Test Drive: 2010 Kia Soul

The Kia Soul Lives Up To Its Name

Many people view commercials as nuisances while watching their favorite television show or a drama-filled, exciting sporting event like the Super Bowl, The Masters or Daytona 500.  You can count me among those viewers but professionally, I accept commercials as a necessary evil because the revenue they generate is the life's blood for most broadcast media companies.

That said, there are many commercials that I find more entertaining than the programs they support.  Several Geico Insurance spots come to mind.  Don't you just love that gecko?  And how about the Kia hamsters?

The first time I saw that commercial I said to myself, "if the car is truly as cool as that spot, Kia has a winner."  Guess what?  The Soul is a winner!

The Soul is the first of the hip, boxy, pseudo crossovers that I have driven.  Based on my week with the vehicle, the bar is now set pretty high for the competition, which includes the Scion xB and Nissan Cube.  The words comfortable, cute and cool fit the Soul like a glove making the vehicle attractive to both youthful consumers and those with a bit more seasoning who still like fun cars.  I consider myself to be a member of both categories.  (Shhh!  Pay no attention to the birthdate listed on my driver's license.)

The boxy appearance of the Soul instantly makes you think crossover or SUV and because the vehicle is small for those classifications, you might think it offers little in terms of functionality.  Think again.  The Soul is far roomier on the inside than you might expect.  Seating is quite comfortable leaving driver and passengers feeling anything but cramped.  

Open the rear hatch, and you will find ample cargo space for a vehicle of this size.  You can easily fit a couple of small suitcases back there, without having to put the rear seats down.  With the seats down, the cargo space expands nicely for your trip to the farmers' market or the home improvement store.  Don't get me wrong.  You won't be able to get six-foot wood panels in the Soul, but you will certainly be able to haul the big box containing the new lawn mower or outdoor grill you just bought.

Features

On the features tip, I think it would be hard to find a better deal than the Kia Soul.  The car is rich with features that you would not expect in this class.  Among the standard features, you find anti-lock brakes, power windows, door locks and outside mirrors, keyless entry and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

I was quite surprised to find, included among the standard items, Bluetooth connectivity for my cell phone, not to mention an iPod connection allowing the Soul's stereo system to easily access my personal music library.  Sirius satellite radio is also included, as a standard item.  I rather enjoyed driving at night while tuned to one of the bass-thumping Hip-Hop channels which made the speaker lights "dance" to the beat.  So cool.

Amazingly, the only option on my test model was a power sunroof.  Wow!

Powerplant

Under the hood, the Soul is equipped with a spunky engine that I first thought might be a small V-6.  Of course, it was a four-cylinder powerplant which, in my test model, was mated to a five-speed, manual transmission.  The combination provided impressive power that only added to the driving enjoyment.  Acceleration is brisk and once at cruising speeds, you have adequate power to keep yourself rolling past slower moving traffic on the interstate.

Fuel efficiency was not bad for a boxy, non-aerodynamic vehicle.  The Soul has an EPA rating of 24 MPG/City and 30 MPG/Highway.  During my week in the Soul, I achieved only 21.8 miles per gallon, driving 192 city miles and consuming less than nine gallons of regular gasoline.

Summary

I loved this vehicle!  It has personality, practicality and-- well-- soul, all at an affordable price.  Why be the ordinary hamster always running in place when you can roll out and explore the world in something comfortable, cute and cool like the Kia Soul?  Pricing starts at $16,950.  As tested, the Kia Soul Sport was $18,345, including destination charge.

Test Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 Hatchback

The Small Car with No Heart

Nearly 30 years ago, when I was in high school, my first car was a late 1970's model Toyota Corolla. It had a four cylinder engine with a four-speed manual transmission. That Corolla was a great little starter car until the frame, probably stressed from the harsh Michigan winters which include the liberal use of corrosive rock salt to keep roads ice free, broke. While in college, I had an early 80's Honda Accord hatchback, also with a four cylinder engine and manual transmission. it was the perfect car for a young college guy looking for mobility and practicality.

Fast forward and I can say the same thing about the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo-- After spending a week driving the vehicle, it's the perfect car for young college bound students who need mobility and practicality.

Chevy offers the Aveo in three trims, all with GM's Ecotec 1.6 liter, dual overhead cam engine. It produces 106 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. On paper, not bad for a this type of car. But at no time did I feel like the Aveo was adequately powered. Acceleration was anemic and passing power was next to non-existent. Of course, my frame of reference is based on the thirsty eight cylinder powered vehicles in my own garage.

What the Aveo lacks in power, it makes up for in its interior. I was quite impressed with the look and layout of the car and found it quite comfortable for a sub compact. Safety ratings are also a plus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the Aveo its highest marks, 5-stars for frontal crash ratings and 4-stars for side crash and rollover ratings.

Designed and built by GM-Daewoo in Korea, the Aveo does not have the heart or soul of the typical Chevy, but it will do for your newly licensed teenager or college bound young adult. Starting price is $15, 365. Can anybody say, "nice high school graduation gift?"

Appearance

On the outside, the Aveo looks like the typical sub compact. Its most distinctive feature might be the now-Chevy standard front grille design with a body-colored bar through the middle and the trademark Chevy bow tie logo. Front and rear light designs help provide an aggressive appearance and the optional 15-inch, 5-spoke aluminum wheels on my test model helped make the Aveo somewhat easy to look at.

Power

Under the hood, the Aveo needs help. For all of the aggressive look Chevy tries to give the Aveo, when you start it up and give it some gas, you quickly learn this dog is all bark, no bite. As I have already stated, the Ecotec 1.6L DOHC engine is anemic. It needs an iron injection to counteract the condition. If the exhilaration one feels from acceleration is measured in G-forces, is it possible for that number to be negative?

My test model was equipped with the optional four-speed automatic transmission. It performed adequately in city driving and also once I got up to speed on the highway. But forget about passing anyone.

As for efficiency, you would expect some big numbers from the Aveo. The EPA fuel economy estimates are 25 MPG/City and 34 MPG/Highway. I did not take a highway road trip in the Aveo (and, I really wouldn't want to) but the Aveo's city performance, under my foot, was less than impressive. I drove 112 miles consuming about 5.6 gallons of regular gasoline. That works out to a disappointing 20 MPG. I must have really been pushing the car to make me feel the acceleration.

Comfort

On the inside, the Aveo does not disappoint. I never expect much from sub compact interiors so opening the doors to find a clean, convenient dash layout, plenty of room, optional leatherette seats along with leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob was quite satisfying. Leg and headroom were plentiful almost creating the illusion that I was not inside a sub compact.

Features

My test model was the Aveo5 2LT. Standard features included some surprises. Things like power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry with alarm, tire pressure monitor system, stainless steel exhaust. I did not expect to find those features offered without having to pay extra for them. Add to that list the 180-watt, six speaker AM/FM stereo with CD player, auxiliary input jack and steering wheel controls and I say, "nice touch, Chevy!" XM Satellite Radio is also standard with the first three months of service included.

In addition to the aluminum wheels, automatic transmission, leatherette seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob already mentioned, my test model also included an optional antilock brake system with engine immobilizer.

Summary

The first three letters in the Aveo name are also the first three letters in the word I will use to describe the car overall-- average. A decent appearance, good comfort and nice features on the plus side; Lack of power and less than stellar fuel efficiency on the minus side. I will stick with my initial assessment-- not the car for me, but a great first car for kids.