A one year review of the 2016 Kia Soul EV from an everyday owner. Thanks for watching and subscribe for more EV videos. Head over to the Canadian Soul EV FaceBook group / 783719698403049
Outstanding review, so unusual to get a real owner talking honestly about a car. Well done! .... and yes if I buy and electir car this will be the one I will buy!
I loved this. I am getting ready to purchase a kia soul and this really answered a lot of my questions. Especially about reliability. I wish more people did one year reviews like this on youtube. Great job!
Samantha Smith thanks for the appreciation. I'll be doing more reviews about the Kia Soul EV. Be sure to subscribe if you would like to see more. Thanks for watching.
Absolutely excellent review. I thoroughly enjoyed it, found it honest and informative - we are considering buying an EV and you have helped us A LOT. Thanks again, Dave
Good review. I also have a Soul EV for a year now and saw no degradation. What I also like - and it wasn’t mentioned in your video - is that the range you get in winter isn’t much lower then in summer, this in contrast with the Leaf. This probably hasn’t only to do with the good conditioning of the batteries, but also with some great features of the car. The first thing I do when the temperature drops is heating my seat and the wheel. This combination works so well that, even when it is quiet cold, I sometimes forget to put on the heater. And you don’t even see the effect on range. When it gets really cold, like it does here in the Alps, I put on the “driver only” heating when I’m alone. That saves a lot of energy, as does the heat pump that does the heating. And the defrosting of the front window, when it is covered in ice, is super fast - ten times faster then in my former ICE car - and when you do it while still connected, it doesn’t cost range.
+a-kindred-soul thanks for your input. Ya I agree with you about the battery. Unfortunately I didn't have time to touch on that in the video as I wanted to keep it somewhat short. With that said, I noticed a difference in winter and summer range but yes, not as much as a Leaf I suspect. Thanks for watching.
@@rickygunter6256 Hey Ricky...I'm thinking of buying a used 2016. Would you recommend it or stay away. This is all new to me and would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks
thank you for the 1yr review. I got a killer deal on my kia ele soul. I was very hesitant but after a week of driving it... I love it. I also drive from LA/SD once a week (total of 1 1/2 hrs of drive time) and thanks to evgo... I love this car!!!!
Very accurate and good review! We have KIA Soul EV for about 7 months and it been great. No problems whatsoever. The one feature I would like to see added is the ability turn on the car from the phone app. A couple of times I dropped off my wife somewhere and she the key and I drove off. Got to my destination, had no key and shut the car off. Had to be rescued. The other alternative would be to bring on some type of alert indicating that the car is on with no key present inside the car. Another good feature would be able to open the charging door from the key.
Donald Espeut Donald Espeut ya that would suck being in that situation. I think there is a high pitch sound that comes on for a few seconds when the key is detected outside the car. But you're right, there needs to be more of a warning ⚠️. Enjoy your EV and Thanks for watching.
Thanks for taking the time to do a 3 month and 12 month review on the soul EV. Please post some follow ups next year too. Considering one as our next EV next winter.
Good to hear. It truly is a nice EV. Glad that you enjoyed the videos. Stay tuned for some more videos on this channel along the EV lines. Thanks for watching.
Karole Foreman glad I could help. Thanks for watching. And if you do decide on a Kia Soul EV don't forget to subscribe to get more updates to this awesome car.
Great review, you are so right tech is changing every day in the EV world. Things are getting better. Its nice to know the Kia soul EV is a great EV Today :)
Small world, eh? Interestingly enough, my dealer was shocked when I told them about the UVO Eco app not available in Canada. They supposedly had told several other customers that it was available here...Oops.
I’ll be signing for my new Kia Soul today!! It’s not an EV, but it has the active eco which is a starter towards the EV lol! The one I️’m getting is the plus model..it doesn’t have all the “bells & whistles” I️ was wanting, but... it’s a 2016 w/ just over 17,000 miles only 1 local owner no accidents & they have it marked down to $13,000 which not only fits my budget but is basically a steal for the yr & miles & the dealer warranty I’m getting on top of remainder of factory warranty at no extra charge!! I’m so excited!! I️ bought my 2002 Dodge Stratus 10yrs ago (come Jan. 28th) & I’ve replaced the trans the engine & everything in between, so it’s definitely time for some new wheels & w/ my budget the car I’m buying is closer to new than I️ ever imagined I’d find!!
Great video! Thx for that interesting review. We're probably going to buy a Kia Soul e.v. in march 2017, so that was really helpful to us. Greetings from Viersen, Germany. =)
Good video, I test drove a Soul EV today, very nice, I've been driving a Renault Zoe for the last 17 months including long 1000 mile holiday runs and the new 30kWh Soul is on the possible list for when I have to hand it back. We also do not get the app, we only get 3 colour options and no panoramic roof :(
Thanks for the review Dax, nice to have a "local" GTA review too. I have a 2012 Soul 4u (gas), and I'm now 'exploring' EV cars. Best I can tell, the Kia EV is about the best around right now (in my budget). Probably going to head down to the Auto Show (want to see the Ioniq, and a few others). I have some other questions for you (price/gov't subsidies, etc.)
