Kia Soul EV Review

Pricing

For the first time, the Soul EV is offered with a two-version model line-up, with ‘Urban’ specification equipped with the 39.2kWh ‘medium range’ battery, and ‘Explore’ specification equipped with a 64kWh ‘long range’ battery and more powerful motor.

Both are reasonably priced, starting at £32,795 for the ‘Urban’ grade, with the ‘Explore’ specification fitted with the ‘long range’ battery pack costing £38,995.

Running costs 

Once you have winced and paid the initial purchase price, the Soul EV will seem incredibly cheap to run compared to any petrol or diesel car. It’s realistic to expect it to average 250 miles on a charge if you are doing mixed driving and that will cost about £16.50 if you’re charging at home on a ‘normal’ electricity tariff – or significantly less if you have a special deal and charge at night. To go the same distance in a diesel car it would cost about £30 at current fuel prices.

But, like the Niro, the Soul EV isn’t actually that cheap to run when compared to other electric cars. Part of this is because it is always carrying around a big, heavy battery all of the time so is less efficient. But there are other factors too, notably that it needs servicing every 10,000 miles, compared to the 18,000 miles of most rivals and is in insurance group 34. That might come as a bit of a shock when it comes to take out a policy as it’s the same as sporty cars like the Honda Civic Type R, Porsche Boxster and VW Golf R.