Reader Review of the Week: 2010 Kia Soul

“The back seating area is spacious, and it has decent storage space with the back seats down. The seats are relatively durable and easy to clean. I recently took a trip to Panama City and got sand in the back. I ran a vacuum over them and they look fine.

“Don’t be fooled by other reviews. The car has some pep, but not as much as say, a Honda Fit. Put simply, this car is fun to drive. The handling feels fantastic, even without the sport suspension on the Sport model. And, let’s not forget, this car is stylish. I am absolutely in love with the exterior and get compliments all the time. The interior is nice, with a red panel display, but the dashboard and other components feel a bit plastic-y for my taste. Also, you could almost fit another person in the glove compartment.

“But this is not the Holy Grail. The secret cargo space underneath the trunk area is cool but not worth sacrificing cargo floor height. By the way, the cargo floor is high. Also, I am in no way a fan of the felt covering on the backseat and trunk floor. This is a no-no. It is easy to scar and therefore sacrifices durability, which I greatly dislike. Also, as stated before, the dashboard feels slightly flimsy but nothing to really be concerned about. Also, the car looks rugged but is not. I would have loved to have seen a 4WD option, but there is none. Mileage is also not a big strong point. I’ve been averaging about 22 in the city and 27 highway. That’s ok for me because I don’t drive that often, I have my bike for that. But I’m sure others may have some issues.

“In all, it’s a great car and well worth the inexpensive price tag. Ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is also comforting.”