Kia Soul is a good car, reliable. Weaknesses and main disadvantages of a used Kia Soul. Kia Soul suspension and steering

Urban crossover KIA Soul and compact crossover KIA Sportage met the requirements of the highest safety rating Top Safety Pick Plus when tested according to Insurance Institute standards road safety(IIHS) in the USA. Number of eligible KIA models IIHS Safety Top Safety Pick Plus, reached six. In other countries of the world this product called KIA Sorento third generation.

News

USA, November 8, 2017– Crossovers and have been awarded the highest safety rating of Top Safety Pick Plus based on the results of testing according to new, more stringent requirements of the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

New requirements provide for equipping cars manufactured after March 2017 with a system to prevent frontal collisions 1 and a rating of “satisfactory” or “good” in tests of head lighting equipment. To earn a Top Safety Pick Plus rating, the IIHS also requires a Good rating in five crash tests: small-overlap frontal impact, moderate-overlap frontal impact, side-impact, rollover, and head restraints.

Stylish urban crossover and global bestseller of the brand, prepared for 2018 model year, confidently met IIHS standards for compliance with the prestigious highest rating Top Safety Pick Plus. Both models received an “excellent” rating for their innovative safety systems. The forward collision mitigation system allowed both vehicles to completely avoid a crash in the 20 km/h test. In the test at a speed of 40 km/h, he also avoided a collision, but the speed was reduced to 1.5 km/h. The head lighting equipment of the Sportage models received ratings of “satisfactory” and “good”, respectively.

For the Russian market, all KIA models are equipped wide range security systems taking into account Russian legislation and preferences Russian motorists. detailed information O Russian line KIA and equipping each of the models in various configurations available from official dealers brand in Russia and on the official website

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1 Forward Collision Warning Systems (FCWS) and Automatic emergency braking(AEB) are optional for the KIA Soul and KIA Sportage in the US market. These systems are currently not presented in the Russian specification of KIA Soul and KIA Sportage.

2 KIA Cerato presented on the US market as the KIA Forte.

3 KIA Cadenza – premium sedan, on Russian market model not shown.

4 KIA Sorento Prime– a unique model name on the Russian market. In other countries of the world, this product is called the third generation KIA Sorento.

What will be the minimum price?: engine type - 1591 cm? / 122 hp / petrol injector, gearbox - manual, anti-lock braking system(ABS), on-board computer, central locking, passenger airbag, driver airbag, additional brake light, immobilizer, child safety mechanism in rear doors, air conditioning, audio system, 6 speakers.

Reviews about Kia Soul :

Appearance:

Very interesting and stylish design. The car is unlike any other. The authenticity is there.
A beautiful and unusual machine, peripheral vision immediately notices it and makes you pay attention. The first fleeting reaction is a jeep, but then you take a closer look and are touched by the unusual shape and interesting design of the passenger car.

In the cabin:

The interior is made with high quality and is worth the money.
The plastic in the cabin is a little hard, but there are practically no gaps, it does not creak, and the dashboard, door trim and other parts are made in a simple style. Nothing superfluous and maximum functionality.
The car is spacious, and therefore light and pleasant. There is a lot of space in front, so a passenger or driver of any size can sit freely. Three adults can also sit quite comfortably in the back.
Being 187 centimeters and having the habit of sitting somewhat reclined behind the wheel, I don’t feel that the passenger sitting behind me is resting his knees on the back of the chair or that his knees are “hugging” my seat.
Seats - credit. And there is lateral support, although it is not clearly expressed, and you can adjust it according to several parameters, including height.
The stove copes with the task 100%. The blowing leaves neither glass nor feet unattended.
The climate control clearly responds to set temperature and quickly brings it to life.
I like that there is a tachometer. For some reason in many modern cars Often it is removed from the dashboard, but it reminds and disciplines you to switch in a timely manner.

Very hard and rigid plastic is used in the interior trim. This is insignificant, but a minus.
Weak lateral support, back pain.
I only have an air conditioner, no climate control. It cools even better than required, which is the problem. You need to turn it off periodically to warm up. And then turn it on again after a few minutes. And so on all the time. It's annoying.

Trunk:

The fact that there is no space in the trunk is clear when you look at the location rear axle and doors. But hope does not die until the last. And only when you open the fifth door you are finally convinced of the insignificant volume of the luggage compartment.
Well, yes, the back row of seats can be easily folded and there will be plenty of space. Where should passengers sit?

