The fellows from Popular Mechanics have picked the new Kia Soul, Scion xB and Nissan Cube and put them side by side to find out which one’s the king of the Y-Gen car market.
With a very limited competition over the past few years, Scion xB has been the obvious choice for those consumers that wished to have a different looking vehicle parked in their front yards.
But lately, Scion has gotten some company from Kia and Nissan. Both automakers have just recently introduced their own xB opponents, both targeting the same consumers as Scion had for years.
Unfortunately, the Soul has not taken victory this time, but has ended in the second spot ahead of Cube.
The Soul has won the hearts and minds of Motor Trend’s jury and has been praised for it’s unique and good looking exterior design, while on the other hand, it has been criticized for not being as refined as the xB.
According to the Motor Trend, with some powertrain refinement improvements, the Soul could easily push the xB to the second spot and win their comparo test.
Let’s see the verdict:
First place: SCION XB
The benchmark maintains its position based on solid execution, performance, and value. The formula needs fine-tuning, however, as competitors loom large in the mirror.Second place: KIA SOUL SPORT
Solid A for effort. Stunning design makes it the unanimous undergraduate pick. More powertrain refinement and a couple of tweaks will easily put this at the head of the class.Third place: NISSAN CUBE 1.8S
Awkward proportions and asymmetric styling prove big barriers that mask the Cube’s many strengths-including a lively drive, impressive interior room, and attractive details.
To read the rest of the Soul vs. Cube vs. xB comparison test, head over to Motor Trend’s website or click here.
the soul looks beautiful in that pic!
The current gen xB is a turd. It won because it is a Toyota which I understand but the Soul is a better vehicle flat out.
I could agree with you Boris! The Soul looks a loooooooot better than both xb and Cube.
Interesting how the intended demographic group all chose the Soul. Too bad Kia didn’t put the Theta II in the Soul. Hope they will for next year. Maybe the 2.4L as an option even, assuming it’ll fit. And the 5-sp auto.
the new six speed auto is pretty small; it cud fit too.
Yeah if there is any downer to the Soul it’s that they didn’t put the Theta II and a better tranny in it.
The Theta 2.0 wasn’t ready in time. Look for it at facelift, along with 5 speed auto and six speed manual. 6 speed auto is also a possibility.
and a turbo with all wheel drive..
Just on looks alone Soul wins. Hands down. I am very dissapointed
The magazine is out to make money, whoever greases the wheel gets the best write up. Just like JD Power its all a marketing joke and the sheep are easily led a stray. I want to know who these so called experts and who or how they consider themselves to be experts? I can call my self an expert and so can you..
I think we have to be mature enough to admit that some products are better than our beloved Kia’s in certain ways.
This way Kia can learn and grow, and in the future will be able to make cars that are even better!
On pure looks alone you’d have to go with the Soul.
In my opinion the Soul with the 85kW, 255Nm turbo diesel in the Hyundai i30 and Kia Ceed would be the winner. The Cube and Scion look like ugly delivery vans hit with the Ginza ‘cube’ style that no normal Western person can take seriously.
The Soul actually looks reasonably ‘cool’ and almost SUV like with the big wheels.
Kid Icarus, your first comment. Took the words right out of my mouth.
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As everyone else is saying, I too much, much prefer the look of the Soul. It is more interesting to look at and looks far more conventional. The other two literally just look like box’s with doors, windows and wheels.
The Nissan Cube looks like a milk truck. The order I like these cars is the order they are in the picture as far as distance from the front to back. Even though the Cube is so boxy I still prefer it over the nasty looking Scion xB. Their even boxier 1st-gen xB was the better xB.
Let the facts speak for themselves, The scion has a better engine/tranny feel. period. If you have driven the two you will know it. The soul is by far a better car in every way, but needs a little help in that area if it wants to stand out. Listen Kia. even the magazine says so….
Needs the 5 speed automatic tranny. It drives like a heavy Spectra. The 1.6 is fine for city driving, but when out on the highway, you can forget passing. I hate how grandma’s Rondo drives compared to a 5 speed Rondo V6. The 4 speed always feels like it is slipping.
sad fact is Hyundai/Kia have the better transmissions and engines available for many of their cars available now or very very soon.
They need to offer the 1.6 CRDi with a 6 spd man. and 6 spd automatic to be truly competitive… in this and the Forte and the Ceed.
It’d be pretty sweet to see a Soul with the Genesis Coupe’s 2.0T motor. The Genesis coupe is nearly 500 lbs heavier, has 70 more hp, manages 30mpg, and scoots to 60 in around 7 seconds. Putting that motor in a vehicle like the Soul would be pretty sweet. Funky styling with great performance and a modest price is a no brainer.
That could be the Soul Tire Burner. 🙂
if they can slam in a 4wd drivetrain out the Sorrento with true mechanical LSDs I will sign the deposit cheque right now…
they could insert the sportage drivetrain instead of the Sorento drivetrain.. a Turbo 2.4 Liter witha 4wd selection and Six speed manual would be really cool. When they come out with an Electric blue of the Spectra I am getting mine..
Greg da chajee-is Kia’s blue for the new Forte not good enough for ya? =:)
I need something with a bigger cabin space, don’t get me wrong I love my Forte I am driving now, its got plenty of room, plus its fun to drive.
*Off Topic* Hey, Himi, how about not posting an April fools joke this year??
They still didnt fully explain about the engine refinement. What needs to be worked on, exactly?
Then again, those who drive Hyundai/KIA vehicles. like that grunt about them. Some people call that unrefined, we call that the Soul of the car.
I just seen my first Soul at a dealer near me (Australia) and to be quiet honest my first impressions were I didn’t like the look of it. It looked a bit thick and blocky to me. It must have been a lower model as well, because the wheels looked to far too small for the car. I didn’t go in to the dealership, I’ll go in some other time when I won’t get bothered by a salesman.
I guess I like the more sweeping lines of the modern cars these days, although I can’t wait to see the Sorento in the “flesh”, so to speak.
lets call a spade a spade, those box looking cars are too bad for my liking, it is too plum to be called a car or SUV or whatever, the tyres are just too small, may cry out for help by the time the wight of the car it cant witstand any longer…From Nigeria
Вот поэтому и иногда не хочется двигаться вперёд!