Hi Dax, Long time (8 years) and multi-EV owner, here... in the UK. Lovely review - well presented. You should consider doing more! Kia seem to have done a really nice job with the Soul EV and their engineers appear to really 'get' the EV thing - rather than suffering from a leftover ICE mindset and just simply throwing an electric drivetrain at it. The heating issue in EVs is one which really separates the good EV design from the mediocre as it requires such a departure from an ICE mindset. It always tickles me when I hear EV nay-sayers deprecating the fact that your use of the cabin heater reduces your EV range "Hah!" they say. "You don't have to worry about that in a ICEV!" as if the fact that they have to actually *pay* typically £1 for every hour they have it on hasn't occurred to them. So, having the sort of well-executed and very efficient heating/cooling/de-misting setup that the Soul EV has is a real selling point. IMO, individually heated/ventilated seats and heated steering wheel are near essentials for an EV. Or we could just revert to wearing a coat and gloves like we used to in the 60s and save (even more of) our money! MW
Just found your channel! great review of the soul it confirms many other reviews I have watched no one has had a bad word against this car. It's also the cheapest to lease in the UK. 6×£200=£1200 upfront then £200 per month for 8k miles per year. From 2 to 4 years lease then hand it back. It's for the 2018 spec model with 30kw battery. You can agree a higher mileage if you want for not a great increase in price. Petrol in the UK For a similar mileage in an ice car would cost me £120 per month it's going up this week to 122p per litre! I have driven my Renault fluence ze for nearly 3 years so the fast charge & 60% greater range is perfect for the UK. I still kept my kia picanto 1.1litre while I have enjoyed the fluence but I will be able to let this go when I get the soul. I filled up the picanto to go on a 180 Mike trip yesterday and it felt like robbery paying £36 for a tank of gas! My rooftop pv solar makes 3.2mw per year the fluence uses 2.9mw for 10k miles, I also get a great rate from the feed in tariff g'teed until 2030. Happy days for the future.
Though I have but barely a month in my Soul EV I agree totally agree with the minus's, no UVO wt%. KIA Canada really? Nice to see a little bit of how little I'll have to contend with. Just waiting to fix the wheels I have winter rims so I just have to switch them. I'm thinking glossy inferno red or glossy black. The Battery thing is very re-assuring. You pointed out the handling I agree in part, but have to say its better then you describe. I think this really lovely handling, is partly because of body rigidity. The Soul EV being that it is a steel Box, built strong by strong robots, doing strong stuff with sparks and everything. Your opinions are spot on thank you.
Great review!!!I read that you sold your car but I was wondering the first year that you had it how cold did it get? where I live it get -40C or more and not including the windchill factor. I really want to buy a Kia Soul EV but I'm worried about it's performance in extremely cold weather.
Just bought a used black and red 2016 with 9k miles on it. I love this car. Kind of wish the red was just black because I do not like features that catch the eye. But more importantly, I wanted an electric car and the one I got was somehow at a dealer 10 miles away but with the best price/car condition/mileage out of all sellers within 50 miles of myself. I feel pretty lucky to have this car. The previous owner had named it "The Black Gopher". She has a good home now.
Great review. thanks for mentioning the difference in the infotainment system here in Canada. If not through the app, is it possible to set the car to pre-heat/pre-cool via the in car though screen and set it to charge at off peak electricity times?
I absolutely love EVs, and especially kia. I have owned many kias in the past, and have loved them all. When I was deciding to get a EV I wanted to try something different so I got a fiat 500e. It has been the most horrific unreliable POS. It has left me stranded multiple of times, and the dealer has said they can't figure it out. Like wtf seriously!!!. I am in the process of lemon lawing it, and after thats finished I'm going to head right down to kia to pick up one of these. Besides the tesla I think its the best out there so far. Even though its based on a ICE car it seems they have put so much thought in it, and have put out a truly quality product. Kia has come a long way and today I'm very proud to say I own a kia. To all people in the market, BEWARE the fiat 500e!!!
Did you buy this car or did you lease it? Does the car require maintenance schedules like regular cars? If they do, do they cost as much as servicing regular cars? And since you don't put any gas in it, what is your monthly cost to run this car, and how much distance are you putting each month?
I am leasing the fiat but I am in the process of lemon lawing it due to it being unreliable. Electric vehicles require little to no service. I have owned mine over a year and I haven't had to spend a penny on anything. Electric cars are great, but fiat is very unreliable. My electric rate is 15 cents per kWh. The fiat 500e has a 24 kWh batter so you do some math and that comes out to $3.60 to travel over 80 miles. Each month I put well over 1000 miles it.
