Kia Soul EV (2019-2024) Review

The Kia Soul EV is right for you if you’re looking for a practical used electric car that has a long-ish range and a price that won’t break the bank. If you're looking for one of the cheapest electric cars, we think the Kia Soul EV is one of the best you can buy on the used market.

The Kia Soul EV is only available in one mechanical specification, but it’s a compelling mixture with a powerful electric motor that delivers plenty of lazy performance in a practical SUV like body.

The Kia Soul EV has competition from the likes of the city-slicking Honda e, the frisky handling MINI Electric and the stylish Peugeot e-2008. There's also popular EVs like the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf.

The Kia Soul EV’s interior is less striking than the exterior. It’s dominated by a large infotainment screen but the next thing you’ll notice is how plasticky it all feels. Sure, everything is sturdy, but the Kia doesn’t have the premium feel or stylish design of the Mini Electric or the Honda E. 

To keep things simple, Kia initially only sold the Soul EV in First Edition guise. That means everything you could possibly want is standard, including a large 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation system in the centre of the dash. Like in other Kias, this is simple to use with clear graphics and quick responses. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, too - meaning you can access features from your phone on the move.

Kia has replaced the First Edition model with the Kia Soul EV Maxx and just like the First Edition, is the only trim level available on the Kia Soul EV. The good news is that all the infotainment features stay the same.

The Maxx was then superseded by the Urban and Explore trims, and the Urban has a smaller battery that delivers a 171-mile driving range maximum. Explore models had the same larger battery as Maxx models and similar equipment levels.

The Kia Soul EV's interior is really spacious. There is a huge amount of headroom, even in the rear, thanks to its boxy dimensions.

Getting comfortable in the driver's seat is easy, thanks to eight-way power adjustment in earlier models and with the upright, high driving position that many people want in a crossover SUV.

There's plenty of room in the rear, too, although the 315-litre boot means you'll have to pack light if you're going away for a family holiday. The rear seats do drop 60/40 if you need more space, while two sets of ISOFIX child seat tethers are fitted in the back.

The Kia Soul EV measures 4195mm long and 1800 wide, and as we've already touched, the Soul EV's boot capacity at 315-litres is a little disappointing. 

In the UK, the Kia Soul EV was sold with a 64kWh battery pack in most models. This delivers 204PS and a range of up to 280 miles, with the battery paired to a single speed automatic gearbox.

The Urban version came with a 134PS power output and 39.2kWh battery. This gives a driving range of up to 171 miles, which is still more than a Honda E.

Officially the Kia Soul EV can cover 280 miles between charges. It's fair to say you should see comfortably over 200 miles even with some brisk acceleration and use of the heated seats and headlights.

Take the 234PS version in Urban trim and its range is claimed at 171 miles, which equates to around 125 miles of usable battery charge.

The Kia Soul EV is a very relaxing car to drive thanks to its lack of noise from the motor. You'll coast along in peace and tranquility, save for a little bit of wind noise at higher speeds.

The Kia Soul EV comes with a raft of standard equipment. It will keep you safely in the middle of the white lines on the motorway, has blind spot detection, and also comes with auto-dipping headlights. The car’s automatic emergency brakes will cut down on low speed shunts but, if it can’t stop to avoid a collision, the car can also steer around it. 

There are also twin Isofix child seat mounts in the back, cross traffic alert, fatigue warning, and seven airbags. All this safety kit means you’d expect the new Kia Soul EV to improve on the four star Euro NCAP rating scored by the old model. 

It's reassuring is that all Kia cars come with some of the best warranties of any manufacturer. 

Buy a Soul EV and you'll get the balance of a long seven-year warranty (or 100,000 miles) as well as three years of roadside assistance from when the car was new. Buy a used Soul EV and as long as it's under seven years old or has covered less that 100,000 miles, the warranty cover is transferrable.

The Kia Soul EV sits in insurance groups from 26 for the Urban, through  groups 30 and 31 for the Maxx and Explore, respectively, and on to group 34 for the First Edition.

One of the big appeals of buying and electric car is the low running costs and a big tick against the Kia Soul EV is that it's absolutely free to tax. Or, rather, it was - from April 2025 all used EVs will pay the same £195 for road tax as cars powered by other forms of energy.

There are other benefits, especially if you live in a city as chances are you'll get a free (or at the very least, discounted) parking permit. If you drive into London, you won't have to pay the Congestion Charge either. 

The Kia Soul EV was available in one trim level called First Edition at its launch and this then became known as Maxx. 

It features 17-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, LED headlights and rear lights, electric heated door mirrors with LED indicators, rain-sensing front wipers, 60/40 folding rear seats, dual-height load floor, tyre mobility kit, black leather upholstery, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, electronic parking brake, automatic air conditioning, all-round electric windows and adaptive Smart Cruise Control (SCC).

Inside there are eight-way power adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support, ten-speaker Harman/Kardon premium sound system, DAB radio with MP3 compatibility, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation system with European mapping and traffic messaging channel (TMC), seven-inch colour display cluster and head-up display, reversing camera, rear parking sensors and a wireless phone charger.

In late 2022, Kia changed tack with the Urban and Explore trims. The Urban came with the smaller 39.2kWh battery pack, and had a pared back equipment list. It still has 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, electric windows all round, reversing camera, and automatic headlights. There's also adaptive cruise control, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, cloth upholstery, and an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 7.0-inch dash display.

The Explore ups the ante with its 10.25-inch infotainment screen, black leather upholstery, heated front seats and steering wheel, electric driver's seat adjustment, and rear privacy glass. It also comes with rain-sensing wipers, roof rails, and extra safety kit such as safe exit warning, rear cross traffic alert, highway driving assist, and blind spot collision warning.