Paintwork:

The thin layer of paint was disappointing - this is clearly visible in the chips that formed on the hood. By the way, a lot of them appeared, some of them large. There are many small dots under which white soil can be seen.
Micro chips all over the car. Especially on the hood and doors under the moldings.

Controllability:

Kia Soul nimble and maneuverable, very easy to turn around, just a no-brainer for the city!!!
My Kia “Soul” does not like to be stuck in the same row around the city; it constantly changes lanes from row to row, which is easy and pleasant to do on it. That’s why I pass the “toffees” faster than the others.
It takes turns perfectly and high speed. The steering wheel responds very well. I'm pleased with the way the car listens to commands.
To achieve a roll, you either have to try very hard, or not feel the road, the car, or the fear for your own life at all.
Stands well on its four feet. There is no feeling of “sailiness” on the track. It goes confidently, and the wheelbase is moderately wide wide tires- allow her to do this.

Smooth ride:

Stiff suspension is a fact. A positive fact. Because the suspension will not “fall apart” after 50K on our “roads”, but will handle them just as harshly and wear out minimally.

For me, riding Soul is associated with a washboard. It perceives everything very harshly and transmits it to the body, and from there to the fifth point.
Oak walker.

Playfulness:

For the size of a 1.6 petrol engine with a manual transmission, the car accelerates great. We must not forget the weight of almost one and a half tons if there are two people in the car. 124 horses do their job “excellently”.
It starts well at traffic lights. The dynamics are decent both from a standstill and when overtaking. My first diesel car on the machine. Satisfied. It's going great.
I have a diesel manual and I’m sooooo pleased with the acceleration and the fact that when the trigger is in the floor, the engine doesn’t burst with a request not to give high speeds. Engine sound on high speed– very confident and does not “ring”.

Transmission:

Clear and smooth gear shifting. Nothing jerks you, doesn’t knock, doesn’t hit you. And for the volume of 1.6, four gears are enough, the fifth would definitely be superfluous (automatic transmission).
Soul has a cool automatic transmission (automatic transmission).
A box is like a box. If you don’t think about it and don’t concentrate your attention, it means it’s good (manual transmission).

Brakes:

Braking the car - what you need, soft pedal and ABS is present. But the very fact that there are “drums” behind them is very unpleasant. This is where the Koreans are upset, it’s the 21st century after all.

Noise insulation:

The manufacturer saved money with sound insulation. I’ll have to glue the Shumka on the arches and doors myself, maybe I’ll put a few pieces under the floor.
There is a lot of noise in the car, especially the arches make themselves felt. In the rain or on fine gravel, the arches resonate sound directly into the cabin.

Reliability:

I’ve been riding for two years and only scheduled maintenance is stamped in the warranty book and there are no extra entries. I'm happy with my baby.
Zero complaints. Oil, filter, pads and no hint of anything else.

Patency:

I call my Kia a Jeep. It handles curbs and doesn’t catch anything on dirt roads if you drive wisely. And in winter it walks beautifully in the snow.
Ground clearance of 160 mm is exactly what is needed for Russian roads. And in the city, parking by climbing curbs is painless for the bumper and underbody.
In winter we drove in heavy snow along an unimproved road. There are 5 people in the cabin, but at least the front end doesn’t rise, but winter tires It rakes out perfectly and pulls the car no worse than all-wheel drive.

Cost of operation:

The average consumption has not yet risen above 7l/100km. I drive equally a lot on the highway and around the city (1.6 diesel with manual transmission).
In the city (Moscow) in winter it can take about 9 liters, but this is with warm-ups and traffic jams. And recently I went to St. Petersburg - less than a tank one way. 6 LITERS!!! per hundred (diesel 1.6 with automatic transmission).
It takes in the city, if you step on the floor - 10-11 liters of gasoline, and in retirement style - 8 liters somewhere. On the highway, if up to 150 km/h – 8 liters and no more (1.6 petrol with manual transmission).
Overall, the quality of the car is excellent. Good economical engine, reliable suspension And comfortable interior make the car a reliable friend, and it is undoubtedly worth the money.

In the cold:

The diesel engine starts well in any weather. At low sub-zero temperatures– it didn’t let me down either, and the engine heats up quickly, which is accordingly reflected in the temperature in the cabin. Warm machine.
Soul responds to our severe frosts by starting the engine very confidently, and this despite the fact that I have a diesel car.

