2021 Kia Soul Overview

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For 12 years, the Kia Soul has garnered attention from auto enthusiasts worldwide thanks to its quirky, signature style. While not much has visually changed on the model, the Soul has undergone a variety of small enhancements throughout the years. For 2021, that holds true, with only a handful of minor updates to the most recognizable Kia vehicle.

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What’s new for the 2021 Kia Soul?

One change for the new Soul is merely cosmetic, in that the former “GT-Line Turbo” trim (not to be confused with the “GT-Line” trim) has been simplified to just “Turbo.” This means the trim lineup for the 2021 Soul now includes: LX, S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX, and Turbo. An update that will likely excite many is the inclusion of remote start control on the key fob of the EX and Turbo models. Previously, this function was only available as a part of the UVO infotainment system. Rounding out the updates is standard Rear Occupant Alert — which notifies the driver if someone is in the backseat prior to exiting — on all trims.

As mentioned before, there haven’t been many major changes on the exterior of the Kia Soul over the years. That’s certainly the case for 2021; so much so that Kia has the same photos from 2020 on its media site for the newer model. There were some upgrades last year, though, in the form of a larger grille, slimmer front lights, and a “Soul” graphic on the C-pillar, among other less exciting updates.

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Interior

The unique styling of the Soul continues into the cabin, with available customizable mood lighting that pulses to your music and matte silver accents on the speakers, air vents, and door handles. Your typical tech features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth are all standard across the board, but you’ll have to upgrade to the EX trim for a larger 10.25-inch touch-screen display (compared to the standard 7-inch option), navigation, SiriusXM radio, and a wireless charger. The premium Harman Kardon audio system is reserved for the top-of-the-line Turbo trim and is not available as an add-on on any of the other trims.

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Performance and efficiency

Every 2021 Kia Soul except the Turbo comes with a 147-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood. A manual six-speed transmission is standard on the LX, but the Intelligent Variable Transmission that’s standard for the S, GT-Line, X-Line, and EX is also optional for that base trim. The Soul Turbo gets a 1.6-liter four-cylinder paired to a seven-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission, capable of pumping out 201 horsepower. Fuel economy varies across the Soul lineup based on powertrain selections:

• LX (M): 25/31/27 MPG City/Highway/Combined
• LX (IVT): 29/35/31 MPG City/Highway/Combined
• S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX: 28/33/30 MPG City/Highway/Combined
• Turbo: 27/32/29 MPG City/Highway/Combined

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Safety

The base LX trim of the 2021 Soul is truly the bare minimum in that, other than Rear Occupant Alert, the safety features are limited. The standard requirements are in place, including things like a collection of airbags, Vehicle Stability Management, and a tire pressure monitoring system. However, most of the Kia Drive Wise suite of driver-assist systems are reserved for the remaining upper trims. Exclusive to the Turbo trim are features like Pedestrian Detection for Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist and Smart Cruise Control.

Morgan (they/them) has lived all over the USA and in Europe. Now residing just outside of Philly, Morgan often spends time spotting Canadian actors in film and television, testing their caffeine tolerance levels, and playing board games with their wife. See more articles by Morgan.