Kia Optima vs Kia Soul

Buying a car blends pragmatic and emotional factors. You know you need a car to do certain things, but you also have preferences about how your car looks and perhaps how its brand's image is generally perceived. You used to have to make sacrifices if you wanted something affordable and economical. Look at small, affordable cars of the past; it's a depressing set of subpar cars.

Automakers have ensured that, with a few exceptions, there are no more truly bad cars, and that extends to the economy-car segment. But even in this competent segment of vehicles, one car stands out from the rest with refined driving dynamics, a lower starting price than most of its competitors, and form and function delivered in equal quantities.

Meet the 2020 Kia Soul. You've probably seen the hamster ads, and you’ve definitely seen this boxy little hatchback on the road. Its particular combination of boxy design and compact size makes it something of a rarity. On the one hand, it competes with small hatchbacks like the Honda Fit and Volkswagen Golf. And on the other hand, you could legitimately cross-shop it against subcompact SUVs like the Subaru Crosstrek and Jeep Renegade.

To top it all off, its latest redesign makes the Soul look more futuristic than anything you’ll find from Tesla; it's truly one of a kind. Take a closer look at the 2020 Kia Soul, because few cars do form and function any better.