2020 Kia Soul hatchback costs $18,485 to start; perky turbo costs $28,485

The new 2020 Kia Soul LX hatchback will cost $18,485, including $995 destination, when it goes on sale soon, the automaker announced Friday. That’s $1,000 more than the outgoing base 2019 Soul, but the new model includes a more powerful 2.0-liter engine, 7.0-inch touchscreen for infotainment, and more room.

Officials from Kia said the 2020 Soul would arrive in dealerships within weeks.

The 2020 Soul is available in LX, S, GT-Line, X-Line, and EX trim levels. The GT-Line offers a spend-up 1.6-liter turbo-4 engine that costs $7,200 more than a comparably equipped Soul with the 2.0-liter inline-4.

DON’T MISS: Read our 2020 Kia Soul in-depth review

The 2020 Soul LX is equipped with a 2.0-liter inline-4 that makes 147 horsepower, a 6-speed manual transmission, 16-inch wheels with covers, cloth upholstery, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, one USB port, power windows and locks, but lacks active safety features. An automatic transmission costs $1,500 more in base models.

The S trim level that costs $21,285 is where many shoppers will start. It includes similar equipment to the base model but adds upgraded cloth seats, an automatic transmission, automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors. The GT-Line costs the same as the S trim, but swaps active lane control and blind-spot monitors for 18-inch wheels, upgraded headlights, sporty exterior accents, and keyless entry. Active safety on GT-Lines is a spend-up option, and the 201-hp 1.6-liter turbo-4 weighs heavily on the bottom line but brings with it an upgraded interior, a 10.3-inch touchscreen, premium audio, and every active safety feature. 

X-Line versions cost $22,485 and add body cladding, blind-spot monitors and bigger, 18-inch wheels to base versions, but not much else.

The EX trim level is as close to luxury as the 2020 Soul gets. It offers 17-inch wheels, unique headlights, premium cloth upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a 10.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless smartphone charger, and keyless ignition for $23,685. A spendier option package for the EX trim level adds more including premium audio and synthetic leather upholstery, but Kia didn’t say how much those would cost.

Compared to its rivals, the 2020 Kia Soul is competitively priced. The 2019 Honda HR-V costs $21,515 to start for a front-wheel drive version with an automatic transmission, and the 2019 Hyundai Kona costs $21,035 in base configuration. Unlike those cars, the Kia Soul is front-wheel drive only, which may limit its appeal in snowy states.

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