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2011 Kia Soul

header-image

Rating7.7

Ranked #1 in

Subcompact Wagon

$13,300 - $18,495

Starting Price

Year

Senior Editor,

Updated on January 31, 2024

Pros	Cons	What's New
Low price tag	Lackluster acceleration with the base engine	Standard rear disc brakes
High fuel economy	Noisy cabin	Updated rear suspension
Spacious cabin		New standard features
Fun to drive

Specs & Features

$13,300

price

122 hp @ 6300 rpm

horsepower

115 lb.-ft. @ 4200 rpm

torque

5-Speed Manual

transmission

1.6L 4cyl FWD 5M

engine

-

basic warranty

Overview

Kia is expected to give the Soul some styling updates next year and yet the 2011 Kia Soul gets quite a few upgrades this year. In terms of mechanical changes, the rear drum brakes are replaced by disc brakes as standard while the rear also gets a new set of shock absorbers. There's also a new push-button start, a trip meter, heated outside mirrors, and new door handles. The 2011 Kia Soul price starts at $13,995 including a destination charge of $695 and sees no price hike.

Featuring a 3-trim lineup of the Soul, the 2011 Kia Soul MSRP can be an expense of $13,995-$19,190 this season. Having said that, it simply translates to the fact that the range-leader 2011 Kia Soul Exclaim (!) will cost you $5,195 more than the base 2011 Soul for enhanced specs and assets.

We Recommend

The 2011 Kia Soul + (Plus) gets an option for both the manual and automatic transmission options and also gets more standard features over the base trim. It also maintains the affordability element and hence would be our preferred choice.

With the updates this year, all the 2011 Kia Soul models get new features this year including a few interior features. The powertrain is efficient and has enough grunt under its hood and the 2011 Kia Soul problems are also comparatively lesser than its competitors. The Kia Soul offers tough competition to the affordable Nissan Cube, the punchy Scion xB, or the reliable Honda Fit.

2011 Kia Soul for sale

The Kia Soul finance offers start at just $243/month for a duration of 60 months at an attractive APR of 3.75% for qualified buyers. The 2011 Soul lease deals begin at a monthly premium of $202 for a 36-month tenure and a 10,000-mile annual mileage limit. Buyers have to pay a $1,400 down payment for the ownership options and the lease offer also requires an additional $545 acquisition fee.

For budget-oriented buyers, the used Kia Soul can be availed of with a base price of $1,999. Going for older model years like the 2010 Kia Soul could be a matter of $1,999 and Kia Soul 2010 can cost as much as $14,950 along with a listing of up to 189 in total.

Buying Advice

While the base trim of the wagon has enough features to keep you happy, it is better to go with the Soul+ because not only it is the only trim with options for the transmission, but it also has upgradeable features such as a power sunroof, sound system, cruise control, and alloy wheels.

Comparative Analysis against Competition

There are two engine and transmission options available on the 2011 Kia Soul, and just like other wagons, FWD is standard. On the safety front, the Kia Soul has been awarded the ‘Top Safety Pick’ title from the IIHS. The price range of the Soul is from $13,995 to $19,190. The 2011 Kia Soul is facing fierce competition from the charming 2011 Scion xB and the cute 2011 Nissan cube.

Features
9.0/10

Consisting of four trim levels in its trim range, the starting price of the base trim is $13,300 and goes up to $18,495 for the top-end Sport trim. The entry-level trim is filled with features like manual air conditioning, tilt steering column, SiriusXM, cloth upholstery, and power door locks. As you upgrade the trim level, not only do you get more comfort features but also bigger wheels, better seats, interior trims, and more capable suspensions. Keyless entry, fog lights, power moonroof, floor mats, and a bigger engine are offered on higher trims.

Trim	Base	+	!	Sport
MSRP (Manual)	$13,995	$16,190	-	-
MSRP (Automatic)	-	$17,190	$19,190	$19,190
Key Features	1.6-liter inline-4	2.0-liter inline-4	18-inch alloy wheels	Metal pedals
	15-inch steel wheels	16-inch alloy wheels	Power sunroof with tilt	Red leather interior
	Rear defroster	Cruise control	Leather-wrapped steering wheel	Sports tuned suspensions
	Manual air conditioning	Power side mirrors	Fog lights
	Tilt steering column	Dual 12V power outlets
	4-speakers	Keyless entry
	Cloth seats	Tweeter speakers
	4-wheel disc brakes

We Recommend

While the base trim of the wagon has enough features to keep you happy, it is better to go with the Soul+ because not only it is the only trim with options for the transmission, but it also has upgradeable features such as a power sunroof, sound system, cruise control, and alloy wheels.

