New Kia Soul vs. old model. What’s new and changed?
The 2022 Kia Soul is here, and it has undergone a serious makeover.
It’s hard to believe that the boxy crossover is now already in its third generation, but here we are. The 2022 model has more power, upgraded features, and a plethora of new styling elements.
Perhaps the biggest change in the 2022 Kia Soul compared to 2019 Kia Soul is that there are more opportunities to personalize your ride, thanks to new color options, powertrains, and 3 different body styles.
There are a lot of changes to talk about with the new model, so we are going to jump right in and do a comparison of the new Kia Soul and old generation model via an easy to read buyer guide.
We are going to be looking at factors such as size, engine specs, weight, fuel economy, pricing, and exterior colors, with handy little tables designed to help you see what to expect from the new Soul versus the outgoing model.
2022 Kia Soul
2019 Kia Soul
1. Exterior dimensions
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| Length | 165.2 in. | 163.0 in. |
| Width | 70.9 in. | 70.9 in. |
| Height | 63.0 in. | 63.5 in. |
| Wheelbase | 102.4 in. | 101.2 in. |
| Ground clearance | 6.7 in. | 5.9 in. |
One thing that isn’t changing is that the Soul is still in the compact crossover category. While it has got a little bigger, the changes in size aren’t overly dramatic.
The width of both vehicles is the same, but the newer model is slightly longer. While the 2022 Soul is 0,5 inch lower than the 2019 model, headroom is still plentiful.
The wheelbase of the new model has been expanded by 1.2 inches, making for a more comfortable ride for passengers in back. Yes, the Soul is a compact model, but it certainly doesn’t feel cramped in the second row!
2. Engines & horsepower
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| 1,6L GDI | / | 130 hp |
| 2,0L MPI | 147 hp | / |
| 2,0L GDI | / | 161 hp |
| 1,6L GDI turbo | 201 hp | 201 hp |
There are some changes to the engine range for the new Soul, with 2 different 4-cylinder engines available instead of 3.
The 1,6-liter GDI and 2.0-liter GDI engines are out and replaced by a 2.0-liter MPI 4-cylinder engine that delivers 147-horsepower. The newer powerplant is certainly an improvement, as it is more refined and brings improved fuel economy, which is always good.
At the top of the range, the 2022 Kia Soul has the previously available 1.6-liter turbo GDI unit under the hood, with the power output remaining the same.
3. Fuel economy figures
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| Low | 25 / 31 / 27 | 24 / 30 / 27 |
| Top | 29 / 35 / 31 | 26 / 31 / 28 |
There are a lot of factors that go into real-world fuel economy, but regardless of that, the 2022 Soul is still getting an uptick in MPG numbers.
As you can see from the table above, the new Soul delivers better fuel economy numbers across the board when compared to the 2019 version.
4. Weight
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| Manual transmission | 2,802 lbs. | 2,884 lbs. |
| Automatic transmission | 2,844 lbs. | 3,163 lbs. |
| 7-speed DCT | 3,036 lbs. | 3,232 lbs. |
The new 2,0L engine certainly helps improve the fuel economy of the new Soul, but it also helps that the redesigned model is lighter than the outgoing one. The base model is down 80 pounds, while the top of the range model is down a whopping 200 pounds.
5. Trim levels & MSRP
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| Number of trim levels | 6 | 3 |
| MSRP starts at | $19,190 | $16,490 |
| Range-topping model cost | $27,790 | $22,990 |
For the 2019 model year, the Souls came in 3 trim levels: Base, Plus, and Exclaim. The number of trim levels has now doubled to 6: LX, S, EX, X-Line, GT-Line and Turbo.
Rather than just adding new trim levels, Kia have also chosen to differentiate some trim levels by tweaking the exterior styling of each.
As far as pricing goes, the Kia Soul price is slightly higher than the 2019 version. When you take into account the number of improvements made for the 3rd generation, the slight increase in cost really isn’t that much to talk about.
6. Spare tire
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| Temporary tire | Tire mobility kit |
One of the most common complaints about older generations of the Soul was that it did not have a spare tire in the trunk. A mobility kit was made available, but owners seemed to prefer the idea of the spare in the trunk.
As Kia always seems to do, they have paid attention to consumer complaints and put a spare tire in the trunk. It’s not a huge move in the grand scheme of things, but one that still needs to be counted as an improvement.
7. Cargo volume
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| Size | 23.8 | 18.8 |
The 2019 Kia Soul had a cargo space with the size of 18.8 cubic feet. We could always use a little more, though, which Kia have delivered with the new model.
We are not just talking about a minor upgrade here, but rather 5 cubic feet more, with the 2022 model now delivering 23.8 cubic feet of cargo space. Just think of all the extra stuff you can get in there now!
8. Color options
| Soul | 2022 | 2019 |
| Colors | 10 | 9 |
| Two-tone colors | 7 | 2 |
Exterior color options for the Kia Soul have always been great, with new hues frequently removed to make way fore exciting new colors.
The 2022 model comes with 10 single colors, 1 more than was offered with the 2019 model.
For those who love the two-tone options, there is good news too, as the new Kia Soul comes with no less than 7 of those options, a rather dramatic increase over the 2 offered with the outgoing model.
Solar Yellow is making a comeback for the 2022 model year, with Caribbean Blue and Alien 2 given the axe. Among the newer exterior colors added are Undercover Green, Neptune Blue and Platinum Gold.
Kia Soul 2022 vs. 2019: simply better!
The Kia Soul has been an incredibly popular model since its initial release in 2009, but we think the third generation model is going to amass even more followers. With more options and better equipment, the 2022 Kia Soul looks like a winner!
Why didn’t I receive a spare tire
2020 Kia Soul