Kia’s new Soul EV is now available to order in the UK, priced from £33,795 inclusive of the £3500 government grant.
An SUV-shaped rival to electric hatchbacks such as the Nissan Leaf, the Soul EV is available at launch only in highly specced First Edition trim.
That comes as standard with a 10.3in touchscreen infotainment system, full LED headlights, leather seats with electric adjustment for the driver, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, a head-up display and keyless entry, to name but a few features.
First examples of the car are due to land on British shores during the first few months of 2020.
Alongside an updated design and new technology, the new Soul EV borrows a significantly uprated powertrain from the larger e-Niro crossover.
Its exterior design is an evolutionary step on: the familiar boxy profile from the previous generations remains, but new front and rear-end designs, plus fresh lighting signatures at both ends, mark out the Mk3 model.
Visual differences from the US-bound petrol-powered Soul include smoother and more aerodynamic upper designs, a blanked-off grille and restyled LED headlights. As with the old Soul EV, it also receives unique five-spoke 17in alloy wheels used for their aerodynamic properties, while the charging port has been integrated into the front bumper.
The 64kWh Soul EV borrows its electric motor and battery pack from the e-Niro, meaning a power output of 201bhp and 295lb ft – 81lb ft more than the outgoing car. Range is a claimed 280 miles from a single charge on the WLTP test cycle.
A less powerful variant, making use of a 39.2kWh battery pack coupled to a 134bhp electric motor, produces 291lb ft and can cover up to 172 miles on a full charge. Energy consumption is rated at 4.29mi/kWh for this standard model, compared with 3.96mi/kWh for the 64kWh.
All Soul EVs are fitted with CCS DC fast-charging capability, meaning both variants can be charged from 20% to 80% capacity in 42 minutes from a 100kW rapid charger.
Unlike the old Soul, all variants make use of new fully independent rear suspension, which is claimed to greatly improve handling and ride. Four driving modes allow the driver to balance maximum power with maximum range, while smart regenerative braking can be adjusted via paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The system can also adjust the amount of regeneration based on a vehicle detected in front of the car.
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MrJ
Nasty looking thing, let
Nasty looking thing, let alone the retro paint.
Antony Riley
nasty looking thing
Mr J What design would you put forward for this car as its really looking it to the future?. Hopefully not what is currently on offer .Well done Kia I say , its funky, roomy,ideal for the city and will appeal to those who want different , that colour again you may not like but I bet it will be ordered my many in this colour.
Will86
Lacks cohesion
The frotn end looks ok - the slim lights actually look quite good, but then you go to the rear and the lights are curved and too large. The front and rear look like they belong on different cars. The interior doesn't do much for me either. Overall disappointing, particularly given the incredible progress KIA have made with the rest of their range.
Chrispy
Yikes !
Who beat this with the ugly stick ? OK, front - looks fair enough, the back ? What were they smoking ? I was seriously looking at this as an upgrade to Mrs Chrispy's Nissan Leaf, but if that's the best a$$ the California design team can come up with, they can keep it. I'll take the Niro instead.
Rusty715
Charging
100KW charging 42mins??? Who would be able to have an 100km changer in their home, and if will all wanted the grid would collapse, this alone is 5 times the power a normal home would need or use? They all rave about electric but no one tells you the real costs, like when dirty batteries will need replacing they will costs thousands (8k to 20K) they will be unsellable when about 5 years old and then no longer so called green.
Sonic
Rusty715 wrote:
What batteries are unusable after 5 years? Why would everyone on a street all plug their cars into a 100kw charger at the exact same time for 45 minutes? Why are they all connected to the grid?
EdBalls
Kia warranty
typos1
Cool rear end, awful, gurning
Cool rear end, awful, gurning front end.
si73
The rear with the coloured
The rear with the coloured panel with the Kia badge in it looks wrong to me, would be better imo if that panel was part of the rear window, so a deeper rear window. Otherwise it seems to be ok, different enough to not be a run of the mill SUV or hatchback.
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