Alison Daurio
· 9 min read
While the Kia Soul is hardly the fastest vehicle on the road, its cheeky character and perky powertrain make it a delight to drive. But before you settle on this charming city car, you should consider competitors like the Nissan Kicks, Hyundai Venue, or Jeep Renegade.
If you’re looking for a small commuter car that’s cheap, safe, and reliable, the Kia Soul is a good place to start. The base model lacks some creature comforts, but the S, X-Line, or GT-Line trims get you a turbocharged engine and modern tech features for only a small difference in cost. The 2022 Soul deserves its place on Car and Driver’s 2022 Editor’s Choice list, but its boxy body style might not appeal to all drivers.
Looking to learn more about other subcompact SUVs similar to the Kia Soul? Just ask
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shopping simple. In this guide, we’ll go over the strengths and weaknesses of the Soul’s eight closest rivals.And once you make your pick, Jerry can help you save on
Kia Soul car insurance costs
—or insurance for any other vehicle. 1. Nissan Kicks
Starting price: $21,285 to $23,845
Selling points: Excellent fuel economy, driver-assistance tech on all trims
Weak spot: Slow acceleration
Despite its city car status, the
Nissan Kicks
is quite cozy—it has a roomy cabin with comfortable front seats, and enough storage space to accommodate a few overnight bags. Plus, its fuel economy of 33 miles per gallon can help you cut down on gas costs.All trims come standard with a touchscreen infotainment system and driver-assistance safety tech. But when it comes to performance, the Kicks’ four-cylinder engine only makes 122 horsepower and takes 9.7 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour. That’s plenty of power for maneuvering through city traffic, but it can’t match the frisky-feeling Soul on the highway.
2. Hyundai Venue
Starting price: $20,295 to $23,545
Selling points: Optional two-toned roof, unique finishes
Weak spot: Cheap cabin materials
At just 159.1 inches long, the
Hyundai Venue
is one of the smallest SUVs on the market, making it a great pick for urban drivers who need to deal with slow, dense traffic, and tight parking. This front-wheel drive commuter car can get you to and from work without a hitch—but with a 121-horsepower engine that takes 8.5 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour, the Venue isn’t built for highway driving.This subcompact SUV might be pint-sized, but it can still stand out in a crowd thanks to distinctive style options like a two-toned roof and unique finishes such as green apple and denim. Its interior is modern enough, though largely constructed from cheap-looking plastic, and includes an 8-inch touchscreen, driver-assistance features and some appealing add-ons like heated seats and push-button entry. Like Kia,
Hyundai
offers the best powertrain warranty on the market, and new Hyundai owners get three years of complimentary maintenance on their new vehicle.MORE:
Hyundai resale value
3. Jeep Renegade
Starting price: $26,290 to $32,740
Selling points: Can be optioned with all-wheel drive, off-road capable
Weak spot: Poor fuel economy compared to other subcompacts
If you’re looking for a small SUV that’s a little more rugged than other subcompacts, the
Jeep Renegade
is a good pick. Every trim can be optioned with all-wheel drive, and there’s even a trail-rated trim for drivers who want to hit the backcountry roads. And if you’re looking for towing capability, all-wheel drive models allow you to haul up to 2,000 pounds.The Renegade’s front seats are spacious enough, but the rear seats are small by comparison, and cargo space is limited. In addition, wide pillars mean you get less visibility than you would with some competitors. On the other hand, useful features like the removable sunroof, heated front seats, driver-assistance tech, and dual-zone climate control could offset those flaws. The Renegade’s 1.3-liter turbocharged engine chugs its way to 60 mph in 9 seconds, and gets a fuel economy of 27 miles per gallon.
MORE: Jeep Renegade Latitude towing capacity
4. Mazda CX-30
Starting price: $23,725 to $35,925
Selling points: Can be optioned with a turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive is standard
Weak spot: Poor rear visibility
The
Mazda CX-30
both looks (and drives) like a taller version of the sporty Mazda 3
hatchback. All-wheel drive is standard on every trim, and the optional turbocharged engine makes 250 horsepower, giving this small SUV the ability to reach 60 mph in a speedy 5.8 seconds. It’s a little bigger than some of the other subcompacts on this list, but it comes with remote start and upscale options like a power liftgate and leather upholstery. The CX-30 is also equipped with plenty of cutting-edge tech, including an infotainment system and a generous helping of driver-assistance features. Drivers looking to get the most from the CX-30’s sporty aesthetic can opt for the Carbon Edition trim for its sleek metal-gray finish, black 18-inch wheels, and red leather upholstery. Downsides include an unimpressive fuel economy of 26 miles per gallon and extra-wide rear pillars that make it hard to see out the back window.
MORE:
Are Mazdas good cars?
