URBAN CRUISER (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Commuters unfussed about driving range and wanting a small, practical EV might like the Kia Soul EV Urban, thinks Jonathan Crouch.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 33

Kia's entry-level electric vehicle is this smaller battery 39.2kWh version of the Soul EV. The driving range is just 171 miles, but if you can live with that, you might just like it.

Backgroundword count: 154

If you're thinking of a compact Kia EV family hatch or crossover, then you're probably thinking of a Kia Niro. But the brand does sell another electric vehicle in this segment, the Soul EV. Until 2023, that model was only sold here with a 64kWh battery that carried a bit of an off-putting price tag, so it's been a rare sight on our roads. But Kia doesn't want the Soul EV to fade away into obscurity quite yet, so in early 2023 it introduced the more affordable entry-level 39.2kWh Soul EV Urban model we're looking at here. Almost halving the size of this car's drive battery is obviously only going to have a detrimental result in terms of range, but if you're city-based, that might not matter too much. And if so, here's a chance to buy into the boxier, more practical yet still slightly trendy Soul EV package at a more sensible price.

Driving Experienceword count: 213

So, is a 171 mile range enough for you? That's quite a bit down of course on the 280 mile figure of the 64kWh Soul EV model. But if you can cope with the range limitation, you'll find the 'Urban' version noticeably more engaging than its bigger-battery stablemate to punt about, thanks to its 140kg weight saving. The claimed performance figures (62mph in 9.9s en route to 97mph) don't sound much, but in reality the Soul EV Urban feels a more eager thing than those stats would perhaps suggest. As with the 64kWh model, the suspension has been carefully worked on to try and deal with the effects of this car's rather prodigious 1,610kg kerb weight (though that's 147kgs less than the 64kWh model). Not enough to make this car feel anything like a satisfying steer through the bends though. The rather vague steering doesn't help here either. As with the Niro EV, the most impressive aspect of this Soul's powertrain lies with its adjustability. There are four different driving modes (ranging from Eco+ to Sport) and you get the ability to change the amount of regenerative charging the car develops under braking. This set-up can be controlled through steering column-mounted paddle shifters, and once you've adjusted to it, it's straightforward to use.

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