Other details:

I was pleased with the factory car radio - it reads almost all formats, there is a USB input and a jack for a 3.5 cable, six speakers sound clean and without extraneous wheezing, and at maximum speed they do not “choke”.
My Kia has a diesel engine, I drive fast and a lot on the highway. This means that the engine must gradually “eat” oil. I've already worn about 30 thousand, and before each oil change, no more than 100 milliliters were missing. Nothing at all.

Makes me feel uncomfortable bad review through the rearview mirror. The small glass of the fifth door does not allow you to see everything.

View technical Kia data Soul
and compare it with your current car or other models that interest you

Modification II Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6 AT (124 hp) (2013-...) II Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6 AT (130 hp) (2013-...) II Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6 MT (124 hp) (2013-...) II Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6 MT (130 hp) (2013-...) II Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6d AT (128 hp) (2013-...) II Hatchback 5 doors. 2.0 AT (175 hp) (2013-...) II Hatchback 5 doors. 2.0 MT (175 hp) (2013-...) I Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6 AT (129 hp) (2009-...) I Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6 MT (129 hp) (2009-...) I Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6d AT (128 hp) (2009-...) I Hatchback 5 doors. 1.6d MT (128 hp) (2009-...) I Hatchback 5 doors. 2.0 AT (142 hp) (2009-...) I Hatchback 5 doors. 2.0 MT (142 hp) (2009-...)

What else do we have about ?

Catchy and unique in its own way, the Kia Soul is hard to miss on the road - the non-standard body shape is distinctive feature this car. When looking at it, it’s difficult to say for sure whether it’s a compact crossover or a spacious one. family minivan. Representing something between the cars of these classes, the car absorbed them best qualities: cross-country ability, spacious salon and a high degree of safety for passengers. What's good about the Kia Soul?, and why is it so popular among car enthusiasts?

The production of the Kia Soul began in 2008, and the first sales of the car in Europe occurred in the spring of 2009. During the first year alone, the model was awarded awards in various categories, the most significant of which are the following

just 3 months later, on May 18, 2009, the model was nominated in the “Red Dot Design Award” competition as one of the bold and innovative design solutions;
On September 7, 2009, the car received an award from AutoWeek magazine as one of the best and safest youth cars;
according to the results of the annual competition "Towcar of the Year" Kia Soul prizes best car for towing a trailer in its price category.

The car received recognition both in its homeland and in Europe and America.

Among the closest competitors of the model in this class, several brands can be distinguished: Citroen C3 Picasso, Nissan Note, Ford Fusion, Suzuki SX4 and Mitsubishi ASX. But even among them, it has no equal in terms of wheelbase length and interior space. The Soul is inferior in ground clearance on some 14 mm C3 Picasso, which are easy to catch up by installing wheel disks larger diameter.

Vehicle Configurations

The car is available in several configurations:

1. First generation (from 2008 to 2011): gasoline engine with a volume of 1.6 liters or a diesel engine of a similar volume. Both types of engines were equipped with both manual and automatic transmissions.

2. The first generation restyling, produced from 2011 to 2014, was equipped with similar engines, but in diesel version It was equipped only with automatic transmission.

3. Second generation (from 2014 to the end of 2016): cars were equipped with an atmospheric or turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with manual or automatic transmission transmission Diesel engines were offered only with automatic transmission.

4. Restyling of the second generation, produced since the beginning of 2017. The automaker has decided to stop using diesel engines, expanding the petrol line (remaining within the volume of 1.6 liters) and adding robotic box transmission

The car is assembled in two places: at the home plant - in Gwangju, Republic of Korea and in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Republic of Kazakhstan.

Previously, the equipment directly depended on where the car was assembled - the first models equipped with full climate control were produced only at the Korean plant.

What are the pros and cons of the car, as well as its differences from its competitors?

Body and interior

When you see the outline of the car, one word comes to mind - daring. The designers did a great job, creating a car that is not only different appearance from a car in its class, but also challenging competitors. Against his background, sleek Citroen Picasso and Nissan Note look somehow frivolous. Only the Mitsubishi ASX has a more aggressive design, as do all models from this manufacturer.

Let us down a bit paintwork auto: the use of robots for painting has made it possible to reduce the paint layer, making it more susceptible to mechanical stress. Even small stones flying out from under the wheels of other cars form deep, metal-like chips. With frequent driving on gravel roads, the car will be provided with a fancy “speckled” design.

Soundproofing your car allows you to thoroughly enjoy the sound quality speaker system. The only ones weak spots - wheel arches, strongly resonating from the impacts of even small stones and road slush.

