Kia Soul: “the car with a whole lot of soul”


Kia Soul: “the car with a whole lot of soul”



What does Lady Gaga Applause lyrics and fancy dressed hamsters have to do with each other?

Well, I’ll tell ya……… the 2014 Kia Soul, that’s what!

kia soul the car with a whole lot of soul

I recently had an opportunity to peruse the Kia Soul for a bit and I must admit it was a lot of fun. Soon after the neon (Alien 2) green beauty was dropped off I was locked, loaded, strapped in, and zipping down the road.

boys in kia soul

And when it was time to pick up my three sons from school they too were equally excited to climb into the “Mouse car” with our youngest singing, “ Applause…”. Priceless. I mean, it was only appropriate that we rolled down the windows- music blaring.

kia soul lady gage applause

Are these lyrics going through your head right now?

I live for the Applause, Applause, Applause
I live for the Applause-plause
Live for the Applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause

kia soul

This is a vehicle that is one part compact car and one part SUV. Like a compact car it weaves in and out of traffic like a Will-O-Wisp and it has the futuristic gadgetry a girl loves. As a SUV it has the roominess a mother of three depends on to ferry bodies and groceries wherever I need to take them. I gotta’ give it to them, the design engineers over at Kia got it right with this one.

Check out the trunk space! I love the underneath extra storage space. I didn’t see that coming:

trunk of kia soulopen trunk of kia soultrunk with groceries

And like most of the Kia lineup this little baby sips gas, with an impressive 24 city / 30 highway mpg it does my purse strings good.

kia soul pumping gas

I also loved the Bluetooth Wireless Technology for hands free navigation, and my inner music aficionado really liked the SiriusXM Satellite Radio which poured out of the crisp Infinity® Audio System an kept my head bobbing to the music constantly.

touch screen media system

{I love the touch screen system!}

kia soul speakers

Without a doubt this is a music lovers dream car, it’s like driving around in the club or akin to building a car just to house an incredible sound experience. A really rad feature is the Speaker Lights, which offer you a light show. The Front Door Speaker Trim Lights can pulsate to the beat of the music and even change color. Yes, this is a total sexy beast.

Oh yeah… I had a blast pumping up the volume to some of my favorite songs just to watch the lights change. (yeah I was a kid in the candy store).

kia soul music
After spending time (over a week) I got to know the Kia Soul pretty good. I have always gravitated towards trucks and SUVs so this baby met me half way, it has a lower stance than a traditional SUV but it more than makes up for it by being functional and earning major points for its many economical factors and must have tech features.

side of kia soul

My inner rock star liked the Privacy Glass and like most (if not all) of Kia’s cars I really rely on the Rear-Camera Display to keep our family safe and sound.

Additional likes were the Remote Keyless Entry, it was a godsend especially with the extremely frigid winter weather we’ve had here in Michigan, and with the Push-Button Start with Smart Key there isn’t any need to fiddle-faddle around.

push start kia soul

Another feature that I like with  Kia Cars is the UVO system. If you’re familiar with On-Star- then it’s the same thing.. except it’s for Kia Motors.

And you have the ability to sync it up to your smartphone. You can read more about the UVO system here.

I took time to sync it up to my phone and it was very easy to do. I like how I can access those same car features from my phone. This comes in handy if you need information about your car or from your car and you don’t want to have to actually go out to your car to get it.

Some of the benefits of using and having the UVO eServices include:

  • Maintenance reminders
  • Roadside assistance
  • Convenience (like a reminder where you parked your car)
  • Security
  • Safety features (driving habits, speed limits, etc)

uvo services

When it comes to affordability, the Kia Soul 2014 model starts out at 14,900

And just like with the Kia Sorento, the Forte, the Kia Soul goes along with the same features and reasons why I am a big fan of Kia Motors:

  • Kia’s 10 year or 100,000 mile warranty.  Again, as I have mentioned before, this is a HUGE perk. I’ve had plenty experiences of transmission blowouts, stranded on the side of the road, and constantly pumping money into a dying vehicle.
  • When I purchased my 2011 Kia Sorento (brand new at the time), I paid around $21,000 for my SUV. According to Kia’s website and price details, new Kia Sorento SUV’s start out at $24,100.
  • 5 Star Crash Safety Rating

You know I’m not one to bore you with a lot of specs, but if you would like more details on the beautiful 2014 Kia Soul then be sure to head over to Kia’s website to check them out!

Just like the “third of September; that day I’ll always remember, 
‘Cause that was the day that my daddy died.
This car will always be memorable to me for another reason. On the last day of my adventure with this fun kermit-green aka mice car, my Mom passed away. Now this is not a sad, pity party about giving condolences. It’s about the memorable experiences that I had in this 2014 Kia Soul. Even during that process of driving home to return the car, that song Poppa was a rolling stone started playing. How ironic, right?

kia soul at night

So, our final verdict is a unanimous, YES! The Kia Soul 2014 passes mustard on so many important levels. Gas Mileage? Check. Stylishness? Check. Cool Points? Check. Affordability? Double check and mate.

