm so sad. I bought one in 2014 and owned it no problems for 10 years. It was amazingly economical, the boxy shape and it being it a hatchback gave it way more storage capacity than a lot of larger cars with trunks and I only ever had to do the usual maintenance(oil changes, replacing tires, brakes and the like).
Got it for $15K back then. There's nothing like that now. I ended up replacing it with a new Kia Niro hybrid. Yes, another boring super economical and practical hatchback that i'll hopefully own for another 10 years like my Soul before I have to replace it.
Were Kia Souls actually well received? I expect more meme replies in the comments like Nissan Altima style, I genuinely have zero interest in Hyundai/Kia so I know nothing about the Kia Soul other than my friends constantly shitting on them when we see them on the road so I thought they were a Nissan Altima/Mitsubishi Mirage/Fiat Multipla/Jeep Wrangler/etc. level of meme car.
They marketed them to younger people but when I worked at a Kia, I would say 90% of buyers were 55 and over. The ease of getting in and out of it made it well received by older people.
That's why I love mine as a middle-aged delivery driver. In and out 50+ times a day is easier for me, and I have no physical issues. Looked to get a Civic Hybrid the summer, but I didn't like being lower and having less visibility, so I'll drive the Soul until the wheels fall off. Or I may trade in my 2020 with 60k miles for a new '25. It's 30% less than the Civic I was shopping
It sold pretty well for a period amongst the 60+ crowd looking for a car and that's it.
At one point they were "buy one get one" deals and they really turned around the brand and i would argue a HUGE part of that was the soul. There were a LOT of other things that were improved on don't get me wrong, but i feel like the soul was really the point where Kia got their shit together.
I can only speak for myself, but yes! It’s affordable, easy to drive, a large amount of room for stuff, gets you there & back safe. Is it going to go fast? Absolutely not. In fact, a nice strong wind is a bonus. It’s also so silly looking that it’s kinda fun. As someone who doesn’t give a shit about cars, this is the best car for me.
All of the above. The Soul is a cheaper car and Kia isn't afraid to finance people, so there is some overlap between Soul drivers and Altima drivers. At the same time, it's one of the better cheap cars out there. The seating position is higher and more upright than any sedan, good for old people and anyone who wants the SUV-like experience without the SUV. Even with the higher seat, there's enough headroom and legroom for two 6' people to sit behind each other. It takes more cargo than a lot of crossovers, and the EV and GT-Line versions are legitimately fun to drive.
I have a 2017 Soul and I love it. I used it to help move myself and it’s both small (I boast about my small car privilege when I park and stuff) while having pretty good space.
Honestly, I had one for a month as a rental and expected to hate it. After a couple days I actually was pretty happy with it. Would I buy one? Probably not, at least not my first choice. But it absolutely became one of my preferred cars with future rentals.
I bought one, and love it while hating how boring it is. Tons of leg room and storage space. Engine is solid, and everything just works. It was the best price point for the space, now, there's nothing to fill the gap for that prize/storage size.
I'm biased because my family has one but it's one of the most fun "appliance" cars you can buy. It was also always very well-equipped for the price, with Bluetooth streaming even on the early 2010 models all the way up to wide availability for stuff like CarPlay as soon as CarPlay came out.
Our current is a 2020 with the base engine, if you can get around the CVT it's just so much fun to drive for what it is. And the Turbo models in the second and early current generations are legitimately good - not as refined as something like a GTI but very well-balanced.
I thought they were still selling well. Sad to see them go. They seemed to be Kias icon model. Kind of the way the mustang is to Ford. Not necessarily the best selling model of the company but one that represents it.
Had a rental one in Hawaii. It was way better than expected. Lots of space easy to park great on gas. Kia’s Honda Fit. All the great ones are being discontinued.
My family has both a Fit and Soul. I honestly trust the Fit to last longer but I honestly prefer riding in the Soul it's got more space and I like the styling better.
Damn.... I guess though this makes slight sense since if people just want a cheap car from kia they've been buying the new K4. I've seen the K4s everywhere.
U.S. sales have been propping up the production of this car globally, and when that declined to a certain point, it was no longer viable. Once the Seltos came along, it really cannibalized the sales of the Soul.
At the 2019 U.S. national dealer meeting in Las Vegas, where the "current" generation Soul was unveiled to dealers, they touted it was the "911 of Kia". What they meant is that it was the car Kia was most known for, had the most brand recognition, and would always have an identifiable shape to it in every generation. How quickly things shifted from that point in time.
It's a shame, we love our 2018 Turbo. Practical, cheap, and fun, the perfect combination. The crappy thing is, whenever we have to replace either it or our 2017 Focus ST, what the hell do we replace them with? Market's not exactly overflowing with fun, peppy, $25k hatchbacks these days.
I had fun with my 1.6L manual. No idea about the long term reliability, sold it after 50k miles. Probably the best paint job I've ever had on a car. The silver was very easy to take care of. However I get better mpg in my 2.4 brz by a good margin. Kia soul only got 1-2 mpg better than my 305hp v6 mustang.
I purchased one in 16, still is my daily. No problems on it whatsoever except for the paint is simultaneously failing in like 4 spots. The car is boring and ugly, but damn is it spacious and has the ability to lug a large amount of stuff around. It's a shame they are dumping it, because its the perfect large small car. Sad days.
My boss bought us a 2017 model to drive for work and I was actually surprised at how nice it is inside and all the options it had. Android auto, heated/cooled seats, blind spot detection, giant sunroof, heated steering wheel, H&K sound, and more. Saying that, the engine is trash and feels like it's screaming just to get up to highway speeds and we have to keep putting oil in it. It's not burning it and we aren't seeing any puddles of oil, so we don't know where it's going.
Soooo, the engine issue, warranty should cover it. Mine got replaced for free at 96k miles lol. the 2.0l is a fine engine, especially for the cost of the vehicle.
This car was always strange - very interesting on the outside, super boring on the inside. And that's coming from someone who hates car interior looking like a nightclub or a space ship.
Can i just say how shocked i am at the positive replies here... Not at all how i thought this car dying off would go, i was fully expecting to come in here to a send off party lol
I think it's a good car that i'm sad to see go bc it fit a specific portion of the market.
Funky design but it was honestly pretty spacious relative to the footprint. Be careful when owning one though, these cars were notorious for having a security vulnerability that let thieves easily steal them: 2011–2021 Soul models with a turn-to-start ignition need a software update from the dealer.