The interior of the car is made in a simple style, unlike the Citroen Picasso. Despite the overly hard plastic, the dashboard does not creak, all elements fit perfectly smoothly. People of quite large build can easily fit in the front, which is extremely difficult in a Suzuki SX4 or Nissan Note. Long wheelbase and depth reduction luggage compartment made it possible to provide comfort for rear passengers: Three average-sized adults will feel quite comfortable on the back seat.

The small trunk volume is easily compensated for by folding rear seats- from compact family car You can easily get a very roomy minivan-crossover hybrid. Those who like to periodically look into the interior rearview mirror are not quite welcome a pleasant surprise- the fifth door window, due to its small size, does not allow you to see all the details. This is compensated by large side mirrors, providing the driver with excellent visibility.

Suspension and handling

The Hyundai i20 platform was taken as the basis for the development of the car. As a result, the car’s suspension turned out to be quite stiff, which is to some extent compensated for high profile wheel tires. When driving, all the unevenness of the road surface is perfectly felt, but the increased rigidity made it possible to obtain excellent handling. At a considerable height, even when entering sharp turns, the car does not roll and has good maneuverability. Electric power steering returns quickly steering wheel V initial position, and many drivers will need to get used to this.

The high ground clearance ensured excellent cross-country ability of the car, but the Kia Soul should not practice driving on curbs - the engine crankcase is located quite low.

Engine and gearbox

Weight of less than 1200 kg allows the car to move quite briskly, but it is quite a bit short of achieving ideal dynamics. As they say

So who are you, Soul? The company itself positions it as a crossover. In sales statistics it appears as a minivan. And many people call it a hatchback. The truth is somewhere near. The main thing is that Kia managed to create a stylish and uniquely recognizable product! And this is rare for Koreans. Recognition has remained with the change of generations. You can look at Soul endlessly. The front fog lights are equal in diameter to the rear ones. And what an interesting multi-layer trunk lid. A white roof is already perceived as a mandatory attribute. It's a shame that practicality was overlooked a bit when creating the exterior. The thresholds are not covered by doors. Considering how “clean” our roads are in winter, your trousers will be constantly dirty.

Once inside, I quickly forget about my stained jeans. The interior is good! It is in no way inferior in style to its appearance. In the first time after purchasing Soul, there is a risk of regularly being late for work. You can't just pick it up and go without first spending a few minutes looking at the designer's delights. For example, stylish side deflectors combined with speakers. It seems that if desired, you can take them with you, using them as wireless speakers. And the climate control window? What about the round buttons on the steering wheel? Great! At the same time, the panel is soft. Which competitor can offer something similar? Only Skoda Yeti comes to mind.

It's gratifying that Soul's ergonomics have not fallen victim to style. The seating position is comfortable and the seat distributes the load perfectly. I don’t want to let go of the steering wheel, but dashboard with moonlight, matte base and red hands - an example of elegance and simplicity. I think the interior designers graduated from Hogwarts and have the “invisible expansion” spell. How else can you explain that Soul is bigger on the inside than on the outside. Places on back row more than in the larger Capture and Crete. And the almost complete absence of a central tunnel will allow three people to sit. But, opening the trunk, I understand that miracles do not happen. Cargo compartment Soula is more than modest. This is what makes the interior so spacious. However, if you need to transport a lot of things, you can put the box on the roof. Moreover, he will suit Soul like no one else.

The brighter the car looks, the better it drives. Kia absorbs a bunch of turns of varying degrees of difficulty with gusto. Maybe Soul is not different from the standard feedback on the steering wheel or the crystal clear response to the pedals, but it steers more than adequately. True, there were some casualties here too. The ride quality clearly lags behind the handling. So think twice before ironing broken roads. Soul will still swallow small things and medium-sized irregularities, but he will already choke on the heavy profile. Yes, and off the asphalt you should be careful. Soul has the most modest ground clearance. Under the engine protection we measured 180 mm, and under the very lowest point in the center of the bottom it is completely 165 mm. Add to this the short suspension travels, and it becomes clear - even about light off-road will have to forget. It's a pity. If the clearance were higher, Soul would become a serious fighter in the ranks of crossovers. After all, its approach and, especially, departure angles are quite decent. Kia Soul

But the Soul accelerates vigorously - the 132-horsepower engine coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission gives the Kia decent acceleration. The engine turned out to be “supreme”, noticeably reviving after 4000 rpm. And the machine gun is not without sin. On the one hand, he slips in the right step in time. But the bad habit of freezing for several seconds at a time low gear After overclocking it's a little annoying. If the acceleration is just good, then the deceleration is excellent! Here Soul puts all his competitors on their backs. The slowdown is decent and predictable.

