The car has a new platform based on that of the larger Kia Cee’d hatchback and a much more rigid body-in-white. More sophisticated suspension and steering arrangements are alleged to deliver much better ride and handling and improved sound insulation is employed to make for a quieter cabin.
Meanwhile, the car is slightly larger and more roomy than it was, has more upmarket interior fixtures and fittings. On the standard equipment front, there are four trims to choose from - 1, 2, 3 and Sport.
Entry-level models come with 16in alloys, front foglights, roof rails, privacy glass and keyless entry and start as standard on the outside, while inside there is air conditioning, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio and a trip computer. Upgrade to the 2 trimmed models and you will find the Soul adorned with 17in alloy wheels, heated door mirrors, cruise control, rear parking sensors, climate control, and automatic headlights, as well as Kia's 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system complete with sat nav, smartphone integration and reversing camera.
Opting for the mid-range Soul '3' garnishes the car with 18in alloy wheels, front parking sensors, more chrome, leather upholstery and an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system complete with an eight speaker JBL audio system. While the range-topping Sport trim adds 18in alloy wheels, 17in front brake discs, LED front foglights, a panoramic sunroof, xenon headlights, heated front and rear seats, and numerous safety systems.
A trio of 1.6-litre powerplants make up the engine offering: a cheaper direct-injection petrol unit with 130bhp and a 134bhp turbodiesel, with the range completed with a turbocharged 1.6 petrol producing 201bhp, also found in the Procee'd GT. Both are available with six-speed manual, while the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions is the reserve of the turbocharged petrol and diesel.
The manual diesel shows evidence of Kia’s investment mostly by way of class-competitive cabin quality and equipment level, improved occupant space and decent mechanical refinement.
Kia's Soul could rival a Skoda Yeti on outright headroom, and while rear cabin space and cargo volume aren’t quite in the Skoda’s league, they’re still good for the smallest crossover class. The fascia could afford to be richer and more colourful, though. It still under-delivers on character relative to the esoteric exterior styling but the quality and finish of the Kia is up to the prevailing class standard.
The diesel engine is as good as most of a similar size on performance, noise and response. It's a little bit off the pace on efficiency, but well capable of a day-to-day 45mpg. Expect that to be slightly poorer in the case of the torque-converter automatic, which we’ve yet to have a chance to sample.
The cheaper 1.6-litre petrol looks conspicuously short on mid-range torque on paper, and would be unlikely to better 40mpg in real-world use – although confirming that will likewise have to wait until we’ve had the opportunity to test one.
The Soul’s chassis has evidently been tuned to feel energetic and lively in order to chime with the tastes of the youthful customers who bought the first-generation car. So it’s stiff. It's also upright and quite directionally responsive to steering inputs, but a little too disposed to fidget and ping over bad surfaces than is ideal.
A re-specification of the suspension for a gentler, better-damped gait would solve that, but isn’t on the cards. The Soul has already been through a retuning program for Europe, Kia Motors Europe says. No more likely is a reappraisal of the power steering tune to suit UK tastes, unfortunately; it feels always light and offers little feedback.