Engine and Performance
7.0/10

The 2011 Soul can be bought with either a 1.6-liter inline-4 gas engine which is standard on the base trim or a 2.0-liter inline-4 gas engine. The 1.6-liter engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission by default. It churns out 122 hp and 115 lb-ft of torque. The power gets transferred to the rear wheels, which takes the 2011 Kia Soul from 0 to 60 mph in about 10 seconds.

The 2.0-liter engine is engaged with a standard 5-speed manual transmission, which gets replaced with 4-speed automatic transmission as per your choice. It produces 20 hp and 22 lb-ft of torque more as compared to the base engine. With this setup, the Soul can sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in 8.8 seconds.

Model	2011 Kia Soul+	2011 Nissan Cube Base	2011 Scion xB
MSRP	$13,995	$14,740	$16,000
Engine	2.0-liter inline-4	1.8-liter inline-4	2.4-liter inline-4
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD	FWD
Transmission	5-speed manual	6-speed manual	5-speed manual
Power	142 hp @ 6000 rpm	122 hp @ 5200 rpm	158 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque	137 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm	127 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm	162 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
0-60 MPH (seconds)	8.8	10.6	8.6
Quarter mile (mph)	16.8	17.4	16.3
Top speed (mph)	116	110	120

With the base engine, the acceleration of the Soul is close to the Nissan Cube, which does 0-60 mph in 10.6 seconds. However, when power figures are considered, the Cube is in the last position, but places will be replaced if the base engine on the Soul is considered. As for the Scion xB, it has the biggest engine and highest power output as well, which makes it accelerate to 60 mph from 0 mph in 8.6 seconds. When comparing the price tag, the Scion xB is the most expensive option here.

Fuel Economy
7.0/10

With the 2.0-liter mill with either transmission, the 2011 Kia Soul has a fuel economy of 24 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. The fuel efficiency is more if a 1.6-liter mill is equipped, which returns a fuel economy of 26/31/28 mpg in the city/highway/combined. Kia has given the smallest fuel tank against the rivals to the Soul which results in a poor range of just 361 highway miles.

Model	2011 Kia Soul+	2011 Nissan Cube Base	2011 Scion xB
MPG (city)	24	25	22
MPG (Highway)	30	30	28
MPG (Combined)	26	27	24
Fuel Capacity	12.7	13.2	14.0
Range (City/hwy)	305/361	330/396	308/392

The least fuel consumption in the city is seen in the rival from Nissan, which has 1 mpg more as compared to the Soul. On the other hand, the highest fuel consumption is seen in the opponent from the Scion which has the least fuel economy figures in the competition, but it has the biggest fuel tank, which results in 308 miles and 392 miles of range in the city and on the highway, respectively.

Interior
8.0/10

The interior design of the Kia Soul is practical, but the quality of the material is not as good as you would expect. Still, to add flavor to the interior, unique red black trims can be seen in the cabin. Black cloth upholstery is present on the seats, which can be changed to red-black. The metal finish on the instrument panel is only given on the topmost trim. Despite its boxy appearance, the Kia Soul is generous in terms of interior space.

The driver seat has a 6-way manual adjustment throughout the trim range. The rear row seats can be split into a 40/60 fashion, which can increase the cargo capacity to 53.4 cubic feet from 19.3 cubic feet. There is no telescopic feature to the steering wheel column, which is a disappointment. However, Kia Soul has other standard creature comforts such as manual air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and gear shifter knob, one 12V outlet, power door locks, floor mats, dual-level glove box, and cargo area lights.

Model	2011 Kia Soul+	2011 Nissan Cube Base	2011 Scion xB
Seating Capacity	5	5	5
Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	40.2/55.2/42.1	42.6/52.2/42.4	40.0/55.8/40.7
Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	39.6/55.1/39.0	40.2/52.4/35.5	41.2/54.7/38.0
Cargo Capacity (cu-ft)	19.3	11.4	21.7

Among both rivals, the Nissan Cube has the worst shoulder room and overall interior space. Next is Kia Soul, which offers 4.6 cu-ft more passenger volume as compared to the Nissan Cube, but it loses in the end against the Scion xB, which has a passenger volume of 110.9 cu-ft. The Scion xB also has the leading cargo capacity. Major interior features include:

Black cloth upholstery
Tilt steering wheel column
Remote keyless entry
Power door locks and windows
Floor mats (optional)
Manual air conditioning

How intuitive is the 2011 Kia Soul’s infotainment unit?