Jill Thompson alll good question. I leased it as opposed to buying it only because I knew that the longer range EVs were around the corner. There is vertually no maintenance on this vehicle, that is if you don't consider changing the washer fluid as "maintenance". My monthly average for electricity at home is between $30-40. That's considering I'm in Ontario, One of the highest costing provinces for electricity. I've put just over 28,000 km on this car in one year so my monthly driving estimate is about 2500 km a month. Hope that helps and thanks for watching. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.
Thanks for the answers. Few more questions. Did you buy a special charger, or did you install a 220V charger, or did you just stick with 110V? Are you also able to find enough charging stations around in your area? I presume Toronto? And finally, did you get any government incentives to offset your leasing costs? Do they give you one time rebate, or do they give you yearly rebates until your lease is up?
Any chance there have been updates on the UVO app that allow it to be used in Canada since your review? If not, have you heard any more information on when that might be expected?
Nothing since the review. I am almost certain it will never come to Canada with the existing 2015 and 2016s models. I heard that the hardware is missing in all non-US cars....i.e. the SIM card module.
poetizer well there isn't a lot of room, but with that said, anyone buying a Soul should realize that it will be small back there. It's fine for me and my needs but maybe it wouldn't for others. If you pack smart you can fit a lot back there surprisingly. Thanks for watching.
Thanks. No I dint own it anymore. Moved in to another EV. But I would I suggest getting a used one if the price is right. There is obviously some battery degradation, but that all depends on how the battery pack was maintained and the age of the battery.
We have had our 2015 Kia Soul EV for just over 2 years, & in all but one area love it. The one exception is the lack of available floor mats made for this particular car. I have phoned the Mississauga Kia office & our local dealer; both have simply said that they are not made yet. I ordered a set from a leading floor mat manufacturer, having been told by them that they had them for the EV, but when they arrived they were very different from the EV floor shape. Very frustrating. Are there none available anywhere? Someone suggested that there might be some in California, where there is a high percentage of electric cars. I feel that after going to all the trouble & expense of building such a good car, the company should have custom-made floor mats available. When such a word gets around, I would think that this deficit would be a deal-breaker even when we are trying to have more electric cars to improve our air quality.
Hey Ken Hargrove, I agree it frustrating. I heard somewhere a few days ago that WeatherTech were suppose to be finalizing measurements on the Soul EV mats very soon. So check them out. They are hands down the best protective mats around IMO. Also, stay tuned this summer for a Soul EV meet and greet that I'll be trying to put together in our area. I'm in Milton and I wants to get something together here in the west end. Stay tuned. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for the information, Very very good video ! Do you feel this is a good car for winter time also (On snow covered roads) and do you still get the same range in the cold, Again thank you, PLEASE keep us informed !
Christopher Butler thanks for watching. The car feels very comfortable in snow and slippery conditions. I suspect the layout of the battery has something to do with the good handling. Even with the added heat pump for the battery the range takes a noticeable change in the colder months. Instead of 160-180km, you'll probably get around 120-130km range (depending on your driving habits).
You missed the part about the charger door design being overly complicated when it comes to winter conditions. I've had issues with both it freezing shut and not closing properly due to ice and snow build up. If they had just hinged the cover similar to a gas cap cover, there'd be no problem. Also, the GPS could use free updates. I mean, Google maps on my phone updates free all the time. In my mind this is Kia's competition regarding their GPS. An non-updated GPS makes the 'find a charger' function pretty much useless where i live. I have the exact same year, version, even colour as you, and overall I'd recommend it to anyone.
This may seem weird, but I'm looking to buy one of these. (Yes in 2020) They don't have the range other Ev's do but as a college student in the US, I don't need much range at all for the little driving I do. You can get these cars for around 10k now, and it would be my first car. From what I can see on your channel you've moved on to a Tesla model 3. I'm wondering if even still you would recommend this as a first car?
To answer part of your question Interested in purchasing a 2016 Soul EV for about $12K here in Texas. They can be found on any auto website. I use autotrader.com
heated seats are not an extra you get from the manufacturers. It's obligatory for ev car manufacturers to add heated seats to keep their range up, because they use almost no electricity. That's why you don't get heated seats in their ICE counterpart as standard.
Did you just say a bluetooth system in 2008 sucks compared to your 2016? Man I had no idea! Could you next review an iPhone 3G compared to an iPhone 7?
You are lucky, in the UK we get none: Air cooled seats, rear heated seats, leather seats, panoramic sun roof, UVO, Apps for wireless connection, low choice of colours.
Hi, I am interesting in buying the Kia Soul EV. I live in a rural area. So my concern is, if the Soul EV have good ground clearance. Thank you so much ! I love your videos :))
Gerard Aliaga Navarro well it all depends on what you consider ground clearance. In my opinion it’s pretty high for the size of vehicle. But it’s not SUV height by any stretch. I wouldn’t go off roading at all with it.
