2023 Kia Soul refreshed with more funk, less spunk

On May 5, 2022

The refreshed 2023 Kia Soul adds more fun to the funky small crossover with the boxed ends. But the spunky turbo-4 is no longer offered. A new front fascia, vibrant new colors, a simplified lineup, and more available safety and convenience features grace the 2023 Soul, Kia announced Wednesday.

Originally launched in 2009 and last redesigned for the 2020 model year, the Soul’s hallmark shape hasn’t changed much. Up front, a thin bar under the hood connects new available LED headlights and fog lights that are moved from the lower grille. The broader, taller grille incorporates more of the playful pout, then kicks up into a smile around the ends with chrome garnishes on side air intakes in GT-Line models. The chrome accenting continues around the rear with a tipped dual exhaust pipe.

2023 Kia Soul

New 17- and 18-inch wheel designs, including a five-spoke GT-Line wheel that looks like a robotic running man, contrast new colors that include more two-tone options with a black roof, such as Surf Blue (pictured).

Inside, the rounded shapes carry over, with an oval climate panel flanked by temp dials, and a circular housing for a new 10.3-inch touchscreen on all but the base LX model.

Kia ditched the Turbo and X-Line variants offered on the 2022 Soul, even as the X-Line appearance package spreads to other models such as the 2023 Kia Sportage. Instead, the 2023 Soul comes with a simplified lineup of LX, S, EX, and GT-Line grades. A top Tech package on the GT-Line adds Harman Kardon sound with a subwoofer and door-mounted tweeters, colored LED speaker lights that pulse with the beat, heated front seats, and navigation-based adaptive cruise control.

Every 2023 Kia Soul comes with more standard driver-assist features, such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, automatic high beams, and a rear occupant alert and driver attention monitor.

The lone powertrain for the front-wheel-drive Soul is a 147-hp 2.0-liter inline-4 with a CVT. It serves the Soul well, but the discontinuation of the 201-hp 1.6-liter turbo-4 might leave some souls wanting more power in their Soul.

Pricing and a full features list will be announced later this summer when the 2023 Kia Soul goes on sale.