5. Toyota CH-R
Starting price: $25,615 to $28,635
Selling points: Sporty styling, good safety ratings
Weak spot: Slow acceleration
While the coupe-like
Toyota CH-R
looks sporty from the outside, its 144-horsepower engine crawls to 60 miles per hour in an excruciating 11 seconds—that’s significantly slower than any other subcompact on the market! If you’re only driving on city streets, the CH-R handles just fine, but there are better options available for drivers who spend a lot of time on the highway. This slow but stylish commuter car is only available with front-wheel drive and has average fuel economy of 29 miles per gallon. Upscaled features like heated mirrors, dual-zone climate control, blind-spot monitoring, and keyless entry come standard on all trims, and the asymmetrical dashboard gives the interior an almost sci-fi-looking appearance. For drivers concerned with safety ratings, the 2022 CH-R performed well on crash tests and was named a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers6. Ford EcoSport
Starting price: $23,335 to $29,690
Selling points: All-wheel drive is standard, can tow up to 2,000 pounds
Weak spot: Limited driver-assistance options
Ford
plans to retire the EcoSport
after the 2022 model year, but for now, it remains on the market as the American automaker’s only subcompact SUV. It’s a capable little vehicle that comes standard with all-wheel drive, tows up to 2,000 pounds, and offers good visibility thanks to its high ride height. With a 166-horsepower engine that takes 9.8 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour, the EcoSport is best suited for driving around the city or suburbs. Its cabin could be considered a bit bland if you’re looking at the base model, but upgrading to the
SES
trim enhances the interior with leather upholstery and copper trim. Unfortunately, the EcoSport has no standard safety tech, and its optional upgrades are limited to blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, and parking sensors. MORE: Ford EcoSport ground clearance
7. Honda HR-V
Starting price: $23,115 to $27,915
Selling points: Roomy interior, good cargo volume
Weak spot: Noisy
Need a small SUV that’s got the cargo room for family vacations? The
Honda HR-V
has you covered. With 19 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seat, the HR-V’s base cargo volume is on par with some larger vehicles. While it can be optioned with all-wheel drive, you should be prepared for a noisy ride—highway driving is colored by road vibrations and engine sounds. The interior is practical but not fancy, and there’s good legroom in both rows. The HR-V doesn’t come with any driver-assistance tech, but can be upgraded with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Like most vehicles in its class, the HR-V is on the slow side, taking 10.2 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour.
8. Volkswagen Taos
Starting price: $24,790 to $33,385
Selling points: Practical but attractive styling, lots of customization options
Weak spot: Choppy transmission
The
Volkswagen Taos
may look like a miniature version of the midsize Atlas
, but it’s a lot more practical for drivers who don’t need three rows of seating space. While this cozy subcompact SUV can be optioned with all-wheel drive to handle winter weather, some drivers might consider its bouncy transmission uncomfortable.The Taos stands out for its seemingly endless list of customization options that allow you to really make it your own. You can choose features like the IQ.Drive technology suite, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, customizable ambient lighting, or a sunroof, for instance. The Taos’ turbocharged engine goes from 0 to 60 in 7.4 seconds, placing it neatly in the middle of the pack in terms of speed.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversKia Soul vs. the competition
The Kia Soul can be a great choice for drivers who want a safe and affordable city car with a big personality. But if you’re still not sure whether it’s the right car for you, here’s a helpful chart that compares the Soul to some of its closest rivals.
Model | Starting price range | Engine options | Maximum seating capacity | Maximum cargo volume | Maximum towing capacity | Fuel economy (city/highway/combined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 Kia Soul | $20,585 to $29,185 | 147-hp inline-four or 201-hp turbo-four | 5 | 62.1 cubic feet | 2,400 pounds | 29/35/31 mpg |
2022 Nissan Kicks | $21,285 to $23,845 | 122-hp inline-four | 5 | 32.3 cubic feet | N/A | 31/36/33 mpg |
2022 Hyundai Venue | $20,295 to $23,545 | 121-hp inline-four | 5 | 31.9 cubic feet | 1,760 pounds | 29/33/31 mpg |
2022 Jeep Renegade | $26,290 to $32,740 | 177-hp turbo-four | 5 | 50.8 cubic feet | 2,000 pounds | 24/32/27 mpg |
2022 Mazda CX-30 | $23,725 to $35,925 | 186-hp inline-four or 250-hp turbo-four | 5 | 45.2 cubic feet | 1,500 pounds | 24/31/26 mpg |
2022 Toyota CH-R | $25,615 to $28,635 | 144-hp inline-four | 5 | 37 cubic feet | N/A | 27/31/29 mpg |
2022 Ford EcoSport | $23,335 to $29,690 | 166-hp inline-four | 5 | 50 cubic feet | 2,000 pounds | 23/29/25 mpg |
2022 Honda HR-V | $23,115 to $27,915 | 141-hp inline-four | 5 | 55.1 cubic feet | 1,500 pounds | 28/34/30 mpg |
2022 Volkswagen Taos | $24,790 to $33,385 | 158-hp turbo-four | 5 | 60.2 cubic feet | N/A | 28/36/31 mpg |
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