One of my neighbors has a Kia Soul. He must've like it a lot because he bought a brand new Kia Soul and kept the old one so now he has two Kia Souls sitting in his driveway.
RIP Toaster, you will be missed. My family has owned several of them, and my wife has one now. It's not the most exciting or even reliable machine out there. But it was cheap as shit, does its job adequately, and has a surprising amount of practical cargo space.
I'm honestly surprised they're dropping it instead of giving it a proper PHEV or EV version as the next gen (the older EV compliance car version doesn't count).
It’s refreshing that the Korean automakers are willing to retire a model line once it stops performing and pivot to something new, rather than squeezing the vitality out of a nameplate for six-plus decades.
I had a Soul back in 2014, one of my first "new" cars. It was used with 100k miles but worlds nicer than the Geo Tracker that preceded it. Loved bombing around in that little thing till the original clutch gave out and I didn't have cash to fix it.
I think the Soul will be missed. I feel like overall people liked them and they definitely stuck out in an ocean of relatively boring econoboxes. I'm sad they didn't continue the name.
I'm surprised at all the "sad to see it go" comments here. These cars were econobox trash, made even worse by the Kia USB thefts. Two family members of mine purchased Souls and both of them ran like junk before they were broken into and totaled by TikTok joyriders.
I’ll never forget when I saw the commercial for them and instantly fell in love with these cars, I specifically wanted a 10-11 Sport model with the black and red leather seats but that never happened.
However, once the 2nd gen’s came out I really wanted one, specifically a turbo model but that didn’t pan out either. My sister was gifted a 2017 CPO model back in 2020 that has nearly every option available for 2017 along with a few add ons like a rear spoiler and remote start, for the most part it’s been super reliable but unfortunately even with routine maintenance and oil changes done on time with her local Kia dealer the engine threw a rod at 118k miles. Kia did replace the engine under their extended warranty but it’ll be the last Kia anyone in my family will deal with
A real shame. The Kia Soul was the first car I ever bought new. It cost me £9k in 2010. I kept it for 12 years and did 100k Miles. It never went wrong. It was a great car to drive with a young family, very practical. A real solid budget family car.
My sister drives a 2010 Soul, and no matter how poorly she treats it, it's still going. Great little car. Maybe she'll buy another used one when hers finally gives out.
I'm honestly saddened by this news. I purchased a used 2016 Soul EX several years ago after a painful divorce that had left me in a financially precarious situation. I was in need of something cheap and reliable that didn't necessarily look or feel as cheap as the usual options in the category and budget I was shopping for. The Soul fit the bill and I was honestly shocked how well it handled a 6 ft driver not to mention how spacious it was for its size. I'm sure the Soul found a lot people in similar boats. Maybe that's why so many owners are so fond of the thing. I know I was for the five trouble-free years I owned mine. (sigh) RIP Kia Soul. I know a lot of people hated you but truth be told you were a real one. 🥲
I actually really liked these. Just super spacious, almost panoramic view especially with the sunroof, seemed like it would be a great car to drive through a national park or something.
Kia almost made a killer platform. turbo closed deck(Mazda has one too it's really good)... If they found a way to make a rwd or awd version and let aftermarket handling performance. I bet this would've made it a fun little thing.
Aww man. The Soul is the only Kia I've ever enjoyed the sight of on the road. If I was limited to only short commutes, running errands and such, I'd be all over the Soul.
Sad to see an affordable and seemingly reliable vehicle get discontinued. You see so many older ones on the road and the boxy shape makes it extremely efficient for hauling people, cargo, etc.
This makes me weirdly nostalgic, being a 2000s kid the “tissue box” car trend seemed so cool and futuristic at the time. Scion xB, Nissan Cube, Honda Element. Surprised the Soul lasted as long as it did.
When my dad worked in Kia back in 2012, he got a 2011 Soul as his company car.
He dreaded the car but 9 year old me actually liked it. It had a custom Garmin mirror with a tiny screen for navigation, Bluetooth, and a functioning backup camera.
It had cool decals (which were removed to prevent issues with the law) and for some reason, had two sets of indicators (one set in the fenders and another in the ORVMs)
The ORVM indicators also functioned as a sort of DRLs, although they were amber instead of white.
As someone who has had two Souls in my family (previously a 2011 and currently a 2020), this is such a huge bummer. Goodbye cool, funky cars, and hello to homogenization.
While this release is US-centric, the Soul has been gradually disappearing from Kia's global lineups, North America really is just the last market to kill it. Hopefully this discontinuation in North America coincides with, finally, the market's launch of the electric EV3.
GoOutside62@reddit
I'm sorry to hear this. I have a 2012 I bought new and I'm going to drive that thing until it stops. It's been cheap to run, cheap to repair and - as someone who has never needed the back seats - an excellent dog/camping car. I expected to buy another one once this one gives out in a few years' time.
Sir_Smart1@reddit
Tbh i never liked it
CatWrangler755@reddit
I got one in 2014, after a rough divorce. Great little car for my needs.
meuria132@reddit
rip
rg25@reddit
I have always liked the Soul. But my brother had one with an engine failure and it was a nightmare to deal with the dealer and Kia.
lostinheadguy@reddit (OP)
My family's 2011 was rock solid but their 2020 has been in multiple times for the auto stop / start system.
wiata4tw@reddit
Can the start/stop be disabled?
lostinheadguy@reddit (OP)
Not permanently, it has to be disengaged by pressing the button to turn it off every time you start the car up.
Infamous_Sessions@reddit
You can jam something in the little button to make it stay always off
wiata4tw@reddit
Ugh hate that just give us the option please
ThePretzul@reddit
It wasn’t legal for them to give you that option due to EPA regulations until this spring
kyonkun_denwa@reddit
Not sure about this, because my wife's Mini Cooper used to have the ability to permanently turn it off with a switch on the dashboard.
For the stop start on her current Soul, we have a start/stop eliminator wire from AliExpress that works beautifully.
nucleartime@reddit
I think the EPA grades emissions/fuel based on default settings, so it has to be on by default.
trail-g62Bim@reddit
If you're up for it, there are aftermarket disablers available. Never used one but I've read about many others who have on other makes/models.
https://www.amazon.com/Tech-Auto-Start-Stop-Eliminator/dp/B0D4XGN7L2
epsiblivion@reddit
there is probably some work around to enable memory on it. either coding or a harness.
india2wallst@reddit
I rented one from Hertz and the tire went flat and got me stuck in the Pennsylvania boonies. Not fun I might add.
rg25@reddit
The tire went flat? Kind of unrelated to the model of the car.