A 4-speaker sound system is standard on the Kia Soul. A CD player with mp3 capability, SiriusXM, aux jack, and USB port are also standard on the base Soul model, but Bluetooth is only given on the Soul+ and beyond. An optional Soul+ audio upgrade package gives a center speaker with a subwoofer to give a better music listening experience. Major infotainment features include:

4-speaker sound system
Bluetooth
CD player
USB port
SiriusXM

Exterior
8.0/10

As a wagon, the Kia Soul also has that cliche boxy or cubic design. However, the curves, body lines, and indentations do spice things on the outside. Solar glass is given on all trims for sun rays protection, but privacy glass is on all trims except the base trim. Bumpers have the same color as the body, and the front grille is small and black. The base trim gets manually adjustable side mirrors which get replaced with power side mirrors on higher trims.

Set of 15-inch steel wheels on the base trim can be changed with the 16 and 18-inch alloy wheels on higher trims. There is no power sunroof with a tilt feature on the base Soul, but it is optional on the Soul+ and standard on further trim levels. The rear spoiler, side sills, and unique front and rear fascia are reserved for the topmost Sport trim.

Model	2011 Kia Soul+	2011 Nissan Cube Base	2011 Scion xB
Curb Weight (lbs)	2800	2789	3027
Length (in.)	161.6	156.7	167.3
Width (in.)	70.3	66.7	69.3
Height (in.)	63.4	65.0	63.4
Ground Clearance (in.)	6.5	6.3	5.1
Wheelbase (in.)	100.4	99.6	102.4

In terms of exterior dimensions, the biggest one among the bunch is the Scion xB, and the opposite is true for the Nissan Cube. Meanwhile, the Kia Soul fits right in between these two rivals. But when ground clearance is considered, Kia Soul has the lead whereas, for the wheelbase, Scion xB is in first place. When comparing the curb weight, the Scion xB is the heaviest option. Major exterior features include:

15-inch steel wheels
Power side mirrors
Power sunroof with tilt feature (optional)
Front fog lights (optional)
Privacy glass
Rear spoiler

Safety
9.0/10

The 2011 Kia Soul has secured an overall 4-star safety rating from the NHTSA and mostly ‘Good’ ratings from the IIHS in crash tests. A ‘Poor’ rating has been given by the IIHS in the overview front small overlap driver-side test. Apart from the structural strength, the 2011 Kia Soul has some safety features to keep the passengers safe inside. Major safety features include:

Cruise control
Tire pressure monitoring system
ABS
Electronic stability control
Dual frontal airbags
Rear child safety locks

Final Verdict

After a thorough evaluation, we found that the 2011 Kia Soul is an overall great package. However, the competitor from Scion has beaten the Kia Soul in every single area except the ground clearance and fuel economy. Therefore, you either go with a sophisticated Kia Soul or choose the Scion xB with a slightly higher price tag. The Nissan Cube fails to make a mark in front of the other two rivals in the segment.

Trims

Base
$13,300 onwards

15-inch steel Wheels
A-Spec Sport Seats
Cloth Seat trim
Front manual air conditioning
Seek-Scan Radio
Sirius AM/FM/Satellite

PLUS
$15,495 onwards

16-inch silver aluminum Wheels
Remote keyless entry

!
$18,495 onwards

Sliding and tilting glass Sunroof

Sport
$18,495 onwards

18-inch silver aluminum Wheels
Front Fog/driving lights
Heated mirrors

Compare to similar cars

2011 Kia Soul

7.7

Price

$13,300- $18,495

Engine

Gasoline

Rating

7.68

Horsepower

142 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque

137 lb.-ft. @ 4600 rpm

Capacity

5

Read Review

2011 Chevrolet HHR

6.4

2011 Chevrolet HHR

$18,720- $19,720

Gasoline

6.42

155 hp @ 6100 rpm

150 lb.-ft. @ 4800 rpm

5

Read Review

2011 Nissan Cube

7.6

2011 Nissan Cube

$14,740- $21,640

Gasoline

7.6

122 hp @ 5200 rpm

127 lb.-ft. @ 4800 rpm

5

Read Review

2011 Scion XB

8.0

$16,000- $19,355

Gasoline

7.98

158 hp @ 6000 rpm

162 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm

5

Read Review

2011 Kia Soul vs competitor's 0-60

	Car Name	0-60 MPH	Quarter Mile	Top Speed	Source	Compare
	2011 Kia Soul Ranked #4	9.4 sec	17.1 sec	104 mph
	2011 Scion XB Ranked #1	8.4 sec	16.4 sec	-
	2011 Nissan Cube Ranked #2	9.1 sec	17.0 sec	-
	2011 Chevrolet HHR Ranked #3	9.2 sec	17.0 sec	-

2011 Kia Soul vs competitor's MPG

	Car Name	MPG City	MPG Highway	MPG Combined	Fuel Tank Capacity	Range (C/H)	Source	Compare
	2011 Kia Soul Ranked #1	26 mpg	31 mpg	28 mpg	12.7 gal.	330.2/393.7 mi.
	2011 Nissan Cube Ranked #2	25 mpg	30 mpg	27 mpg	13.2 gal.	330/396 mi.
	2011 Chevrolet HHR Ranked #3	22 mpg	32 mpg	26 mpg	16.2 gal.	352/512 mi.
	2011 Scion XB Ranked #4	22 mpg	28 mpg	24 mpg	14 gal.	308/392 mi.

