Hatchbacks like Kia Soul and Kia Rio are highly efficient cars that provide abundant cargo space. Although both vehicles look diminutive, it is impressive how spacious they are once you get into them.
It can be pretty challenging to choose one of two hatchbacks to be your travel car, so we’ve jotted down the key differences between the Kia Soul 2022 and Kia Rio 5-Door 2022 to assist you in choosing the best one for you.
Kia Soul is a car that is famous for its reliability. Ranking at the top in reliability ratings, Kia Soul 2022 is said to go without having a mechanical malfunction before completing 200,000 miles.
Soul 2022 is equipped with a 2-liter in-line 4-cylinder engine that produces 147 horsepower and is paired with Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). This is a standard engine for a small car, but some people find the IVT a bit annoying and a deal-breaker. Soul 2022 is a front-wheel drive.
Kia Soul 2022 was introduced as an update to the 2021 version with the new Kia logo and an array of new features, including the Smart High Beam assist function.
High Beam assist automatically adjusts the headlamp intensity according to your surroundings and turns on when the speed exceeds 40 km per hour. This way, you have maximum visibility with minimal input, plus you don’t have to keep adjusting the headlights while driving manually.
Kia Soul now has active Lane-Keep Assist, a smart system that helps the car stay in your driving lane. This feature is helpful, especially during long drives. The lane-keep assist feature of Kia is so efficient that drivers who test drive without it complain about actively having to work on correcting the car’s steering wheel.
Android and Apple CarPlay used to be wired but are now wireless on the 2022 version of Kia Soul.
Some of Driver’s Assist features were absent on older versions of Kia Soul, but the updated 2022 version does come programmed with the following:
Kia’s manufacturing process ensures the safety of its passengers, and their attitude toward the Soul 2022 remains the same:
People buy hatchbacks for their cargo space. Kia Soul provides 24.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seats and an impressive 62.1 cubic feet of cargo space with the back seats collapsed. These are one of the largest configurations of cargo space offered in hatchback SUVs.
The rear seats on the Soul 2022 are also pretty versatile as they offer combinations of seat adjustments; for example, you can collapse one seat and make room for luggage while the other seat stays erect.
Marketed as the urban car, the Kia Rio 5-Door is a hatchback crossover SUV variation to the Kia Rio. It is a subcompact, versatile car with advanced technology features.
The Kia Rio 5-door is a 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder, 120-horsepower engine paired with Intelligent Variable Automatic Transmission (IVT). This car is also a front-wheel drive.
The interior of the Kia Rio 5-Door is all-black, sleek, and modern. In addition, the updated 2022 version now equips an engine mobilizer and rear disc brakes, which have significantly changed the car’s performance.
Although Kia Rio is supposed to be a fiver seater, it is still a small car, but its clean interior gives it a spacious feel. The infotainment screen mounted on the dashboard is a touchscreen, but Climate Control is still manual and handled through the dials under it. Wireless Android and Apple CarPlay are also available in this updated 2022 version.
Most Drive Assist features were not available in cars of the Rio lineup, but the updated 2022 Rio 5-Door is programmed with the following:
In terms of driver assistance technology, Kia Rio is more advanced than the Kia Soul.
Rio 5-Door is a sturdy car and provides a safe frame in accordance with what it is built for: cargo. However, it does equip the standard Kia safety features like:
This vehicle requires a key to be unlocked. In addition, the security system employs an alarm system if someone tries to enter the car with a different key. This feature is only found in Kia cars with Keyfobs and requires mechanical keys to unlock the vehicle.
Regarding cargo space, Kia Rio falls back by half compared to the Kia Soul, with only 17.4 cubic feet of cargo room with erect seats and 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space with folded seats. Although seat adjustments are possible, Kia Rio still doesn’t offer as much cargo room as the Kia Soul does.
So if cargo space is at the top of your priorities, Kia Soul is the one for you.
Both Rio 5-Door and Soul are highly efficient cars. In addition, both provide cargo space and the needed safety features.
The Kia Soul 2022 is a more reliable car with more cargo space and can be an excellent urban travel car. We’ve compared the 2022 Rio 5-Door and Soul versions to help you choose your next hatchback purchase.
The good news is that both Kia Soul 2022 and the Kia Rio 5-Door are listed on Auffenberg Kia of Cape Girardeau starting at $19,190 and at $17,090 respectively. Just head to our website and choose your preferred model!