JxSnaKe@reddit
I got one as my rental car once.. worst car I’ve ever driven, and that includes the jeeps I’ve owned
The_Don_Papi@reddit
Not specific to brand. Its the problem with dealers and manufacturers. You have to be fortunate enough to know a dealership that cares about customer service to avoid the headaches. Many couldn’t care less about your Kia’s problems because they only want to deal with profitable service. It was the same way with my Chevy.
If you have to go to a dealer, find one that actually cares.
WCWRingMatSound@reddit
The problem is that you don’t know if they “care” until you’re $30K+ in the hole and frustrated because something potentially major is broken.
Until that point, they’ll all show you their “best customer service” awards
fhs@reddit
Parents had one and there was always something wrong with it every month.
FreezeDriedPineapple@reddit
I actually love these things, cheap, long warranty, fun to drive, hella spacious and great lane centering. My favorite rental car.
SeriousDemand7413@reddit
Good riddance.
AcademicShoe9128@reddit
That’s sad. A blob, but nevertheless an interesting blob.
hermitcraftfan135@reddit
Totally. I’ve seen so much internet negativity surrounding this car for reasons I don’t understand, it actually seems like a quite attractive little econobox
NotaFrenchMaid@reddit
In my experience, the Soul is usually out for blood. Like a slow-moving mustang. It might see you from 3 lanes away and veer across the interstate to pit you. It might be laying in wait at a stop sign waiting for your right-of-way-having self to venture into its path. It might be backing across the target parking lot at you. You can’t trust them.
Logitech4873@reddit
I'm my experience it's just a low-range EV that people drive pretty unnoticeably.
ShirleyMarquez@reddit
We never got the Soul EV in the US, aside from very limited quantities of the first version as a compliance car. Kia decided to push the Niro EV here instead.
Logitech4873@reddit
We never got the Soul ICE here in Norway lol. I had no idea it was anything other than an EV.
NotaFrenchMaid@reddit
You’re lucky, then. The Soul drivers are the worst ones on the road around here. 99% of the time someone is doing something stupid, it’s a soul. I imagine they’ll go back to their Altimas now that the Soul is out.
MonkeySpanker187@reddit
it more or less boils down to the polarizing design and classism.
Kriffer123@reddit
True, but how many other blobs are small and square?
hutacars@reddit
SpongeBlob SquarePants?
ThePretzul@reddit
As someone who has driven one before, I can assure you the only interesting thing is just how shitty these cars managed to be.
RAMBIGHORNY@reddit
Also describes most of the ownera
AcademicShoe9128@reddit
Something is up with Kia soul and Nissan cube drivers
BrenMan_94@reddit
Every Cube I've ridden in (7) has had a Buddha statue on the dash and smelled strongly of incense.
maxdps_@reddit
Fun fact, There's a little carpet patch in the center of the Nissan Cube dash and it's often referred to as the "Cube Pubes"
Teledildonic@reddit
And one of the colors offered when it was first released was called BEANS.
Abba_Fiskbullar@reddit
As in natto?
mechabeast@reddit
It's hard to scrub it out of the dash shag
ukcats12@reddit
I know someone who's dream car was a Nissan Cube. I asked him if he could literally pick any car in the world to have for free, maintenance included, what would it be and he said the Cube.
ArcticBP@reddit
An estimated 74% of US adults are overweight so you can likely say this about almost any vehicle…
RAMBIGHORNY@reddit
But do they have primary colored hair like Soul owners?
ArcticBP@reddit
Touch grass
Popular_Soft6668@reddit
who cares
birdseye-maple@reddit
Ah but are they interesting?
india2wallst@reddit
It has a soul maaaaaaan!
furrynoy96@reddit
Thank you hamsters for making this car kinda cool
V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit
Really shame no more boxy econobox in North America market. However, Soul has continued in market for 15 years, it’s longer than Scion Xb/Toyota BB.
MotelSans17@reddit
The newer Kona model is fairly boxy. It contains a lot for how small it is on the outside.
Not sure if the Kia equivalent (the Seltos) is the same, it doesnt look as boxy.
Kona is as close as it gets to the Soul IMHO, except with optional AWD.
wiata4tw@reddit
Sad to see it go. Would the Hyundai Venue be a close but not nearly as cool substitute?
Nomad624@reddit
The Venue is like a nerfed version of this lol
paul9854@reddit
The KIA Sonet is the platform mate of the Hyundai Venue. With the Soul being discontinued, perhaps KIA will bring the Sonet to the USA to fill that slot in their line-up.
woowoo293@reddit
The Soul and Kona use the same platform. But the Venue definitely has more of that box on wheels style.
cordawg1@reddit
A simple Google search proves you wrong, Kona uses the same platform as an elantra
woowoo293@reddit
This wikipedia entry says the 3rd gen Soul uses the same platform as the Kona. It cites this site as its source, though that certainly could be wrong.
Strangely enough, the wikipedia article about Hyundai's K platforms lists the elantra, but is ambiguous about where the Soul fits in.
chandy_dandy@reddit
Pretty sure the soul was based off the Elantra too.
The KIA soul was based off of the KIA Forte which is the same platform as the Elantra
Parrelium@reddit
EV3 is boxy as fuck.
Select_Anywhere_1576@reddit
It's a shame honestly, from a practicality standpoint they were awesome. With how many cars are moving back to a boxy design though, I'm sorta surprised Honda hasn't revived the Element yet.
Mustang1718@reddit
I moved basically everything I own in my xB besides my mattress when we bought our house. I think I have the same cargo space as a mid-size SUV while being significantly easier to park.
I do wish they made something like this as an EV. Merging after on-ramps is a bit sketchy and I wish I had some more power, but other than that, I don't have any complaints. Especially since this car is so tiny that I'm like the only person who can park in my garage in my neighborhood.
hutacars@reddit
There was literally an xB EV.
Get_screwd@reddit
They do make a soul EV but I don't think the US got the the current generation.
thetimechaser@reddit
The Soul / XB is basically as close to a K car we get in the states. In Japan, the number of models in this size and smaller is amazing, they're all super functional.
