The 2025 Kia Soul is the vehicle that changed Kia’s reputation in the States. With a design emanating from its California design studio, the functional yet funky $21,885 Kia Soul is just good, cheap fun. It boasts 101 cubic feet of passenger space and 24 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 62 cubic feet once you stash the rear seats. It gets its moxie from a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that sends power through a continuously variable automatic transmission to the front wheels. All-wheel drive isn’t offered, but that keeps the price down. It’s better to get a set of snow tires than spend money on an all-wheel drive that you won’t need most of the time. Besides, it negatively affects fuel economy.
Speaking of which, the 2025 Kia Soul nets a combined city/highway EPA rating of 30 mpg using regular unleaded gasoline. Towing capacity maxes out at 1,135 pounds, while roof rack capacity is rated at 165 pounds. There’s even 6.7 inches of ground clearance.
But while the Kia Soul’s exterior plays the part of fashionista, its interior is a bit less so. Opt for the ambient lighting and a two-tone interior if you can; it rescues the cabin from visual monotony. They’re among the Soul’s hedonistic options, like a heated steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging, head-up display, Harman Kardon audio system, and heated seats. You also get standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with an 8- or 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, depending on the trim. The Soul has a surprisingly spacious interior for its compact 165-inch length, and given its market niche, handling and performance prove to be satisfactory. Even with all of that said, the Kia Soul still has a number of equally fashionable rivals that you might want to consider.
Buick Envista
Looking good costs money. Need proof? Check out the 2025 Buick Envista, which is $2,205 costlier than the mechanically-identical Chevrolet Trax. But the Buick looks as if it’s a luxury vehicle, thanks to its sloping sleek back side that lends it a sense of speed that it doesn’t really have. Its 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine generates a mere 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque through a 6-speed automated transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive isn’t offered. The EPA rates it at 30 mpg while sipping regular fuel. Maximum towing capacity is 1,263 pounds and ground clearance sits at 7.5 inches.
This is a fairly good cruiser, although not particularly fast. Handling is satisfactory, with quick steering, good brakes, and well-controlled body motions. Inside, cabin materials are also satisfactory, with a mid-century-modern 8-inch digital gauge cluster and an 11-inch infotainment screen with a standard 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Wireless phone charging is available. There are 100 cubic feet of passenger volume and 21 cubic feet of cargo space that increases to 42 cubic feet once the rear seats are folded. If that’s not enough, a roof rack allows you to carry another 176 pounds of lifestyle debris. While its performance is a little different from the cheaper Chevrolet Trax, the Envista is truly a bit of glam on a budget.
Hyundai Kona
Like its competition, the 2025 Hyundai Kona is more the urban/suburban warrior than the off-road boulder basher. Its style says it all, with an incredibly cool front-end design that’s totally enticing. It encloses 99 cubic feet of passenger space and 26 cubic feet of cargo space that expands to 64 cubic feet if the rear seats aren’t being used. While we couldn’t find a listing for roof rack capacity, the Kona can tow 2,866 pounds of trailer equipped with trailer brakes. Power comes courtesy of a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission. It’s far from exciting. If your budget allows, opt for the turbocharged 190-horsepower 1.6-liter engine and eight-speed automatic transmission if you desire a far more engaging dance partner.
That said, while the Kona proves lively, it’s not particularly sporty. With the optional engine, though, power is more than sufficient. An electric version is also offered but reviewed elsewhere. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is offered with either engine. The Hyundai Kona has 8.3 inches of ground clearance, with 2,866 pounds of towing and trailer brakes. A 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen are standard, as is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. The instrument panel has an upright, modern feel that proves easy to use. There are 99 cubic feet of passenger space and 26 cubic feet of luggage space, expanding to 64 cubic feet when the rear seats aren’t in use. But rear seat space seems tight. Still, it offers a lot of practicality and style for the money.
Mazda CX-30
More sport than utility, the Mazda CX-30 is the priciest of the models here, but if you can afford the extra scratch, you’ll find that it’s truly fun to drive, with a design that feels far more upscale than any competitor here. Its strikingly elegant cabin’s design is sublimely understated, with climate controls that look like an old school radio sporting two knobs flanking the horizontal row of five small buttons. An 8.8-inch infotainment screen is standard, while a 10.3-inch display is standard with the turbo. Both are controlled though a knob on the center console. Its graphics are crisp and easy to discern, but it takes far too many hits and scrolls to do something simple. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration, Alexa, and a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot are standard. It’s easy to get comfortable up front, but rear seat space is in far shorter supply. There are 91 cubic feet of passenger space and 20 cubic feet of cargo volume, expanding to 45 cubic feet with the seats folded. An optional roof rack can cart an additional 165 pounds. Ground clearance is eight inches.
Power comes from either a normally-aspirated 2.5-liter four rated at 191 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque or a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a six-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive generating 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. The former returns 29 mpg in combined city/highway driving, and the latter 25 mpg. Both run on regular fuel, all-wheel drive is standard, and it can tow up to 2,000 pounds. The CX-30 drives much like a taller Mazda3, with smooth linear power delivery, well-controlled body motions, and well-absorbed road shocks. It’s the most fun to drive among the vehicles here and does the best imitation of something far pricier.
Nissan Kicks
Redesigned for 2025, the Nissan Kicks sports a more sophisticated, monied appearance, something that could never be said of its ungainly predecessor. Inside, it’s a sea of shiny black plastic, which is the only interior color offered. Thankfully, it’s offset by a touch of orange around the shifter, lending the overall cabin a suitably stylish appearance. Nissan’s Zero Gravity Seats, which the company promises will provide more comfort during long trips, are present in both rows. Dual seven-inch screens provide a digital instrument cluster and an infotainment touchscreen. A larger 12.3-inch infotainment display is fitted to tonier trims as is wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad.
The cabin seems roomier than its 94 cubic-foot rating suggests. There’s also 24 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 50 cubic feet with the rear seats towed. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and continuously variable automatic transmission deliver 141 horsepower to the front wheels, although four-wheel drive is available. Regardless of driveline, you’ll get 8.4 inches of ground clearance. The Kicks is not rated for towing, but its roof rack will cart 100 pounds. The EPA says to expect 31 mpg from a front-wheel-drive Kicks and 30 mpg with all-wheel drive on regular unleaded fuel. Its performance is nothing exceptional, with light steering, moderate road and tire noise, and handling that’s typical for the class.
Final thoughts
This group of smaller SUVs is clearly aimed at those who value fashion as much as function. That’s what the Kia Soul pioneered, with its funky yet practical package. Of its competitors, the Buick Envisita’s shape suggests a price far above it, even if the performance reminds you exactly how much you paid. The Mazda CX-30 has no such qualms. While it’s the priciest vehicle here, it comes with standard all-wheel drive, which some of its rivals are missing. It also feels more expensive than it is and is easily the most fun to drive of this bunch. The Kona offers all-wheel drive as well and comes with a choice of drivelines depending on what your budget allows. The Nissan Kicks is certainly a better-looking and better-driving vehicle, thanks to its 2025 redesign. If it doesn’t quite stand out, it does come with a decent amount of kit at a competitive price.
