Kia's Soul is a compact hatch with the tech to make it useful for drivers of any age, but it's particularly rewarding for younger shoppers that need to be entertained while they make the daily commute.

A car does not always have to be a V12-powered exotic supercar to make a statement. Take the Kia Soul, for example—it's hard to think of another vehicle whose purpose is to be a fuel-efficient, daily-driver hatchback that manages to snag attention anywhere it goes despite its sensibilities. It's a car that is meant to attract not the enthusiast, but the younger driver that is enthusiastic about something—anything! Although if you watch Kia’s ads, they might prefer you to be enthusiastic about electronic music or hamsters.

The Soul can be a perplexing vehicle, but after a week behind the wheel, we grew to appreciate what it's good at, realizing that its high points more than make up for its lows. The strong suit of the Soul—aside from letting others know you have arrived on the scene—is making an even stronger statement from behind the wheel.