Shoutout Toyota Sienta! Imagine a newer XBish sided car with rear sliding doors and a 3rd row that gets like 50mpg. Amazing
Hnry_Dvd_Thr_Awy@reddit
Element, Xterra and FJ Cruiser not existing is crazy.
LeBanonJames69@reddit
Neither Toyota nor Nissan making a reasonably small body on frame SUV is bizarre to me. I want one but I don’t want a Jeep or Bronco.
JaredGoffFelatio@reddit
Is the Bronco even "reasonably small"? Seems rather large to me
OptimalFunction@reddit
People call the rav4, Highlander, Corolla cross, Suburban, 4Runner, pilot and HR-V all SUVS… when only the Suburban and 4Runner are true SUVs on that list; the rest are crossovers. The average person is extremely stupid when it comes to cars. There is almost no market for a small body on frame. Most people don’t tow, go off road… instead they do the opposite with large crossovers: Speed and take turns fast, which real body on frame SUVs don’t do comfortably.
Bassracerx@reddit
Chicken tax. They would have to build it in the usa to be profitable. Also making any strategic planning involving opening factories in the middle of a “trade war” is risky as hell. If toyota was to open up a new factory would it be worth it to launch a brand new model or would it be better to increase production on an existing model to alleviate the long wait lists their customers are currently experiencing. Toyota cant meet demand for any of their existing products they would probably be more profitable finding ways to increase production of their current lineup.
FearlessTomatillo911@reddit
The market of people who actually go off-roading or even know the difference between body on frame vs unibody is a tiny portion of SUV buyers.
Legend13CNS@reddit
Does body-on-frame even matter anywhere other than the most difficult offroad trails (and load/towing capacity for trucks)?
Mjolnir12@reddit
Not necessarily, but solid axles give better articulation and usually they are only on BOF vehicles these days.
jimbobzz9@reddit
… but a significantly larger portion of Jeep / Bronco buyers.
FearlessTomatillo911@reddit
But its ultimately a small market that isn't going to grow so the only thing you can do is take those buyers away from that brand, and a big portion are jeep loyalists so there isn't enough there to have so many competing options.
jimbobzz9@reddit
Ford disproved that the segment could not grow.
What are you even arguing here? That every car manufacturer should only compete in the midsized crossover segment?
FearlessTomatillo911@reddit
My argument is that there is not enough of a market in body on frame off roading vehicles for there to be 4 competing brands in the space.
The pavement princess SUVs work for the vast majority of the buyers, and they will keep buying those.
Radiant_Waves@reddit
A large group of older 4Runners owners are disappointed with the build and pricing of the new wave of BoF Toyota trucks and SUVs and would definitely hop over to a quality Nissan truck or SUV if they provided a better value proposition.
FearlessTomatillo911@reddit
If Toyota thought it would be a profitable market segment, they would make the truck.
Also, the R&D for a new body on frame truck would be huge.
Radiant_Waves@reddit
What do you mean? Toyota already does make the truck. I was talking about market share moving from Toyota to Nissan.
guyzieman@reddit
Well the Xterra is coming back
Johns-schlong@reddit
Nissan 2015: "our midsize off roader is too competent, let's not advertise or improve it then cancel it right before the segment really takes off again."
Nissan 2025: "the economy is going to shit, let's bring back our mid size offroader into a heavily saturated market while our brand equity is at its lowest."
Trendiggity@reddit
Also Nissan 2025: let's just stretch out the Sentra platform, add 2 inches of ground clearance without doing anything else other than adding a hybrid trim and start the pricing at $45K
isthatsuperman@reddit
It’s BOF on the frontier frame though…
Trendiggity@reddit
Oh shit really?? I misread the first comment in the chain as saying "if" it came back lol
I am so surprised at a Japanese OEM rebooting a brand name in the same context as its namesake. That's awesome. Hopefully they still don't start at $50+K but I suppose that's the market now
isthatsuperman@reddit
Id say it’ll msrp for $28-32k base trim. The pro4x frontier is like $48k.
BlackTed@reddit
Toyota has 3 mid sized 4x4s on the market currently. I think it'd make more sense to make it a trim level for the Prado. They could give it an FJ-esque front end and a white roof
SonovaVondruke@reddit
FJ is coming, but it looks to be Asia only for now.
surfer_ryan@reddit
If you just want a box with wheels the soul is so great. I give absolutely 0 fucks about that car, i plan on running it into the ground. If i want to have fun i hop on one of my motorcycles being said... idk why but it is a decent car to drive... and it's held up oddly well all things considered.
SonnyG696@reddit
The Japanese are not known to follow trends until they’re on their way out
CheapTemporary5551@reddit
I was going to say you still got Bronco Sport!
But then I looked up that there is $10k gap between the two vehicles.
Harryhodl@reddit
Don’t forget the Nissan Cube 📦
chandy_dandy@reddit
I honestly love and respect the straight box on wheels cars so much
wiata4tw@reddit
And the cool rear glass.
Plastic_Willow734@reddit
Corolla is an absolute econobox but being inside one makes you think you should be able to buy it for less than 16k OTD
Nomad624@reddit
Warm take: This car was over-hated. It made sense for its time. It was a small, affordable, relatively practical um... thing, and was only let down by lame powertrains and being a Hyundai in the 2010's.
Visible-Study2915@reddit
We have 2, 2010, Kia Souls. Because we loved our first one so much, we just purchased a second used Soul last year. Both are manuals, both have larger motors than the base models, and both have been reliable and fun to drive. They are spacious, and we love their shape! Sad to see the Soul go, but when they discounted the manual we were not interested in purchasing a newer one.
Select_Anywhere_1576@reddit
The hamsters are now fully retired.
MichiganCarNut@reddit
it's been 16 years. a hamster lifespan is 2-3 years. the 6th generation is retiring.
snail_forest1@reddit
well hamsters typically only live 2 years so maybe not retired
8P69SYKUAGeGjgq@reddit
Sent to a farm upstate
besselfunctions@reddit
Maybe we we're the hamsters afterall.
europeanperson@reddit
The hamsters were the memories we made along the way.
Revenge_Holocaust@reddit
Made me spit out my rice, man 😆
Quatro_Leches@reddit
PARTY ROCK
yobo9193@reddit
RIP the Hamsters; you got my Boomer mom so jazzed up about this car that she’s owned one for the past 12 years.
