Kia Soul vs Hyundai Elantra
Overview | |
Years produced1992-Present | Years produced2010-Present |
MSRP$21,625 | MSRP$19,890 |
Average price$14,420 | Average price$13,263 |
Listings9052 | Listings9209 |
Ratings & Reviews | |
User Reviews | User Reviews |
Expert reviews7.3 out of 10 | Expert reviews7.7 out of 10 |
Pros
| Pros
|
Reviews SummaryFor nearly 20 years over six generations, the Elantra established Hyundai as a provider of bottom-rung transportation. Not until the current seventh-generation model debuted in 2020 did the Elantra shed its cheap image and stand competitively with other compact sedans from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Hyundai always sold on low prices and long warranties. Now the Elantra is a genuinely sporty, well-constructed car that competes on actual substance—namely, how it drives and feels—and offers a wider range of trim levels. For 2024, a mild refresh brings more style and standard equipment. Verdict: Get past the strange bodywork and plasticky interior, and you’ll find a well-mannered sedan that is equally adept at being comfortable and economical as it is sporty and truly entertaining. | |
Reviews SummaryThe Kia Soul demonstrates that good ideas mean nothing without good execution. Launched for the 2010 model year, the Soul instantly drew attention with its distinctive boxy styling, but unlike the similarly-styled Honda Element and Scion xB, the Soul has managed to stick around. That’s because the Soul has style and substance in equal measure. It’s both a practical car and a good value, just one that happens to be more interesting to look at than most other vehicles sharing those traits. Now in its third generation, the Soul is an excellent compromise between car and crossover, boasting the tidy proportions of the former and the upright driving position of the latter. So it makes sense to cross-shop it against both small hatchbacks and the gaggle of tiny crossovers that have hit the market since the Soul first appeared. The current-generation Kia Soul was introduced for the 2020 model year and gets a number of notable updates for 2023, including more standard driver-assist features, small styling tweaks, and a revised lineup of trim levels including base LX, S, EX, and GT-Line models; the X-Line and Turbo variants have been discontinued. We drove a Kia Soul GT-Line for this review. | |
No video found | |
Popular Features & Specs | |
Engine2.0L 147 hp I4 | Engine2.0L 147 hp I4 |
Drive TrainFWD | Drive TrainFWD |
Seating Capacity5 | Seating Capacity5 |
Horsepower147 hp @ 6200 rpm | Horsepower147 hp @ 6200 rpm |
MPG City32 | MPG City28 |
MPG Highway41 | MPG Highway33 |
Engine | |
Engine Name2.0L 147 hp I4 | Engine Name2.0L 147 hp I4 |
Torque132 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm | Torque132 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm |
Horsepower147 hp @ 6200 rpm | Horsepower147 hp @ 6200 rpm |
DrivetrainFWD | DrivetrainFWD |
Fuel Economy | |
MPG City32 | MPG City28 |
MPG Highway41 | MPG Highway33 |
Interior | |
Seating Capacity5 | Seating Capacity5 |
Safety | |
Front Crash Overall4 | Front Crash Overall4 |
Side Crash Overall5 | Side Crash Overall5 |
Dimensions & Capacity | |
Cargo Space14.2 cu ft | Cargo Space24.2 cu ft |
Curb Weight2725 lbs | Curb Weight2888 lbs |
Height55.7 in | Height63.0 in |
Length184.1 in | Length165.2 in |
Width71.9 in | Width70.9 in |
Wheelbase107.1 in | Wheelbase102.4 in |
Maximum Payload1133 lbs | Maximum Payload1135 lbs |
Number of doors4 | Number of doors4 |
Overview | ||
Years produced | 1992-Present | 2010-Present |
MSRP | $21,625 | $19,890 |
Average price | $14,420 | $13,263 |
Listings | ||
Ratings & Reviews | ||
User reviews | ||
Expert reviews | 7.3 out of 10Read full review | 7.7 out of 10Read full review |
Pros & cons | Pros
| Pros
|
Summary | For nearly 20 years over six generations, the Elantra established Hyundai as a provider of bottom-rung transportation. Not until the current seventh-generation model debuted in 2020 did the Elantra shed its cheap image and stand competitively with other compact sedans from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Hyundai always sold on low prices and long warranties. Now the Elantra is a genuinely sporty, well-constructed car that competes on actual substance—namely, how it drives and feels—and offers a wider range of trim levels. For 2024, a mild refresh brings more style and standard equipment. Verdict: Get past the strange bodywork and plasticky interior, and you’ll find a well-mannered sedan that is equally adept at being comfortable and economical as it is sporty and truly entertaining. | The Kia Soul demonstrates that good ideas mean nothing without good execution. Launched for the 2010 model year, the Soul instantly drew attention with its distinctive boxy styling, but unlike the similarly-styled Honda Element and Scion xB, the Soul has managed to stick around. That’s because the Soul has style and substance in equal measure. It’s both a practical car and a good value, just one that happens to be more interesting to look at than most other vehicles sharing those traits. Now in its third generation, the Soul is an excellent compromise between car and crossover, boasting the tidy proportions of the former and the upright driving position of the latter. So it makes sense to cross-shop it against both small hatchbacks and the gaggle of tiny crossovers that have hit the market since the Soul first appeared. The current-generation Kia Soul was introduced for the 2020 model year and gets a number of notable updates for 2023, including more standard driver-assist features, small styling tweaks, and a revised lineup of trim levels including base LX, S, EX, and GT-Line models; the X-Line and Turbo variants have been discontinued. We drove a Kia Soul GT-Line for this review. |
Video | No video found | |
Popular Features & Specs | ||
Engine | 2.0L 147 hp I4 | 2.0L 147 hp I4 |
Drive Train | FWD | FWD |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
Horsepower | 147 hp @ 6200 rpm | 147 hp @ 6200 rpm |
MPG City | 32 | 28 |
MPG Highway | 41 | 33 |
Engine | ||
Engine Name | 2.0L 147 hp I4 | 2.0L 147 hp I4 |
Torque | 132 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm | 132 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm |
Horsepower | 147 hp @ 6200 rpm | 147 hp @ 6200 rpm |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD |
Fuel Economy | ||
MPG City | 32 | 28 |
MPG Highway | 41 | 33 |
Interior | ||
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
Safety | ||
Front Crash Overall | 4 | 4 |
Side Crash Overall | 5 | 5 |
Dimensions & Capacity | ||
Cargo Space | 14.2 cu ft | 24.2 cu ft |
Curb Weight | 2725 lbs | 2888 lbs |
Height | 55.7 in | 63.0 in |
Length | 184.1 in | 165.2 in |
Width | 71.9 in | 70.9 in |
Wheelbase | 107.1 in | 102.4 in |
Maximum Payload | 1133 lbs | 1135 lbs |
Number of doors | 4 | 4 |

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