Well, the Kia Soul is a mood machine. That does not prevent it from being practical and roomy. The main thing is not to carry a lot of things with you. There will be nowhere to put them.

Catchy and unique in its own way, the Kia Soul is hard to miss on the road - the non-standard body shape is a distinctive feature of this car. When looking at it, it is difficult to say for sure that this is a compact crossover or a spacious family minivan. Representing a cross between cars of these classes, the car absorbed their best qualities: increased cross-country ability, a spacious interior and a high degree of safety for passengers. What's good about the Kia Soul?, and why is it so popular among car enthusiasts?

just 3 months later, on May 18, 2009, the model was nominated in the “Red Dot Design Award” competition as one of the bold and innovative design solutions;
On September 7, 2009, the car received an award from AutoWeek magazine as one of the best and safest youth cars;
according to the results of the annual competition “Towcar of the Year” Kia Soul awarded the best car for towing a trailer in its price category.

The car received recognition both in its homeland and in Europe and America.

Vehicle Configurations

The car is available in several configurations:

1. First generation (from 2008 to 2011): 1.6-liter gasoline engine or diesel engine of a similar volume. Both types of engines were equipped with both manual and automatic transmissions.

2. The first generation restyling, produced from 2011 to 2014, was equipped with similar engines, but in the diesel version it was equipped only with an automatic transmission.

3. Second generation (from 2014 to the end of 2016): cars were equipped with a naturally-aspirated or turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with a manual or automatic transmission. Diesel engines were offered only with automatic transmission.

4. Restyling of the second generation, produced since the beginning of 2017. The automaker decided to move away from using diesel engines, expanding the line of gasoline engines (remaining within the volume of 1.6 liters) and adding a robotic gearbox.

The car is assembled in two places: at the home plant - in Gwangju, Republic of Korea and in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Republic of Kazakhstan.

Previously, the equipment directly depended on where the car was assembled - the first models equipped with full climate control were produced only at the Korean plant.

What are the pros and cons of the car, as well as its differences from its competitors?

Body and interior

When you see the outline of the car, one word comes to mind - daring. The designers did a great job, creating a car that not only differs in appearance from a car in its class, but also challenges its competitors. Against its background, the sleek Citroen Picasso and Nissan Note look somehow frivolous. Only the Mitsubishi ASX has a more aggressive design, as do all models from this manufacturer.

The car's paintwork let us down a bit: the use of robots for painting made it possible to reduce the paint layer, making it more susceptible to mechanical stress. Even small stones flying out from under the wheels of other cars form deep, metal-like chips. With frequent driving on gravel roads, the car will be provided with a fancy “speckled” design.

Sound insulation of the car allows you to thoroughly enjoy the sound quality of the speaker system. The only ones weak spots- wheel arches that strongly resonate from impacts of even small stones and road slush.

The interior of the car is made in a simple style, unlike the Citroen Picasso. Despite the overly hard plastic, the dashboard does not creak, all elements fit perfectly smoothly. People of quite large build can easily fit in the front, which is extremely difficult in a Suzuki SX4 or Nissan Note. The long wheelbase and reduced depth of the luggage compartment have ensured comfort for rear passengers: three adults of average build will feel quite comfortable on the back seat.

The small trunk volume is easily compensated for by folding rear seats - from a compact family car you can easily get a very roomy minivan-crossover hybrid. Those who like to periodically look into the interior rearview mirror will be in for a not entirely pleasant surprise - the window of the fifth door, due to its small size, does not allow one to see all the details. This is compensated by large side mirrors, providing the driver with excellent visibility.

Suspension and handling

The Hyundai i20 platform was taken as the basis for the development of the car. As a result, the car's suspension turned out to be quite stiff, which is to some extent compensated for by the high profile of the wheel tires. When driving, all the unevenness of the road surface is perfectly felt, but the increased rigidity made it possible to obtain excellent handling. At a considerable height, even when entering sharp turns, the car does not roll and has good maneuverability. Electric power steering quickly returns the steering wheel to its original position, and many drivers will need to get used to this.

The high ground clearance ensured excellent cross-country ability of the car, but the Kia Soul should not practice driving on curbs - the engine crankcase is located quite low.