Hydra_Kitt@reddit
This has got to be the first time I've heard a car commercial actually get someone to buy the car lol
lunarc@reddit
Dude, the VW unpimp your auto were also hugely influential for making VW cool again. That and the rabbit campaign where you could get a statue of the rabbit mascot with your car.
LordChauncyDeschamps@reddit
Time to unpimp zee auto...
Peter Stormare is great.
Gorgenapper@reddit
You get an F!
thefilthycheese@reddit
And this is not the first time I hear of this :) My English teacher bought the car because of the ad as well, crazy how influential that ad was.
Tresarches@reddit
I never liked those ads I don’t know why.
Koil_ting@reddit
I for one don't like the idea of gigantic humanoid hamsters driving a kid's drawing version of a generic car.
Tresarches@reddit
I think it was their sunglasses, hats and outfit I didn’t like.
Parrelium@reddit
My daughter is studying to become a teacher. She wants a Soul-EV because that’s what high school teachers drive. I’m fine with that because it’ll be a really cheap commuter car for her when she finds a decent priced used one.
Gorgenapper@reddit
Proof that advertising works, even if it looks stupid.
AOCMarryMe@reddit
That Mitsubishi commercial with the rad chick dancing in the passenger seat to that house song.
idontremembermyoldus@reddit
Who can forget the Chappelle Show skit mocking it?
AOCMarryMe@reddit
lol first time seeing this.
genericusername0176@reddit
I wanted an Eclipse so bad when this commercial came out
inaccurateTempedesc@reddit
Car ads used to actually be convincing. Like who wouldn't buy a Corvette after seeing this
eareetator@reddit
It’s like Tron and Flash Gordon car
jonrpatrick@reddit
OMG... I want to watch the original TRON so much right now! :)
LostWinds@reddit
The lady Gaga commercial is the reason why one of my high school friends got one. He could’ve gotten anything, his parents got his older brother a SRT8 challenger.
Bassracerx@reddit
Damn parents really didn’t love older brother huh?
bgroins@reddit
Seriously, I'd drive the Kia over that.
Bassracerx@reddit
Get life insurance policy on your kid and then buy your kid a charger
RedWire75@reddit
Is his older brother still alive or is he still wrapped around a tree?
Johns-schlong@reddit
Statistically he joined the marines and knocked up a stripper.
Anonymous_Dwarf@reddit
That sounds on brand
MechMeister@reddit
I know a guy who bought a Dodge Magnum because of the commercial lol. magnums are awesome though
BIGMCLARGEHUGE__@reddit
Knew a guy who bought a Chrysler LeBaron because the salesman said it was Jon Voight's.
s4ltydog@reddit
Crocodile Dundee sold me on the Outback when I was 6, took me a while to get one but I love it!
AtomicBombSquad@reddit
Between Crocodile Dundee and the Subaru logo kinda looking like an Australian flag, I thought they were an Australian carmaker for an embarrassingly long time, until I got some "GT" game and found out that they were Japanese instead..
steamydan@reddit
You think car companies are buying super bowl ads for something that doesn't work?
Mustang1718@reddit
I watch sketchy NFL streams, and it is funny to see what commercials other countries have. The one from yesterday was for a Ram truck and said:
"This isn't just a truck in the way that Canada isn't 'Just a country.'"
It gave me vibes of Ray from Trailer Park Boys being who they were targeting.
coloredinlight@reddit
My parents went through 2 and my dad still wants one again.
trivletrav@reddit
r/boomersbeingfools material lol
yobo9193@reddit
If the thing wasn’t so reliable, I’d agree with you. Other than a new PCv valve and needing a walnut blasting on the intake valves, it hasn’t needed any major work
abarthsimpson@reddit
How so? I love seeing people of all generations loving their cars.
xBluJackets@reddit
Damn man.
Now what do the people in Cookie Monster pajama pants drive to Walmart?
mgobla@reddit
Soul is so much better than Hyundai Venue, why are americans buying Venue instead of Soul?
paul9854@reddit
The Hyundai Venue is shorter in length, so it is a little easier to park. Also, the Venue is outfitted with the 1.6 liter I4, which has an excellent track record, whereas the engine in the Soul has had a few problems over the years.
Remote-Key-2933@reddit
I am on my 2nd Kia Soul. First, the vandy apple red one and then the dark silver. This car is amazing. Great on gas, spacious, and you ride high like an SUV. I have camped in my Soul many nights at the beach. Its long enough for a 5ft 7in person to lay in diagonally or straight through if you use the middle console. Plenty of room to turn into a cute like camper if you take out the seats and do it up. Perhaps that's what I will do with mine now since it is being put to rest. God bless you, Kia Soul. I love this little car.
QuestingNPC@reddit
I had a 2014. Terrible year but it was so cheap to fix. Things would go bad and small fix, but it was a ton of small random shit. At 175k I started ignoring check engine lights. At 200k a buddy of mine took it off my hands and fixed that bad girl up in his backyard and is keeping it on the road. They’re a shitbox for sure but for a daily beater they weren’t half bad.
Username_7_6_7@reddit
This is the best day of my entire life
timberwolvesguy@reddit
Why? If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Others clearly liked it enough to stay for 15 years.
cherrylimebubbly@reddit
Thank goodness
AntonRudinskii@reddit
Kia Soul is gone, and with it the dancing hamster era ends. Hard to believe that quirky marketing became such a cult classic. RIP little dancing hamsters 🐹❤️
katm0m@reddit
Darn! What a huge bummer. Looks like the market is shifting towards bigger cars. Yay consumerism! It's the ultimate single, child-free millennial woman's car and I'm holding on to mine till the end!
Due_Morning_6275@reddit
My first car ever, after getting my driver's license at 55. I love it so much. My EX has so many cool features. Myself I'll trade it in for a new one before they're gone.
lostinheadguy@reddit (OP)
Whelp, I tried three times to quote block the press release and got auto-modded each time, so I guess no quote block.
As someone who has had two Souls in our family (previously a 2011 and currently a 2020), this is a huge bummer. Goodbye cool, funky cars and hello homogenization.
I hope that the loss of the Soul leads to, finally, the introduction of the EV3 to North America.
bom_lixo@reddit
I’m from a family with three Kia Souls (both my parents and now me). And yes we have been made fun of by neighbors when all three are parked in the driveway of my parents’ house lol. To say we’re devastated is an understatement!