I mean, if it has enough ground clearance for snow and winter stuff like little rocks and branchs. Obviously I am not going to go off roading with it. It was just to know an owner opinion. Otherwise, thank so much for your response ! Waiting for more videos XD
@@DaxM my granny charger stopped charging...the green first light just keeps blinking...secondly i have a Kia from the Us market...all software is in miles ...in Canada you have km?
I'm towards the end of my lease. I'm getting about 48 miles maximum on a full charge. Overall, the car drives fabulous but the mileage is just not performing even after using best practices in my driving routine. I leased it so it was an experiment in using an EV. I think I'm moving on to a hybrid in my next purchase. It won't be with Kia as there are so many other options to look at.
Suarez.Mario_Virtual Space wow. You should get that kind of degradation. I had 70,000km (45,000miles) and my battery was fine. You should have it checked out before you give it back. That’s not normal.
I agree both Hyundai/Kia are totally underrated tho people's perception has much improved a lot....long term reliability of both of them are higher than others(non-luxury brands)too...www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2016-us-vehicle-dependability-study-vds
tether your iPhone and use apple car play it uses live traffic all the time, I own a 2018 soul + , same system, (not electric though) and the Car Play maps blow the built in one away.
Great review, in 1 year we've driven 34.000km with our 2016 Kia Soul EV. For % from point A to B I recommend GreenRace (www.jurassictest.ch/GR/) And good news - with software updates Kia Soul EV support Google Android Auto (www.android.com/auto/) and also Apple CarPlay (www.apple.com/ios/carplay/)
Outstanding review, so unusual to get a real owner talking honestly about a car.
Well done! .... and yes if I buy and electir car this will be the one I will buy!
I loved this. I am getting ready to purchase a kia soul and this really answered a lot of my questions. Especially about reliability. I wish more people did one year reviews like this on youtube. Great job!
Samantha Smith thanks for the appreciation. I'll be doing more reviews about the Kia Soul EV.
Be sure to subscribe if you would like to see more. Thanks for watching.
Absolutely excellent review. I thoroughly enjoyed it, found it honest and informative - we are considering buying an EV and you have helped us A LOT. Thanks again, Dave
A really good video. You're a natural. Thanks for providing good information and not a rant (like so many other videos).
Thank you so much! I’m actually purchasing one and this made me feel a whole lot better about electric vehicles! UGH THANKS AGAIN!
Good review. I also have a Soul EV for a year now and saw no degradation. What I also like - and it wasn’t mentioned in your video - is that the range you get in winter isn’t much lower then in summer, this in contrast with the Leaf.
This probably hasn’t only to do with the good conditioning of the batteries, but also with some great features of the car. The first thing I do when the temperature drops is heating my seat and the wheel. This combination works so well that, even when it is quiet cold, I sometimes forget to put on the heater. And you don’t even see the effect on range. When it gets really cold, like it does here in the Alps, I put on the “driver only” heating when I’m alone. That saves a lot of energy, as does the heat pump that does the heating.
And the defrosting of the front window, when it is covered in ice, is super fast - ten times faster then in my former ICE car - and when you do it while still connected, it doesn’t cost range.
+a-kindred-soul thanks for your input. Ya I agree with you about the battery. Unfortunately I didn't have time to touch on that in the video as I wanted to keep it somewhat short. With that said, I noticed a difference in winter and summer range but yes, not as much as a Leaf I suspect.
Thanks for watching.
I have a 2016 kia soul ev..wish I could talk to someone who has one
@@rickygunter6256 Hey Ricky...I'm thinking of buying a used 2016. Would you recommend it or stay away. This is all new to me and would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks
Great review i am getting mine 1st March .cant wait.Thanks for info Gez in the UK.
Gerard Melvin thanks for watching
thank you for the 1yr review. I got a killer deal on my kia ele soul. I was very hesitant but after a week of driving it... I love it. I also drive from LA/SD once a week (total of 1 1/2 hrs of drive time) and thanks to evgo... I love this car!!!!
oolou04 Cobra congrats. Thnx for watching.
Very accurate and good review! We have KIA Soul EV for about 7 months and it been great. No problems whatsoever. The one feature I would like to see added is the ability turn on the car from the phone app. A couple of times I dropped off my wife somewhere and she the key and I drove off. Got to my destination, had no key and shut the car off. Had to be rescued. The other alternative would be to bring on some type of alert indicating that the car is on with no key present inside the car. Another good feature would be able to open the charging door from the key.
Donald Espeut Donald Espeut ya that would suck being in that situation. I think there is a high pitch sound that comes on for a few seconds when the key is detected outside the car. But you're right, there needs to be more of a warning ⚠️.
Enjoy your EV and Thanks for watching.
