Inside, a good mix of materials with a protruding center stack (reminiscent of the Volkswagen New Beetle) offer a good use of space. The glove box is huge, but the flat-folding rear seats and underfloor cargo tray are where the Soul earns practicality points. The rear underfloor tray is deep and large, and likely able to accommodate a shoebox at its center. Below the tray sits a spare tire.

Practicality is good for its class despite its diminutive exterior dimensions. It doesn’t look it, but the Soul is shorter than both the Dodge Caliber and Suzuki SX4. It feels more spacious inside than either, and although with the rear seats up there’s only space for two carry-ons, with the seats down it rivals the Toyota Matrix for cargo space.