10 Kia Soul Competitors to Consider

2018 Kia Soul driving1 ・ Photo by Kia

The Kia Soul is hard to describe. It looks like an SUV, but it doesn’t come with all-wheel drive. It drives like a fun little four-door hatchback, but it’s much more than a subcompact car. The best way to describe the Soul is that it’s an affordable crossover SUV for urban and suburban living.

You can buy a 2018 Kia Soul for as low as $16,200, and you’ll get a great little carryall that will get you, your friends, and up to 49.5 cubic feet of stuff where you’re going. The smart move is to buy the Soul at the mid-grade “+” or the top “!” trim levels, where you’ll enjoy a more powerful engine and better interior comfort. But before you lay your money down, here are 10 competitors you’ll want to cross-shop. 

2018 Nissan Kicks

Nissan just released the all-new 2018 Kicks crossover. Like the Soul, the Kicks is only front-wheel drive, with four doors and a big hatchback. You can fit five people into the Kicks, and it carries a starting price of $17,990. Unlike the Soul, that base price includes an Xtronic continuously variable transmission rather than a manual.

The top of the Kicks lineup costs only $20,290, so this is another vehicle where it’s smart money to buy the better model. You’ll get a 7-inch touchscreen display audio system. The basic system includes a CD player, AM/FM/Satellite radio, USB input, and Bluetooth for hands-free phone calls, and the pricier SV and SR trim levels add support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. The Kicks will carry up to 53.1 cubic feet of gear. 

Photo by Nissan

2018 Ford EcoSport

Ford’s entry in the small crossover market space is the 2018 EcoSport. The basic EcoSport is also a front-wheel drive vehicle with four doors on the sides, but this one is powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine with 123 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque, paired with an automatic transmission. Ford sells the base EcoSport for $19,995. You can get a bigger engine and AWD in the EcoSport, but it will cost you up to $27,330.

The thing that sets the EcoSport apart is its rear fifth door. Instead of swinging up like a hatch, the EcoSport door opens up to the side, making rear cargo access that much easier. The EcoSport offers about 50 cubic feet of cargo space and will seat five passengers.

Photo by Ford

2018 Chevrolet Trax

The 2018 Chevrolet Trax is a front-wheel drive vehicle in the basic LS trim, but you can get AWD in the higher trim levels. The Trax is powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. That configuration sells for $21,000, while the top trim sells for $28,000.

The Trax offers up to 48.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats and a 7-inch Chevrolet MyLink touchscreen infotainment system. All Chevrolets provide support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a native 4G/LTE data connection and the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot inside the vehicle. 

Photo by Chevrolet

2018 Jeep Renegade

The smallest Jeep is a good competitor for the Soul, and it has plenty to offer. Starting at just $18,445, the 2018 Jeep Renegade is a great-looking little SUV with a variety of options. Buyers can choose a peppy 1.4-liter engine with a six-speed manual transmission, or a larger 2.4-liter powerplant with a nine-speed automatic. The top-of-the-line Trailhawk carries a sticker price of $26,945.

Renegade buyers can also choose among FWD, AWD, or Jeep’s Active Drive Low dual-range 4X4 system. Depending on where you plan to go, Jeep’s got your needs covered. The Renegade also has nifty features like the MySky removable panels that convert the little SUV into an open-top summer fun vehicle.

Photo by Jeep

2019 Fiat 500L

Many buyers aren’t aware that Fiat offers the 2019 500L urban hauler crossover. Like the Soul, this is a front-wheel drive four-door hatchback. The 500L is powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It comes with a six-speed automatic transmission and starts at $21,945.

Cargo space is among the best with 68 cubic feet behind the front seats, or 22.4 cubic feet behind the second row. All 500L trims start with a 7-inch touchscreen audio interface. The 500L also comes with a dual-pane panoramic sunroof to let the light in. If you really think you need AWD, Fiat also offers the 2018 500X to meet that need.

Photo by FIAT

2018 Kia Niro

Starting at $23,340, the 2018 Kia Niro is a front-wheel-drive hybrid crossover. The Niro is powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine mated to an electric motor and a six-speed automatic transmission. The Niro will return EPA ratings of up to 52 mpg in city driving and 49 mpg on the highway. If you upgrade to the top Touring trim level, the Niro will cost $32,000.

The Niro offers up to 54.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the front seats, or 19.4 cubic feet behind the rear seat. Kia has loaded the Niro up with high-tech safety features as well, such as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-change assist.

Photo by Kia

2019 Toyota C-HR

If you want a crossover that’s a little sportier, consider the 2019 Toyota C-HR. The base LE sells for $20,945, which buys a 2.0-liter engine with 144 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque. The C-HR uses a continuously variable transmission to drive the front wheels. AWD is not an option.

If you choose the XLE Premium trim level, the C-HR comes with heated front seats and a 7-inch touchscreen audio system that supports limited smartphone integration and voice recognition. The backup camera display is integrated with the rearview mirror, which is a nice feature. The C-HR is smaller than most vehicles in the class, offering 36.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats.

Photo by Toyota

2019 Mazda CX-3

Mazda’s smallest crossover is the 2019 CX-3, offered at a starting price of $20,390. In the base Sport trim, the CX-3 comes with front-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. The top Grand Touring AWD trim comes to market at $27,145 with available heated leather seats and a heated steering wheel. The CX-3 also has an optional head-up display to put critical driving information in the driver’s line of sight.

The CX-3 includes G-Vectoring Control, a feature exclusive to Mazda vehicles. Mazda has programmed the CX-3 to slightly reduce engine power very slightly when the driver turns the steering wheel. This shifts weight onto the front tires to increase traction to create precise and controlled steering response under all weather conditions.

Photo by Mazda

2019 Buick Encore

The 2019 Buick Encore is among the best-selling small crossovers in America, starting with a base price of $23,200. Every Encore comes with a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, rated at either 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, or a direct-injected version of the same engine at 153 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. All Encore models come with a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is a $1,500 option on any trim level.

The Encore offers 48.4 cubic feet of total cargo space and tech features like a 4G/LTE data connection and the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot inside the SUV. One particularly attractive feature is Buick’s QuietTuning system, including triple-sealed doors, acoustic windshield glass, and active engine noise cancellation.

Photo by Buick

2018 Honda HR-V

Honda’s mini-crossover is the 2018 HR-V, starting with a base price of $19,670. That buys an HR-V with a 1.8-liter engine rated at rated at 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. Buyers get a six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive, but the HR-V is also available with a continuously variable automatic transmission and AWD.

Notable features include Honda’s unique LaneWatch system, which uses a camera located at the bottom of the passenger-side mirror to capture a wide-angle view of the right-side blind spot. The image is displayed on the infotainment screen on the dash whenever the right-hand turn signal is activated, or when the driver presses a button to request the view. The HR-V includes up to 58.8 cubic feet of cargo space.

Photo by Honda