Thanks for taking the time to do a 3 month and 12 month review on the soul EV. Please post some follow ups next year too. Considering one as our next EV next winter.
Good to hear. It truly is a nice EV. Glad that you enjoyed the videos. Stay tuned for some more videos on this channel along the EV lines. Thanks for watching.
Terrific and thorough review! You are helping me to narrow down my choices.
Karole Foreman glad I could help. Thanks for watching. And if you do decide on a Kia Soul EV don't forget to subscribe to get more updates to this awesome car.
Karole Foreman
so... which ev did you get ? and how do you like it after driving it months later?
I would like to thank the TH-cam gods for a good short review video.
Great review, all the best from Belgium.
Good review, two months into my UK model and very similar findings. Great car, wish KIA supported and promoted it more.
colinh29 thanks for watching. I completely agree, they don't support or market it very well.
Great review, you are so right tech is changing every day in the EV world. Things are getting better. Its nice to know the Kia soul EV is a great EV Today :)
+Bubbas Garage Vlogs thanks for watching.
Love this 1-yr review video. I'm actually picking up my Soul EV from the dealer today! Cheers from a fellow Ontarian from Waterloo Region.
Stephane Coutu congrats on the new Soul. Have fun with it. I have family in the KW area, so I'm there quite a bit.
Small world, eh? Interestingly enough, my dealer was shocked when I told them about the UVO Eco app not available in Canada. They supposedly had told several other customers that it was available here...Oops.
Great Review, Thank´s from Germany!
I’ll be signing for my new Kia Soul today!! It’s not an EV, but it has the active eco which is a starter towards the EV lol! The one I️’m getting is the plus model..it doesn’t have all the “bells & whistles” I️ was wanting, but... it’s a 2016 w/ just over 17,000 miles only 1 local owner no accidents & they have it marked down to $13,000 which not only fits my budget but is basically a steal for the yr & miles & the dealer warranty I’m getting on top of remainder of factory warranty at no extra charge!! I’m so excited!! I️ bought my 2002 Dodge Stratus 10yrs ago (come Jan. 28th) & I’ve replaced the trans the engine & everything in between, so it’s definitely time for some new wheels & w/ my budget the car I’m buying is closer to new than I️ ever imagined I’d find!!
Thank you so much, greate review.
Great video! Thx for that interesting review. We're probably going to buy a Kia Soul e.v. in march 2017, so that was really helpful to us. Greetings from Viersen, Germany. =)
Stefan de Graaff thanks for the kind words. Glad you liked it and thanks for watching.
i am excited for the two year anniversary!
Appreciate your review and love your sunroof which I don't have.
Thanks for watching
Great video! Very informative!
Good video, I test drove a Soul EV today, very nice, I've been driving a Renault Zoe for the last 17 months including long 1000 mile holiday runs and the new 30kWh Soul is on the possible list for when I have to hand it back. We also do not get the app, we only get 3 colour options and no panoramic roof :(
Great video Dan!
Thanks for the review Dax, nice to have a "local" GTA review too. I have a 2012 Soul 4u (gas), and I'm now 'exploring' EV cars. Best I can tell, the Kia EV is about the best around right now (in my budget). Probably going to head down to the Auto Show (want to see the Ioniq, and a few others). I have some other questions for you (price/gov't subsidies, etc.)
MarK D I'll try to answer as best as I can. Thanks for watching.
Hi Dax,
Long time (8 years) and multi-EV owner, here... in the UK.
Lovely review - well presented. You should consider doing more!
Kia seem to have done a really nice job with the Soul EV and their engineers appear to really 'get' the EV thing - rather than suffering from a leftover ICE mindset and just simply throwing an electric drivetrain at it.
The heating issue in EVs is one which really separates the good EV design from the mediocre as it requires such a departure from an ICE mindset. It always tickles me when I hear EV nay-sayers deprecating the fact that your use of the cabin heater reduces your EV range "Hah!" they say. "You don't have to worry about that in a ICEV!" as if the fact that they have to actually *pay* typically £1 for every hour they have it on hasn't occurred to them. So, having the sort of well-executed and very efficient heating/cooling/de-misting setup that the Soul EV has is a real selling point.
IMO, individually heated/ventilated seats and heated steering wheel are near essentials for an EV.
Or we could just revert to wearing a coat and gloves like we used to in the 60s and save (even more of) our money!
MW
+Martin Winlow thanks for that opinion. Much appreciated.
Thanks for watching.
