Family Test Drive: Kia Soul Plus

Is it me or is the traffic getting worse in Los Angeles? 80’s New Wave legends Missing Persons were on to something back in the day when they sang “Walkin’ in LA! Nobody walks in LA”. According to the DMV 6,293,639 registered vehicles are operating in Los Angeles! That’s not counting commercial trucks or motorcycles!! My family tries to walk us much as possible and seek other forms of transportation but I do rely heavily on my vehicle. We have a 2013 Kia Soul and it’s been a wonderful city car. It’s small enough to fit in tight parking spots. It’s gas efficient and it’s cute. I recently test drove the 2016 Kia Soul Plus and I think it’s time I upgrade my Kia!

The Kia Soul model we received was the Plus and it did not lack in features or space. My tall hubby has plenty of head and legroom to get comfy on his long rides to work (which means sitting in tons of traffic) and we easily and comfortably fit our family for our weekend getaways. The 2016 Kia Soul is equipped with AC, Power windows, AM/FM/MP3 with a color touch screen as well as Sirius. My daughter is obsessed with the Kids Place channel, so Sirius is a must for us! Other comforts are cruise control, rear camera display (I wish this was a standard in all cars), Bluetooth wireless technology (don’t text and drive) and plenty of cargo space. What I really love is the hidden storage under the mat in the hatchback which is perfect to store emergency items. The Plus model has more horsepower than the Basic and it has front fog lights and the option to add Voice-Command Navigation as well as the option to purchase 17 or 18 inch wheels (the Basic features 15 inch).

I absolutely love the look of the Kia Soul. It is very sporty with a black interior with red stitching. The 2016 model felt familiar with comfortable seats, nice extras and tons of interior space so don’t let the exterior trick you – the interior is airy and roomy! Speaking of the exterior, our test drive model was dressed in Clear White making this car a definite stand-out!

The Soul handles comfortably with a much smoother ride than our 2013 Kia Soul and like our Kia, the 2016 model is excellent on gas. I went 200+ miles on a full tank of gas cruising around Hollywood on errands and shuttling my daughter to school. It might be cliché to say, but I really think this is the perfect car for families, couples, singles and college students. Especially those on a budget. The Basic MSRP is around $15.9k.

To keep us safe on the road the Kia Soul features an anti-lock brake system with front-side airbags that will protect you when needed.

My daughter loves the privacy glass in the back and the pull down center piece built into the seat that has cup holders. Look for extra door cup holders in the back for a total of 8 in the car. The rear seats recline 60/40 for extra storage space but I didn’t use that feature this time. My hubby’s a drummer and has been able to fit all his gear plus some in our 2013 model and the 2016 looks spacious enough to do the same.

We had the best time driving the 2016 Kia Soul Plus. I can’t wait to upgrade to this model! I would definitely add in the GPS and a moon roof! I’d love to go all out, especially as a Los Angelino who spends a good portion of her time driving around in the sunshine taking in the sights and delights Los Angeles had to offer.

Manufacturers suggest retail price with additional installed equipment on the Kia Soul Plus is $21,670 with 24/31 mileage.

We test drove the Kia Soul Plus for a week! Opinions are our own!