Kia Soul hatchback: 'classy' interior and good value against competitors

Price: £12,600 - £21,550

Pros: Bold styling, spacious interior, well-equipped

Cons: Too expensive to run, noisy engines, top trim levels too pricey

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3.8/ 5, Car Buyer: "The Kia Soul has grown up for 2014, being taller, wider and longer than before. It's very roomy inside, offering passengers plenty of headroom and a more upmarket feel than some of its rivals. The ride comfort has been improved too, smoothing out the bumps better than before".

4.0/ 5, Auto Express: "The new Kia Soul 2014 blends the solid build quality, generous standard kit and composed driving manners we’ve come to expect from Kia with bold styling and quirky detailing..The new car improves on its predecessor in every way and is a characterful addition to the Kia range. Some rivals are more practical, but the Soul is a likeable and distinctive choice".

3.0/ 5, What Car?: "The Soul has a spacious, classy-feeling cabin. It’s also well equipped and competitively priced".

4.0/ 5, Parkers: "The bigger external dimensions and a lengthened wheelbase mean there’s greater head, leg and shoulder room than before and the Soul really is a car that feels bigger on the inside than the outside. It feels far more spacious than the larger Kia Sportage 4x4 for example, especially for rear passengers".

6/ 10, Top Gear: "Its neat multi-link rear suspension has got lost along the way, but most of the other bits are present – so, although Kia’s given it a very soft and supple tune, it’s still confident and hangs on gamely in corners. And the benefit of going soft is making the ride pillowy: in town, the new Soul does a great job at soaking up city scars".