Just found your channel! great review of the soul it confirms many other reviews I have watched no one has had a bad word against this car. It's also the cheapest to lease in the UK. 6×£200=£1200 upfront then £200 per month for 8k miles per year. From 2 to 4 years lease then hand it back. It's for the 2018 spec model with 30kw battery. You can agree a higher mileage if you want for not a great increase in price. Petrol in the UK
For a similar mileage in an ice car would cost me £120 per month it's going up this week to 122p per litre! I have driven my Renault fluence ze for nearly 3 years so the fast charge & 60% greater range is perfect for the UK. I still kept my kia picanto 1.1litre while I have enjoyed the fluence but I will be able to let this go when I get the soul. I filled up the picanto to go on a 180 Mike trip yesterday and it felt like robbery paying £36 for a tank of gas! My rooftop pv solar makes 3.2mw per year the fluence uses 2.9mw for 10k miles, I also get a great rate from the feed in tariff g'teed until 2030. Happy days for the future.
John Fallows glad to hear from a person who gets it. Thanks for watching.
very helpfull video :) just a question, does it slide on ice at all? i live in iceland and its very icey in winter time.
Though I have but barely a month in my Soul EV I agree totally agree with the minus's, no UVO wt%. KIA Canada really? Nice to see a little bit of how little I'll have to contend with. Just waiting to fix the wheels I have winter rims so I just have to switch them. I'm thinking glossy inferno red or glossy black. The Battery thing is very re-assuring. You pointed out the handling I agree in part, but have to say its better then you describe. I think this really lovely handling, is partly because of body rigidity. The Soul EV being that it is a steel Box, built strong by strong robots, doing strong stuff with sparks and everything. Your opinions are spot on thank you.
skipsteel thanks for the comments and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
Great review!!!I read that you sold your car but I was wondering the first year that you had it how cold did it get? where I live it get -40C or more and not including the windchill factor. I really want to buy a Kia Soul EV but I'm worried about it's performance in extremely cold weather.
Just bought a used black and red 2016 with 9k miles on it. I love this car. Kind of wish the red was just black because I do not like features that catch the eye. But more importantly, I wanted an electric car and the one I got was somehow at a dealer 10 miles away but with the best price/car condition/mileage out of all sellers within 50 miles of myself. I feel pretty lucky to have this car. The previous owner had named it "The Black Gopher". She has a good home now.
Great review. thanks for mentioning the difference in the infotainment system here in Canada. If not through the app, is it possible to set the car to pre-heat/pre-cool via the in car though screen and set it to charge at off peak electricity times?
Yes it is possible and very helpful too. You can set up to 2 different times for charging and 2 different times for heating.
Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video!
Awesome honest review!
Thanks for watching
I absolutely love EVs, and especially kia. I have owned many kias in the past, and have loved them all. When I was deciding to get a EV I wanted to try something different so I got a fiat 500e. It has been the most horrific unreliable POS. It has left me stranded multiple of times, and the dealer has said they can't figure it out. Like wtf seriously!!!. I am in the process of lemon lawing it, and after thats finished I'm going to head right down to kia to pick up one of these. Besides the tesla I think its the best out there so far. Even though its based on a ICE car it seems they have put so much thought in it, and have put out a truly quality product. Kia has come a long way and today I'm very proud to say I own a kia. To all people in the market, BEWARE the fiat 500e!!!
DanielSangster sorry to hear about your terrible Fiat experience.
Thanks for watching.
Did you buy this car or did you lease it? Does the car require maintenance schedules like regular cars? If they do, do they cost as much as servicing regular cars? And since you don't put any gas in it, what is your monthly cost to run this car, and how much distance are you putting each month?
I am leasing the fiat but I am in the process of lemon lawing it due to it being unreliable. Electric vehicles require little to no service. I have owned mine over a year and I haven't had to spend a penny on anything. Electric cars are great, but fiat is very unreliable. My electric rate is 15 cents per kWh. The fiat 500e has a 24 kWh batter so you do some math and that comes out to $3.60 to travel over 80 miles. Each month I put well over 1000 miles it.
Jill Thompson alll good question. I leased it as opposed to buying it only because I knew that the longer range EVs were around the corner. There is vertually no maintenance on this vehicle, that is if you don't consider changing the washer fluid as "maintenance". My monthly average for electricity at home is between $30-40. That's considering I'm in Ontario, One of the highest costing provinces for electricity. I've put just over 28,000 km on this car in one year so my monthly driving estimate is about 2500 km a month.
Hope that helps and thanks for watching. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.
Thanks for the answers. Few more questions. Did you buy a special charger, or did you install a 220V charger, or did you just stick with 110V? Are you also able to find enough charging stations around in your area? I presume Toronto? And finally, did you get any government incentives to offset your leasing costs? Do they give you one time rebate, or do they give you yearly rebates until your lease is up?
Any chance there have been updates on the UVO app that allow it to be used in Canada since your review? If not, have you heard any more information on when that might be expected?
Nothing since the review. I am almost certain it will never come to Canada with the existing 2015 and 2016s models. I heard that the hardware is missing in all non-US cars....i.e. the SIM card module.
