Kia Soul EV Review 2023

The Kia Soul EV is right for you if you’re looking for a practical electric car that has a long 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.

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

Electric cars have exploded in recent months so 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 was initially only be selling 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 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 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 is sold with just a 64kWh battery pack: a 64kWh. This delivers 204PS and a range of up to 280 miles, with the battery paired to a single speed automatic gearbox. 

Officially the Kia Soul EV can cover 280 miles between charges. We're yet to spend a lengthy period of time with it to see how that translates in the real world, but 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.

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 can accelerate, brake and steer itself on the motorway 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. 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. 

While we can't speculate on how reliable the Kia Soul EV is likely to be as it hasn't been on the road long enough, what'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 a long seven year warranty (or 100,000 miles) as well as three years of roadside assistance. 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 group 18 meaning it’ll cost about the same to insure as the Mini EV (group 18-19) and quite a lot less than the Honda E (group 25-29). 

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. 

There are other benefits to, 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 is available in one trim level called First Edition (and later 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.