Again, the connection is music. Music is what can bring people together. You may speak a different language but connect because of music.

It’s the car with a whole lot of soul.

 


Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought about the Kia Soul! I would love to hear what you have to say!

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40 Comments

  1. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    We are actually looking for a new car and the Kia is one we are planning on test driving. I like that it has the privacy glass in it. That is important to me.

  2. I love the bright color… and the efficiency isn’t bad, either.

  3. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    The Kia Soul is definitely an awesome ride! We were amazed at the back storage from such a small vehicle.

  4. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    I would love to have a car with a trunk that size! I would go to Costco every week!

  5. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    I love these cool cars. I am shopping for a car now for my daughter and this is in the running

  6. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    I have always thought these were so cute! I didn’t know much about them though until reading your post I didn’t know much else about it! I have always wondered if they made it any other colors though even though the green is neat 🙂 I think it is neat it can tell you where you parked too! I am sorry to hear about your mom too.. that made me tear up! *hugs*

  7. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    That looks like a great car and I am loving all the trunk space!

  8. I’ve read a couple of other reviews on this car. It looks so cute and spacious. My family seriously needs a bigger car. Maybe this will be one of our options.

  9. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    I love the Kia Soul! I so want one of these. I would get it in green.

  10. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    WOW! I adore that bright green color, beautiful shade. I have heard that Kia’s are terrific cars that last quite some time. I test drove one once and loved the smooth ride.

  11. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    I love the color of this Kia Soul. I have heard it is a great car.

  12. Lots of great perks and SUCH a fun color!!

  13. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    I loved driving this car, it was compact but spacious!

  14. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    WOW! Look at all that space! I didn’t know it had so many great features.

  15. April 22, 2014
    Reply

    Wow! I super super love this. I have been looking for a car company to work with – might have to contact KIA, because the others have not been up to my standards. Plus, who doesn’t LOVE THAT COLOR… ohmygosh. And the technology… insanity.

  16. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I like that it sits lower like a car. I also love that dipped down trunk space!

  17. I’ve never been in a Soul but have seen them on the road a lot. A good sound system is a must!

  18. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I don’t know if it’s the colors, the commercial or the song but they do just seem like a fun car, don’t they!

  19. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    This car has A LOT of features that I wouldn’t expect. Love all the technology. Very cool.

    SO sad about your mom.

  20. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    As luck would have it I need to get a new car. I really like the review you did.

  21. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I have heard great things about KIA. Thanks for showing us the interior of the car, it’s awesome and the colour is amazing!

  22. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    That looks like such a cool car. I love the color and how much space there is in the back.

  23. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    This car just screams fun to me! Such a cool car and cool color!

  24. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    The Kia Soul is SUCH a fun car. I love the color green it comes in, but I think I’d want a bigger vehicle like the Sorrento. A Kia is on my WISH LIST for sure though.

  25. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I think Kia has come such a long way. I’m loving the bluetooth technology.

  26. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I love Kia cars! The Soul looks like a fun vehicle to drive – especially the “Alien green” color 😉

  27. SWEET! I love all the features of this car AND I love the color of it too. Looks so roomy and just plain fun!

  28. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    How FUN is that color? Looks like the family had a great time!

  29. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I’m so sorry to hear about your mom.

    I’ve always loved trucks and SUVs myself, but must say this Kia is really tempting. I love the low gas mileage and it looks super roomy and convenient for a family vehicle!

  30. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I had a Soul as a rental car for a week — and I had NO clue there was the space in the trunk like that!! Who would have thought!? I wish the car rental place would have told me!! Would have come in handy since we were traveling! I was really impressed with the KIA!

    • April 23, 2014
      Reply

      Yes I was really shocked about some of the space when I went exploring in the trunk. I initially thought there was hardly no space until I opened it up all the way!

  31. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I think my kids would be singing the song that the big mice do in the commercial too lol! I’ve heard a lot of great things about Kia, and I heard they have a great safety rating too, which is key to me!

    I’m sorry to hear about your Mama – I am glad you have some great memories of her!

  32. Test driving a car sounds like a lot of fun. If I really loved it though I would have a problem letting them take it back. lol

  33. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    I have to admit, I like the funky look of that Kia. It looks like it fits a family just fine.

  34. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    Love the Kia Soul. It’s done some growing up this year and the tech can’t be beat. Definitely a great car.

  35. Every time I see the Kia Soul I think about those crazy hamsters and the Party Rock song- my youngest still laughs and dances when he hears that song, and loves to watch the you tube video of the commercial too. Too funny.
    As for the car itself, I love it! I’d have been like you with those speaker lights- that is SO cool!

  36. April 23, 2014
    Reply

    That is one snazzy little car. It wouldn’t work for us right now, but I would totally drive that when my oldest gets his own car.

  37. April 24, 2014
    Reply

    I love the color of that car! Features look amazing too.

  38. April 24, 2014
    Reply

    I love that it is compact yet there’s enough space to stash away bags and groceries

  39. April 24, 2014
    Reply

    I love the Kia Soul. And we almost bought one except my husband didn’t like it. But I would have loved it.

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