When it comes to quality, affordable vehicles, the 2020 Kia Soul is a hard act to beat. Not to mention, just as you recognize a Mercedes-Benz G-class or a Porsche 911 on the streets, most recognize the Kia Soul with its boxy shape and distinctive styling. Did we mention it comes with a great price tag?

Recently, the 2020 Kia Soul was named one of the best affordable cars by a top media outlet. How did it earn that distinction? What do you get for that price?

The 2020 Soul is one of the best affordable cars

The 2020 Kia Soul recently made CNET’s list of Best Affordable Cars. It was the only vehicle to make the list for the 2020 model year. For criteria, they looked at cars priced under $40,000 that included convenience and tech features similar to those of much pricier vehicles.

The CNET team explained that they enjoyed the 2020 Kia Soul’s driving dynamics. Its unique appearance only added to its appeal for them as one of the more practical vehicles on the current market. They did acknowledge that the styling wasn’t for everyone but that was one of few faults they assigned to it. 

The 2020 Kia Soul

According to the team at CNET, if you want to stand out on the roads today, the Kia Soul might be exactly what you’re looking for. Not only does it offer a distinctive appearance, but it’s also a comfortable SUV with plenty of space for passengers and their stuff. 

In its third generation, the 2020 Kia Soul is completely redesigned and has a sharper style than generations past. They liked its proportions including its tapered roofline and the windows that featuring the black “Soul” trim piece. They liked the interior too with styling cues as quirky as the outside. There’s plenty of room inside to seat up to five passengers and lots of cargo too.

The 2020 Kia Soul offers two engine choices. There’s a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that gets 147 horsepower paired with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The other is the GT-Line Turbo model with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that gets 201 horsepower mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

If you live in the city, you’ll find the Soul nimble and easy to navigate. It can tackle bumpy pavement with good engine response. Beyond the city limits, the Soul’s handling is agile with responsive steering. It’s fun to drive, particularly with the turbo engine.

Bang for your buck

No matter where you roam, the new Kia Soul has enough room to haul people and cargo, making it the perfect daily use vehicle. When equipped with the turbo engine, the Soul can even liven up your most mundane around-town errand runs and still be efficient. The pricing is very appealing, managing to undercut many of its peers without a lot of compromises or sacrifices.

Still, it’s a small car priced for affordability. There are some cons you should know about according to Edmunds.

There’s no all-wheel drive, which might rule it out for those who live in an area with rugged terrain or in locations where winter weather makes it a necessity. If you select the GT-Line Turbo Soul with its sport-tuned suspension, you might find the shifting is jerky and degrades the ride quality, giving it a harsher vibe.

Despite those drawbacks, the team at CNET thinks the 2020 Soul trumps other subcompact crossovers. With its blend of affordability, efficiency, and practicality, you get a lot for your money. It’s also incredibly fun to drive. Put it all together, and the 2020 Kia Soul is one of the best all-around vehicles available on today’s market.