CONCLUSION

My favorite Soul was the “!” trim, only available in cream white, navy blue, silver, or black. Its two-tone beige and black dash may not suit everyone’s tastes, nor will its houndstooth-patterned seats. After posting an image of the seats on Facebook, a friend commented on why Kia would use “leftover 80’s fabric.” I hadn’t the heart to say it had made a comeback…three years ago.

That’s the sort of discussion Kia hopes to generate with the Soul. Unless you sew your own seats, there’s no way to find a Toyota Matrix with such an eclectic interior. Compact cars are a more common sight on our roads, and the Soul seemed in my short drive to generate at least some positive attention from passing motorists.

A lady in her 50s even took the time to roll down her window and say the car was, “So cool.”

She was just about the age to appreciate mood lighting, too.

    See also:

    Using four-wheel drive
    Driving on snow- or Ice-covered roads (“4WD LOCK” for full-time 4WD operation) • Use snow tires. See “Tires” in this section for more information. • Keep an adequate distance between ...

    Safety
    All 2009 Kia Sorentos, regardless of trim level, feature antilock disc brakes, full-length side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control and driver knee airbags. In government crash te ...

    Driving tips
    Fuel requirements Emission control system Before driving Suggestions for economical operation Special driving conditions Trailer towing Overloading Label information ...