KodakStele@reddit
Its funny because south Korea is one of the most honogenized countries in the world
courtroom_brown_@reddit
I have a 2022 Turbo and I loveeee her. She's fast. She's spacious. She looks like a storm trooper. I'll hang on to her as long as I can!
hallo1994@reddit
This sucks. I'll give credit for Kia for owning the econobox car in the US longer than Toyota, coming from a loyal Toyota owner.
inoeth@reddit
i'm so sad. I bought one in 2014 and owned it no problems for 10 years. It was amazingly economical, the boxy shape and it being it a hatchback gave it way more storage capacity than a lot of larger cars with trunks and I only ever had to do the usual maintenance(oil changes, replacing tires, brakes and the like).
Got it for $15K back then. There's nothing like that now. I ended up replacing it with a new Kia Niro hybrid. Yes, another boring super economical and practical hatchback that i'll hopefully own for another 10 years like my Soul before I have to replace it.
r00000000@reddit
Were Kia Souls actually well received? I expect more meme replies in the comments like Nissan Altima style, I genuinely have zero interest in Hyundai/Kia so I know nothing about the Kia Soul other than my friends constantly shitting on them when we see them on the road so I thought they were a Nissan Altima/Mitsubishi Mirage/Fiat Multipla/Jeep Wrangler/etc. level of meme car.
noname87scr@reddit
They marketed them to younger people but when I worked at a Kia, I would say 90% of buyers were 55 and over. The ease of getting in and out of it made it well received by older people.
idc69idc@reddit
That's why I love mine as a middle-aged delivery driver. In and out 50+ times a day is easier for me, and I have no physical issues. Looked to get a Civic Hybrid the summer, but I didn't like being lower and having less visibility, so I'll drive the Soul until the wheels fall off. Or I may trade in my 2020 with 60k miles for a new '25. It's 30% less than the Civic I was shopping
MattWolf96@reddit
Excluding them using the Hamsters in the late 2000's. I haven't seen many people making fun of them
Logitech4873@reddit
Most of them have very poor range and Chademo plug, so they're reserved for city driving.
Tw0Rails@reddit
Had one as a rental for a Montana trip. For 2 people and the rear seat down you can stuff a shitload in there.
Had good turning radius. Anyone who needs a cheap hatch. They should be more popular for just boring commuting and light cargo.
surfer_ryan@reddit
It sold pretty well for a period amongst the 60+ crowd looking for a car and that's it.
At one point they were "buy one get one" deals and they really turned around the brand and i would argue a HUGE part of that was the soul. There were a LOT of other things that were improved on don't get me wrong, but i feel like the soul was really the point where Kia got their shit together.
Chemical_Print6922@reddit
I can only speak for myself, but yes! It’s affordable, easy to drive, a large amount of room for stuff, gets you there & back safe. Is it going to go fast? Absolutely not. In fact, a nice strong wind is a bonus. It’s also so silly looking that it’s kinda fun. As someone who doesn’t give a shit about cars, this is the best car for me.
CerebralAccountant@reddit
All of the above. The Soul is a cheaper car and Kia isn't afraid to finance people, so there is some overlap between Soul drivers and Altima drivers. At the same time, it's one of the better cheap cars out there. The seating position is higher and more upright than any sedan, good for old people and anyone who wants the SUV-like experience without the SUV. Even with the higher seat, there's enough headroom and legroom for two 6' people to sit behind each other. It takes more cargo than a lot of crossovers, and the EV and GT-Line versions are legitimately fun to drive.
YahBoiSquishy@reddit
I have a 2017 Soul and I love it. I used it to help move myself and it’s both small (I boast about my small car privilege when I park and stuff) while having pretty good space.
Time for more blobby subcompacts I guess.
bryangoboom@reddit
The paint on mine is starting to fail and I'm sad, but I bought a paint touch up kit, so we'll see how that goes.
MortimerDongle@reddit
The marketing was a meme but the car itself was just a solid, practical economy car
Ghost17088@reddit
Honestly, I had one for a month as a rental and expected to hate it. After a couple days I actually was pretty happy with it. Would I buy one? Probably not, at least not my first choice. But it absolutely became one of my preferred cars with future rentals.
unitedstatesghost@reddit
This was pretty much my experience. Would I go out of my way to buy one? Not likely, but was it a pretty ok place to spend some time on the road.
bryangoboom@reddit
I bought one, and love it while hating how boring it is. Tons of leg room and storage space. Engine is solid, and everything just works. It was the best price point for the space, now, there's nothing to fill the gap for that prize/storage size.
maxdps_@reddit
These cars were absolutely everywhere in Florida. Older/Retired people loved them.
Spong_Durnflungle@reddit
1.5 million sold in the US since 2009, so a very solid run
srtftw@reddit
The marketing was towards young people, and as a result, old people wanting to feel young were the ones that bought them. Solid car.
lostinheadguy@reddit (OP)
I'm biased because my family has one but it's one of the most fun "appliance" cars you can buy. It was also always very well-equipped for the price, with Bluetooth streaming even on the early 2010 models all the way up to wide availability for stuff like CarPlay as soon as CarPlay came out.
Our current is a 2020 with the base engine, if you can get around the CVT it's just so much fun to drive for what it is. And the Turbo models in the second and early current generations are legitimately good - not as refined as something like a GTI but very well-balanced.
andyr072@reddit
I thought they were still selling well. Sad to see them go. They seemed to be Kias icon model. Kind of the way the mustang is to Ford. Not necessarily the best selling model of the company but one that represents it.
Scazitar@reddit
Honestly pretty shocking in the way that the kid's seem to love them but I guess it makes sense because they can't afford new cars lol.
nefthep@reddit
They saw what Technology Connections was about to unveil in the new series and decided now's a good time to disappear
MattWolf96@reddit
He's talking about an old crappy Nissan Cube.
KevinMHC@reddit
Had a rental one in Hawaii. It was way better than expected. Lots of space easy to park great on gas. Kia’s Honda Fit. All the great ones are being discontinued.
MattWolf96@reddit
My family has both a Fit and Soul. I honestly trust the Fit to last longer but I honestly prefer riding in the Soul it's got more space and I like the styling better.
cpttucker126@reddit
Damn.... I guess though this makes slight sense since if people just want a cheap car from kia they've been buying the new K4. I've seen the K4s everywhere.
