For 2023, the Hyundai Kona has proven to be a popular subcompact option, given its affordability and range of options, including a cargo capacity that provides more storage than many of its competitors. The closest competition for the Kona is the popular Kia Soul, but the Kona still provides one major advantage over the Soul for those who are looking to change the way that they drive by considering an electric vehicle.

The Hyundai Kona and Kia Soul have comparable features

The 2023 Hyundai Kona and Kia Soul models have many comparable features for drivers looking in the subcompact SUV category. Both vehicles get a combined 32-33 MPG and have four-cylinder front-wheel-drive powertrains. Both models have similar power and handling, but the Kia Soul has a slightly larger max payload capacity. Both vehicle models also have various interior, exterior, and tech-related optional packages.

The Kona and Kia also have similar pricing, with the Kia Soul coming in at just under $20,000 and the Hyundai Kona starting at just over $22,000, making it an affordable option for drivers looking to spend a little and still get a lot of features.

The huge advantage the Hyundai Kona has over its competitor

The biggest advantage that the Hyundai Kona has over the Kia Soul is that Hyundai provides an electric model. The Hyundai Kona Electric has a futuristic design, a driver-centric interior, and high-tech features for both drivers and passengers, according to Hyundai. The electric model comes in three trim options with various standard features on the standard model. Some of these features include a rear USB port, power windows, and an 8-way power driver seat with lumbar. The base model also provides wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and an 8-inch color touchscreen display for audio.

Regarding drivability, the Kona Electric has a slightly higher than standard range and power for comparable EV models. The Kona gets an estimated range of 258 miles from its 201hp/105kw power. With this power and range, drivers can expect to pay more. Hyundai priced the Kona Electric SE at $33,550, the SEL model at $37,300, and the Limited edition with high-end features at $41,550, which is in the higher range of most subcompact models.

Although Kia did announce an EV version of the Kia Soul as early as 2020, this electric model was never sold in the United States.

The EV version of the Kia Soul never reached the U. S.

The Kia Soul EV was first announced in 2020, but the model was delayed until 2021. The Soul EV 2021 model was produced for the South Korean market, but the U.S. model was canceled before any were delivered to the U.S. According to AutoBlog, Kia may never bring the Soul EV to the U.S. market. Instead, Kia is focusing on the Niro EV as their electric model for the U.S. market due to its more traditional crossover SUV design and slightly larger size. The Kia Soul EV will still be marketed in South Korea and throughout Europe.

Even without an electric option in the U.S., the Kia Soul still ranks high for drivers who want a subcompact with a variety of options, safety features, and 30 MPG combined. The base model 2023 Kia Soul starts at just $19,890 for those looking for an affordable everyday vehicle.