Kia Bids Farewell to the Funky Soul After Successful 16-Year Run

From humble beginnings as a boxy concept vehicle in Kia’s U.S. design studio and continuing through 16 years of passion, the fun and funky Kia Soul urban runabout has always stood out from the crowd. As what most consider the first production vehicle in Kia’s design-led brand transformation, the Soul attracted new customers by projecting the kind of individuality and optimism that appeals to drivers of all ages.

With Kia’s overall U.S. sales nearly tripling during the Soul’s lifetime, its impact cannot be overstated. Nonetheless, Soul sales are coming to an end in 2025.

“The Soul was one of the cornerstones in Kia gaining a foothold in the United States and this one-of-a-kind vehicle—and the marketing supporting it—helped Kia move to where it resides today,” said Eric Watson, vice president, sales, Kia America. “Kia is steadily progressing toward its third consecutive annual sales record and all-time high market share, and that is possible thanks to the early success carved out by the Soul. We are proud of the legacy Soul will leave behind as it exits our lineup, but equally excited for the future of Kia’s expansive and award-winning utility vehicle lineup.”

‘BOAR WITH A BACKPACK’

In the mid-2000s, Kia looked to design a global car that stood out from the status quo of compact hatchbacks. SUVs were continuing their climb toward market dominance at the time, and so it was decided that the new vehicle would combine the nimble efficiency of a small car with the versatility and proportions of an SUV.

While watching a nature documentary on the life of wild boars, the team at Kia Design Center America was inspired by the idea of a “boar wearing a backpack,” given the animal’s strength and attitude relative to its size, and translated that idea into a mechanical form.

All too often, during the transition from concept to production a vehicle loses some of its celebrated spirit and edge. Not so for the Soul, as the 2006 production model stayed true to the original concept.

INSPIRING NEW IDEAS

Kia took the wraps off a number of Soul-based concept vehicles through the years including the 2009 Soul’ster, a pickup/utility variant, and the 2012 Track’ster with its turbocharged 250-hp engine, two-doors and AWD system, paving the way into the second-generation Soul in 2014.

Track gave way to trail at the Chicago Auto Show in 2015, with the debut of the Trail’ster concept. A more rugged interpretation of the Soul, it featured an e-AWD system to put ample power to all four wheels. Thanks to the Soul’s overall popularity, customer demand for new variations continued to grow, and a more potent powertrain debuted in the Soul Turbo in 2017.

Throughout its life, the Soul was often at the core of Kia’s many SEMA Show displays as well, with customized creations ranging from a mobile DJ booth and rolling music memorabilia museum to an all-electric reimagining of a classic ice cream truck, showcasing the vehicle’s personalization potential.

A SUCCESS STORY COMES TO AN END

In 2018, Kia announced that more than 1 million Souls had been purchased by passionate owners ahead of the introduction of the third-and-final generation, which debuted in 2019 as a 2020 model. This gen-3 Soul was more refined than ever, yet clearly also embraced the fun and funky spirit that made it such a sales success throughout the years.

The Soul was expected to end production in October, and with just a few thousand units remaining at dealers across the U.S.