MattWolf96@reddit
It looks very nice. I love the futuristic styling that Hyundai and Kia have been doing. I hate seeing the Soul go though.
TheRealAndrewWilliam@reddit
U.S. sales have been propping up the production of this car globally, and when that declined to a certain point, it was no longer viable. Once the Seltos came along, it really cannibalized the sales of the Soul.
At the 2019 U.S. national dealer meeting in Las Vegas, where the "current" generation Soul was unveiled to dealers, they touted it was the "911 of Kia". What they meant is that it was the car Kia was most known for, had the most brand recognition, and would always have an identifiable shape to it in every generation. How quickly things shifted from that point in time.
MattWolf96@reddit
Seltos. Of course another damn SUV has to take away an economy car.
Thomas_633_Mk2@reddit
I know what they were going for but my instant thought was of the hamsters smashing into the Twin Towers
MattWolf96@reddit
Soon there's going to be no affordable cars left
Moynia@reddit
Didnt they facelift these not long ago? Im kinda surprised they are killing it off, you see them everywhere
Logitech4873@reddit
They increased range (64 kWh battery instead of 32) and went away from chademo plug.
lostinheadguy@reddit (OP)
It's reached the end of its normal model generation. Launched for 2020, refreshed in 2023.
It was still selling well for its class but it's way off the peaks it reached in the 2010s.
Logitech4873@reddit
TIL this car had a gasoline and diesel version. I thought it was EV only.
yerwerdsnogood@reddit
LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Bonkzzilla@reddit
It's a shame, we love our 2018 Turbo. Practical, cheap, and fun, the perfect combination. The crappy thing is, whenever we have to replace either it or our 2017 Focus ST, what the hell do we replace them with? Market's not exactly overflowing with fun, peppy, $25k hatchbacks these days.
RipCurl69Reddit@reddit
Damn. Kiasoul Hateclan is gonna have to move on to something else
Fabulous-Celery4141@reddit
Kia appears to be realigning its portfolio to focus on next-generation electric and hybrid models after years of success.
kqlx@reddit
the scion xb killer is dead
Accomplished-Exit136@reddit
I had fun with my 1.6L manual. No idea about the long term reliability, sold it after 50k miles. Probably the best paint job I've ever had on a car. The silver was very easy to take care of. However I get better mpg in my 2.4 brz by a good margin. Kia soul only got 1-2 mpg better than my 305hp v6 mustang.
Durcaz@reddit
Pretty bland car but it was exactly what many people needed, I’m weirdly disappointed to see it go.
bryangoboom@reddit
I purchased one in 16, still is my daily. No problems on it whatsoever except for the paint is simultaneously failing in like 4 spots. The car is boring and ugly, but damn is it spacious and has the ability to lug a large amount of stuff around. It's a shame they are dumping it, because its the perfect large small car. Sad days.
bl0odredsandman@reddit
My boss bought us a 2017 model to drive for work and I was actually surprised at how nice it is inside and all the options it had. Android auto, heated/cooled seats, blind spot detection, giant sunroof, heated steering wheel, H&K sound, and more. Saying that, the engine is trash and feels like it's screaming just to get up to highway speeds and we have to keep putting oil in it. It's not burning it and we aren't seeing any puddles of oil, so we don't know where it's going.
bryangoboom@reddit
Soooo, the engine issue, warranty should cover it. Mine got replaced for free at 96k miles lol. the 2.0l is a fine engine, especially for the cost of the vehicle.
Roboticpoultry@reddit
My 2017 turbo was a fun little toaster
silenced_soul@reddit
Thank god, one of the ugliest cars to ever get made.
CalmTiger@reddit
truly the goat rental car
bwoah_gimmethedrink@reddit
This car was always strange - very interesting on the outside, super boring on the inside. And that's coming from someone who hates car interior looking like a nightclub or a space ship.
surfer_ryan@reddit
Can i just say how shocked i am at the positive replies here... Not at all how i thought this car dying off would go, i was fully expecting to come in here to a send off party lol
I think it's a good car that i'm sad to see go bc it fit a specific portion of the market.
Conflicted_Batman@reddit
Funky design but it was honestly pretty spacious relative to the footprint. Be careful when owning one though, these cars were notorious for having a security vulnerability that let thieves easily steal them: 2011–2021 Soul models with a turn-to-start ignition need a software update from the dealer.
GeneralCommand4459@reddit
The warthog of cars.
No seriously, that’s what the designer’s inspiration was for the original Soul.
Chemical_Print6922@reddit
😂😂😂😂
Simpleguy98101@reddit
Sad, had two of them, a 2017 base and a 2020 Turbo GT. Fun little car with a ton of space and personality. Sad to see them go.
LeopardHalit@reddit
o7 you were an effing cube
PlaneShenaniganz@reddit
Oh no! Anyways
mdwieland@reddit
Bummer...
... Next!
threedoggies@reddit
One of my neighbors has a Kia Soul. He must've like it a lot because he bought a brand new Kia Soul and kept the old one so now he has two Kia Souls sitting in his driveway.
FlyUnder_TheRadar@reddit
RIP Toaster, you will be missed. My family has owned several of them, and my wife has one now. It's not the most exciting or even reliable machine out there. But it was cheap as shit, does its job adequately, and has a surprising amount of practical cargo space.
Legend13CNS@reddit
I'm honestly surprised they're dropping it instead of giving it a proper PHEV or EV version as the next gen (the older EV compliance car version doesn't count).
andrewia@reddit
There is a current-gen EV version, it was just canceled for the North American market.
Legend13CNS@reddit
That's even more surprising to me then. Seems like it would've been a good fit in the lineup.
BearFan34@reddit
Best car commercial ever
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBwga_gy4x0/
MikeBert97@reddit
Finally, this abomination can be put to rest
TheNonExample@reddit
It’s refreshing that the Korean automakers are willing to retire a model line once it stops performing and pivot to something new, rather than squeezing the vitality out of a nameplate for six-plus decades.
unnamed_elder_entity@reddit
Modern cars have no Soul.
zukiguy@reddit
I had a Soul back in 2014, one of my first "new" cars. It was used with 100k miles but worlds nicer than the Geo Tracker that preceded it. Loved bombing around in that little thing till the original clutch gave out and I didn't have cash to fix it.