Good review, bruh. What's your experience with cold weather braking regen? My Ford Focus (NorCal) will not brake regen below about 45'
Ron Wagon ya I've heard that about some EVs. The Soul will regen at low temps still but I find it not as optimal as warm weather.
Thanks for watching.
Cool video. Its about time for me to get a car, I'm torn between a 2016 Soul ev and a 2016 mustang. I really like them both for different reasons
PokéPulls by ShinyMegaGengar9001 ya. Two completely different vehicles. Good luck with your decision.
Great Review...thx!
+Pa Ba I appreciate the kind words. Thanks for watching.
very informative. Thanks
Tom Mackenzie glad you liked it. Thanks for watching. Please subscribe to see more Soul EV videos as they come out.
Thanks for the review! How did the battery do during winter? Did the low temperatures affect range a lot?
Sebastian Sandvik thanks for watching. Yes, just like any EV out there the battery pack will always take a hit (about 25%) during colder climates.
Very nice review. Just one more info i'm after. How do you feel about the trunk space at the back while leaving the back seats up?
poetizer well there isn't a lot of room, but with that said, anyone buying a Soul should realize that it will be small back there. It's fine for me and my needs but maybe it wouldn't for others.
If you pack smart you can fit a lot back there surprisingly.
Thanks for watching.
Can this be used as a vehicle for long distance traveling?
Does it have apple CarPlay/ android auto?
good review,hozer!
Android auto with the new 2020 soul EV should fix your live traffic issue. I'm looking at a "used" 16 soul EV for $15k
Just wondering if you still have it and your thoughts on buying used. Battery deprevation ? Love your videos. New subscriber. Thanks
Thanks. No I dint own it anymore. Moved in to another EV. But I would I suggest getting a used one if the price is right. There is obviously some battery degradation, but that all depends on how the battery pack was maintained and the age of the battery.
Hey I liked your video. It is now 2024 but I am thinking about getting a used 2016 one as my daily driver. Do you still have yours? Just curious…
I do not. I sold mine back in 2018. It was an awesome car though.
Good job!
Thanks for watching
We have had our 2015 Kia Soul EV for just over 2 years, & in all but one area love it. The one exception is the lack of available floor mats made for this particular car. I have phoned the Mississauga Kia office & our local dealer; both have simply said that they are not made yet. I ordered a set from a leading floor mat manufacturer, having been told by them that they had them for the EV, but when they arrived they were very different from the EV floor shape. Very frustrating.
Are there none available anywhere? Someone suggested that there might be some in California, where there is a high percentage of electric cars. I feel that after going to all the trouble & expense of building such a good car, the company should have custom-made floor mats available. When such a word gets around, I would think that this deficit would be a deal-breaker even when we are trying to have more electric cars to improve our air quality.
Hey Ken Hargrove, I agree it frustrating. I heard somewhere a few days ago that WeatherTech were suppose to be finalizing measurements on the Soul EV mats very soon. So check them out. They are hands down the best protective mats around IMO.
Also, stay tuned this summer for a Soul EV meet and greet that I'll be trying to put together in our area. I'm in Milton and I wants to get something together here in the west end. Stay tuned.
Thanks for watching.
Great video! Do you have an update after 2 or 3 years?
Thanks. Unfortunately I sold the car nearly
3 years ago. I loved it and would speak highly of it.
Thank you for the information, Very very good video ! Do you feel this is a good car for winter time also (On snow covered roads) and do you still get the same range in the cold, Again thank you, PLEASE keep us informed !
Christopher Butler thanks for watching. The car feels very comfortable in snow and slippery conditions. I suspect the layout of the battery has something to do with the good handling.
Even with the added heat pump for the battery the range takes a noticeable change in the colder months. Instead of 160-180km, you'll probably get around 120-130km range (depending on your driving habits).
Thank you so very much for the quick reply, Information much needed living in Nebraska, You answer what no one else talks about, Thank You again !!!
nice video!
Just wondering, about how much extra power do you use every month now with this car?
PokéPulls by ShinyMegaGengar9001 I find that my hydro bill is about $40 more every month. Much cheaper than gas.
Can you heat the car up on the inside for about 10 minutes in the winter or does it try to shut down to save electricity?
Ammo Man ya it's pretty quick. It's a small interior.
You missed the part about the charger door design being overly complicated when it comes to winter conditions. I've had issues with both it freezing shut and not closing properly due to ice and snow build up. If they had just hinged the cover similar to a gas cap cover, there'd be no problem. Also, the GPS could use free updates. I mean, Google maps on my phone updates free all the time. In my mind this is Kia's competition regarding their GPS. An non-updated GPS makes the 'find a charger' function pretty much useless where i live. I have the exact same year, version, even colour as you, and overall I'd recommend it to anyone.
I completely agree with all those.
