Today, Ambar unveils her highly anticipated EP Get Lost In The Music. The Dominican / Mexican songstress has been at the forefront of the new wave of Indie Latinx artists in America and has no plans to slow down. It’s more easy to adapt to your own driving style than, say, the ‘magic pedal’ in the Nissan Leaf.Īs the e-Niro and Kona Electric have already shown, the electric powertrain fitted to the Soul should remove any symptoms of range anxiety: for the majority of people, 280 miles is absolutely enough for just about any purpose.J– Rising star Ambar Lucid is defying the norms. That system can be controlled through steering column-mounted paddle shift-style controls, and once you’ve adjusted to it, it's intuitive and simple to use. The Soul’s suspension, aided by dynamic dampers, does a good job of masking its 1682kg kerb weight, and it rides both bumpy city streets and flowing lanes with decent pliancy and balance.Īs with the e-Niro, the strongest point of the Soul's powertrain is how adjustable it is, with four different driving modes (ranging from Eco+ to Sport) and the ability to customise the amount of regenerative charging the car undertakes while braking. On the autobahn, it remains comfortable to drive even approaching its top speed, although the wind noise does become somewhat noticeable.
The Soul makes good use of its power, with direct and responsive steering that allows you to zip in and out of traffic in urban situations, while also offering strong response when you get onto Germany's more flowing rural roads. How does the Soul EV perform on the road? Not that the Soul doesn’t have decent performance the 64kWh model (the sole version to be offered in the UK at launch, while a 39.2kWh model will be sold elsewhere) has virtually identical performance to the e-Niro, with 201bhp, 291lb ft of torque, a 0-62mph time of 7.9sec and a top speed of 103mph. With its high roof, the Soul also feels airy and spacious, although the high-riding, upright style makes it very clear that this is never going to be a hot hatch to drive.
The new infotainment also syncs with a new Kia app that enables owners to check their Soul's battery charge on their smartphone, pre-charge it and control its heating system remotely. There’s also plenty of safety tech, including a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and blindspot monitoring. It features the newest version of Kia’s infotainment system, with a bright 10.3in central touchscreen. It does feature a clever twin-level design with a floor under which the charging cables are neatly stashed, though, and its narrow, deep design at least makes much of that space usable.īut while the e-Niro scores on practicality, the interior of the Soul shines brighter. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two is at the back: the e-Niro has a 451-litre boot, while the Soul’s is just 315 litres. It’s also 1605mm high and 1800mm wide.Ī more relevant comparison is with the e-Niro, which is 180mm longer and 5mm wider but 130mm lower. At 4195mm, it’s 55mm longer, with its 2600mm wheelbase 30mm larger. The Soul’s boxy shape is harder to mask from the side, where it’s also easy to spot the size increase over the old model.
It’s certainly distinctive, and a bold attempt to inject some design vibrancy, although this tester isn't entirely convinced by its effectiveness. The rear now features an LED light strip that wraps almost all the way around the rear screen. Still, the new model undoubtedly has character and a certain charm, with the front end shaped by the narrow lights and trapezoidal grille. Kia describes the Soul’s look as 'iconic', which decidedly stretches the definition of an already much-misused word. The question is whether a smidgen more space and a whole heap of extra practicality, thanks to a greatly improved drivetrain, will help the British public find a place in their hearts for a bit of Soul.