INSIDE

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.

    See also:

    POWER AND FUEL-ECONOMY ARE UP TO PAR
    That description might have you thinking the Optima has all sorts of power. True, the upgraded 2.4-liter four-cylinder gets added power for ’09 with 175hp and 169 ft-lbs of torque, but it’s no ...

    Manual climate control system
    Front climate control 3rd row air conditioning control (if equipped) 1. Fan speed control knob 2. Mode selection knob 3. Temperature control knob 4. Air conditioning button 5. Air intake con ...

    Economical operation
    Your vehicle's fuel economy depends mainly on your style of driving, where you drive and when you drive. Each of these factors affects how many kilometers (miles) you can get from a liter (gallon ...