2021 Kia Soul vs 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Crossover SUVs are serious business in the United States, so much so that many automakers’ entire lineups are composed of various sizes of utility vehicles. Beyond the world of enthusiast autos dying a slow, painful death, there’s nothing really wrong with an auto market full of crossovers, as long as they’re executed well and offer good value and features. Nobody does those things better than Kia, and few subcompact SUVs are as surprisingly stout across the board as the Kia Soul.

The Soul is now in its third generation after its initial debut in 2008 and subsequent updates in 2014 and 2020. The details have shifted over time, but the Soul’s basic shape and attitude remain. What's new for 2021? Not a lot. Updates are limited to a standard rear occupant alert and new suspension configurations for the X-Line and GT-Line trims.

Kia offers several Soul trims for the 2021 model year: LX, S, X-Line, GT-Line, EX, and Turbo. Two powertrains and two transmissions are on offer, but the Soul’s usefulness and fun-loving attitude are included no matter which configuration is chosen. The Kia's MSRP ranges from $18,765 to $28,825. Competitors include the Hyundai Kona, Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V, and Nissan Kicks. Buyers may also shop the Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30.

Spend any time reading the news, and you’ll likely read about electric vehicles. They are influencing the stock prices of major automakers, and in turn, those automakers are investing heavily into a burgeoning market of EV startups. And yet, electric cars make up an incredibly small portion of the new car market. For all the news and hype, there are only a handful of actual models on the road today. They fall into two categories: larger, luxury-minded EVs like those offered by Tesla, and smaller, minimalist offerings such as the Nissan Leaf and the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV.

Like the Leaf, the Bolt does things differently from Tesla. It uses a smaller battery pack and maximizes the efficiency of its nimble platform. The Bolt EV does not have the range or acceleration of the Teslas, but for many Americans, an EV like the Bolt EV is something closer to what they can afford. But is the Bolt EV right for you? Read on to learn more about this economic electric vehicle.