I think the Soul will be missed. I feel like overall people liked them and they definitely stuck out in an ocean of relatively boring econoboxes. I'm sad they didn't continue the name.
eAthena@reddit
I would’ve grabbed an EV one if they came stateside
AaronPossum@reddit
Aw booo
eldusto84@reddit
I'm surprised at all the "sad to see it go" comments here. These cars were econobox trash, made even worse by the Kia USB thefts. Two family members of mine purchased Souls and both of them ran like junk before they were broken into and totaled by TikTok joyriders.
benzguy95@reddit
I’ll never forget when I saw the commercial for them and instantly fell in love with these cars, I specifically wanted a 10-11 Sport model with the black and red leather seats but that never happened.
However, once the 2nd gen’s came out I really wanted one, specifically a turbo model but that didn’t pan out either. My sister was gifted a 2017 CPO model back in 2020 that has nearly every option available for 2017 along with a few add ons like a rear spoiler and remote start, for the most part it’s been super reliable but unfortunately even with routine maintenance and oil changes done on time with her local Kia dealer the engine threw a rod at 118k miles. Kia did replace the engine under their extended warranty but it’ll be the last Kia anyone in my family will deal with
shot204@reddit
Such a practical car. Drove my wife and newborn twins home from the hospital in one, surprisingly sad about this.
nanapancakethusiast@reddit
Biggest POS on the road. Can’t believe people buy them.
Noobasdfjkl@reddit
Very sad. Great little car.
SGnirvana97@reddit
Absolutely tragic…😂
stem-winder@reddit
A real shame. The Kia Soul was the first car I ever bought new. It cost me £9k in 2010. I kept it for 12 years and did 100k Miles. It never went wrong. It was a great car to drive with a young family, very practical. A real solid budget family car.
dedzip@reddit
LETS GOOOOOO
mclark2112@reddit
But what will the old people in Florida drive?
razeus@reddit
I always wondered what kind of people bought this car and what they were thinking when evaluating their choices.
RiseFromYourGrav@reddit
My sister drives a 2010 Soul, and no matter how poorly she treats it, it's still going. Great little car. Maybe she'll buy another used one when hers finally gives out.
NotoriousNeo@reddit
I'm honestly saddened by this news. I purchased a used 2016 Soul EX several years ago after a painful divorce that had left me in a financially precarious situation. I was in need of something cheap and reliable that didn't necessarily look or feel as cheap as the usual options in the category and budget I was shopping for. The Soul fit the bill and I was honestly shocked how well it handled a 6 ft driver not to mention how spacious it was for its size. I'm sure the Soul found a lot people in similar boats. Maybe that's why so many owners are so fond of the thing. I know I was for the five trouble-free years I owned mine. (sigh) RIP Kia Soul. I know a lot of people hated you but truth be told you were a real one. 🥲
KingKontinuum@reddit
We won! 🙌🥹
azarashi@reddit
We almost got one replacing my wifes Scion XB but needed something a bit bigger. I really liked the Soul sucks to see it going.
Leo_York@reddit
I actually really liked these. Just super spacious, almost panoramic view especially with the sunroof, seemed like it would be a great car to drive through a national park or something.
2ingredientexplosion@reddit
Kia almost made a killer platform. turbo closed deck(Mazda has one too it's really good)... If they found a way to make a rwd or awd version and let aftermarket handling performance. I bet this would've made it a fun little thing.
saabbrendan@reddit
I thought the soul went away in like 2018? TIL I guess
saveyourtissues@reddit
They really have lost their Soul
580_farm@reddit
Those hamsters kept this car alive for a while
platocplx@reddit
Rip the PT Cruiser with Soul
kon---@reddit
Aww man. The Soul is the only Kia I've ever enjoyed the sight of on the road. If I was limited to only short commutes, running errands and such, I'd be all over the Soul.
naughtywyvern69@reddit
So we will be rid of most of these cars in about 10 years, if my experience with them is any indication.
DrSpaceman575@reddit
My favorite rental car, RIP. Great headroom for the size, I'll think of you when I'm hunched over trying to drive a Jeep Renegade.
dontbeslo@reddit
Sad to see an affordable and seemingly reliable vehicle get discontinued. You see so many older ones on the road and the boxy shape makes it extremely efficient for hauling people, cargo, etc.
afuturisticdystopia@reddit
This makes me weirdly nostalgic, being a 2000s kid the “tissue box” car trend seemed so cool and futuristic at the time. Scion xB, Nissan Cube, Honda Element. Surprised the Soul lasted as long as it did.
2Drogdar2Furious@reddit
Way to go everyone... you crushed their Soul ☹
IPLAYSUPPORTHERO@reddit
The turbo models were super fun to drive
Flimsy-Attention-722@reddit
I was tickled that my rental car in Iceland was a Kia soul...I saw those hamsters every time we got in
InfinitePossibility8@reddit
Kia is now soulless 😔
Hugh-Jass24@reddit
I liked when some owners put the 2.0 HAMI decal on it
firewoodrack@reddit
Does anyone else remember them trying to sell these cars pronounced as "so-lay" but the general public just kept saying "soul" or was that just me?
themaincop@reddit
Had one as a rental once and I liked it quite a bit!
HP_594@reddit
When my dad worked in Kia back in 2012, he got a 2011 Soul as his company car.
He dreaded the car but 9 year old me actually liked it. It had a custom Garmin mirror with a tiny screen for navigation, Bluetooth, and a functioning backup camera.
It had cool decals (which were removed to prevent issues with the law) and for some reason, had two sets of indicators (one set in the fenders and another in the ORVMs)
The ORVM indicators also functioned as a sort of DRLs, although they were amber instead of white.
rosen380@reddit
"Like your shoes, it's a miracle she lasted as long as she did"
Jlx_27@reddit
Sad because they're quite good cars.
Bobodehclown@reddit
The little Soul protected the driver when it got launched by a tire: https://youtu.be/EOosn78WsMg.
It was a decent little econobox for people needing basic transportation. Seems I saw way more of the earlier years on the road than newer though.
Turboteg90@reddit
This thing was a blessing to some people, sad to see it go.
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lostinheadguy@reddit (OP)
As someone who has had two Souls in my family (previously a 2011 and currently a 2020), this is such a huge bummer. Goodbye cool, funky cars, and hello to homogenization.
While this release is US-centric, the Soul has been gradually disappearing from Kia's global lineups, North America really is just the last market to kill it. Hopefully this discontinuation in North America coincides with, finally, the market's launch of the electric EV3.
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