This may seem weird, but I'm looking to buy one of these. (Yes in 2020) They don't have the range other Ev's do but as a college student in the US, I don't need much range at all for the little driving I do. You can get these cars for around 10k now, and it would be my first car. From what I can see on your channel you've moved on to a Tesla model 3. I'm wondering if even still you would recommend this as a first car?
Absolutely! This would be an awesome first car for anyone with small short commutes.
To answer part of your question Interested in purchasing a 2016 Soul EV for about $12K here in Texas. They can be found on any auto website. I use autotrader.com
I'd expect the ticking to be a brake light relay
great man thanks....
Well done
heated seats are not an extra you get from the manufacturers. It's obligatory for ev car manufacturers to add heated seats to keep their range up, because they use almost no electricity. That's why you don't get heated seats in their ICE counterpart as standard.
Did you just say a bluetooth system in 2008 sucks compared to your 2016? Man I had no idea! Could you next review an iPhone 3G compared to an iPhone 7?
You are lucky, in the UK we get none: Air cooled seats, rear heated seats, leather seats, panoramic sun roof, UVO, Apps for wireless connection, low choice of colours.
Hi, I am interesting in buying the Kia Soul EV. I live in a rural area. So my concern is, if the Soul EV have good ground clearance.
Thank you so much !
I love your videos :))
Gerard Aliaga Navarro well it all depends on what you consider ground clearance. In my opinion it’s pretty high for the size of vehicle. But it’s not SUV height by any stretch. I wouldn’t go off roading at all with it.
I mean, if it has enough ground clearance for snow and winter stuff like little rocks and branchs. Obviously I am not going to go off roading with it. It was just to know an owner opinion.
Otherwise, thank so much for your response !
Waiting for more videos XD
What's the winter range?? I live in Canada
It was around 110-120kms
@@DaxM thanks
You didn't talk about the panoramic sun roof
uVO is available now in Canada.
Not for the 2016 and earlier models.
What's ur real world range on pure electric or howdy the range anxiety
No range anxiety at all. Real world range is 160-170kms - summer and 110-120kms - winter.
Ty so in miles for me around 68 and 78 miles in range
Yes, 68 for winter and about 100 for summer.
Hi, great review...you know your stuff...i have a question...can i bother you?
Sure.
@@DaxM my granny charger stopped charging...the green first light just keeps blinking...secondly i have a Kia from the Us market...all software is in miles ...in Canada you have km?
Seems like you’ll need a new charger. We do use kms here in Canada. A dealer might be able to change it over for you.
@@DaxM thank you...thats part of the problem ... Spanish Kia says it can do nothing...its a car from the usa, no customer service responding either
"Unless you're like..a monster" My man =)))))
I'm towards the end of my lease. I'm getting about 48 miles maximum on a full charge. Overall, the car drives fabulous but the mileage is just not performing even after using best practices in my driving routine. I leased it so it was an experiment in using an EV. I think I'm moving on to a hybrid in my next purchase. It won't be with Kia as there are so many other options to look at.
Suarez.Mario_Virtual Space how many miles do you have on it?
About 25,000 miles in 3 years
Suarez.Mario_Virtual Space wow. You should get that kind of degradation. I had 70,000km (45,000miles) and my battery was fine. You should have it checked out before you give it back. That’s not normal.
I agree both Hyundai/Kia are totally underrated tho people's perception has much improved a lot....long term reliability of both of them are higher than others(non-luxury brands)too...www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2016-us-vehicle-dependability-study-vds
+Toci Aie Couldn't agree more. Thanks for watching.
What is your gas mileages ❓
It’s electric not gas.
Hi. How is the car right now
The car is still awesome. Nearly 70,000kms and still no issues. My lease is ending in September and it will be given back though. That was planned.
DaxM still thingking to buy it. But without wifi capabilities its a bumner. Great review!! Are u in GTa
Yes I’m in the GTA and I agree without the connection it is a downer.
DaxM hi dax how to contact u in private if you don't mind. Whats will be your next car
You can send me a private message here on TH-cam. My next (current) car that is replacing the Soul is my Model 3.
tether your iPhone and use apple car play it uses live traffic all the time, I own a 2018 soul + , same system, (not electric though) and the Car Play maps blow the built in one away.
Great review, in 1 year we've driven 34.000km with our 2016 Kia Soul EV. For % from point A to B I recommend GreenRace (www.jurassictest.ch/GR/) And good news - with software updates Kia Soul EV support Google Android Auto (www.android.com/auto/) and also Apple CarPlay (www.apple.com/ios/carplay/)
You should block your license plate in the video.
"North American cars, we can get into that but we're not gonna get into that."
3:12 ticking bomb? XD
"And when I say that I have nothing on... I mean like my radio...."
Uh huh..... suuuuuure.
😂
Aero dynamic. 🚫 air dynamic
they're not leather
+D M WHAT? They lied to me? Hahaha. Just kidding. I’m sure they’re a form of leather. Thanks.