2011 Kia Soul vs competitor's dimensions

	Car Name	Length	Width	Height	Ground Clearance	Wheelbase	Source	Compare
	2011 Kia Soul Ranked #3	161.6 in.	70.3 in.	63.4 in.	6.5 in.	100.4 in.
	2011 Chevrolet HHR Ranked #1	176.2 in.	69.1 in.	63.1 in.	6.3 in.	103.5 in.
	2011 Scion XB Ranked #2	167.3 in.	69.3 in.	63.4 in.	5.1 in.	102.4 in.
	2011 Nissan Cube Ranked #4	156.7 in.	66.7 in.	65 in.	6.3 in.	99.6 in.

2011 Kia Soul vs competitor's trunk space

	Car Name	Trunk Capacity	Passenger Volume	Max Trunk Volume	Source	Compare
	2011 Kia Soul Ranked #1	19.3 cu.ft.	102.3 cu.ft.	53.4 cu.ft.
	2011 Chevrolet HHR Ranked #2	25.2 cu.ft.	97.4 cu.ft.	62.7 cu.ft.
	2011 Nissan Cube Ranked #3	11.4 cu.ft.	97.7 cu.ft.	58.1 cu.ft.
	2011 Scion XB Ranked #4	21.7 cu.ft.	110.9 cu.ft.	-

2011 Kia Soul vs competitor's cargo space

	Car Name	Cargo Volume	Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area	Max Cargo Volume	Bed Length	Source	Compare
	2011 Kia Soul Ranked #1	53.4 cu.ft.	19.3 cu.ft.	53.4 cu.ft.	-
	2011 Nissan Cube Ranked #2	8.5 cu.ft.	11.4 cu.ft.	58.1 cu.ft.	-
	2011 Chevrolet HHR Ranked #3	44.8 cu.ft.	25.2 cu.ft.	62.7 cu.ft.	98 ft.
	2011 Scion XB Ranked #4	-	21.7 cu.ft.	-	-

2011 Kia Soul vs competitor's towing capacity

	Car Name	Towing Capacity	Payload Capacity	Weight	Source	Compare
	2011 Kia Soul Ranked #2	-	-	2560 lbs.
	2011 Chevrolet HHR Ranked #1	1000 lbs.	900 lbs.	3155 lbs.
	2011 Scion XB Ranked #2	-	-	3027 lbs.
	2011 Nissan Cube Ranked #2	-	860 lbs.	2789 lbs.

2011 Kia Soul Wagon Problems, Issues, Complaints, Recalls, and which year to avoid?

2011 Kia Soul

3

Recalls

3

Investigations

192

Complaints

Overall Safety Rating

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2011 Kia Sedona

Horsepower : 271 hp @ 6300 rpm

MPG Combined : 21 mpg

0-60 : 7.6 sec

#1

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid Sedan

Horsepower : 206 hp @ 6000 rpm

MPG Combined : 36 mpg

0-60 : 8.7 sec

#2

2011 Kia Optima

Horsepower : 200 hp @ 6300 rpm

MPG Combined : 28 mpg

0-60 : 7.2 sec

#3

2011 Kia Sportage

Horsepower : 176 hp @ 6000 rpm

MPG Combined : 24 mpg

0-60 : 8.8 sec

#4

2011 Kia Sorento

Horsepower : 175 hp @ 6000 rpm

MPG Combined : 24 mpg

0-60 : 9.6 sec

#5

2011 Kia Forte

Horsepower : 156 hp @ 6200 rpm

MPG Combined : 29 mpg

0-60 : 8.1 sec

#6

2011 Kia Soul

Horsepower : 122 hp @ 6300 rpm

MPG Combined : 28 mpg

0-60 : 9.4 sec

#7

2011 Kia Rio

Horsepower : 110 hp @ 6000 rpm

MPG Combined : 31 mpg

0-60 : 9.7 sec

#8

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Kia Souls good on miles?

The 2011 Kia Soul is rated to return 24 MPG in the city and 30 MPG on the highways which together with the 12.7-gallon gas tank, offers a maximum driving range of around 361 miles. While the MPG ratings are not bad, the smaller fuel tank does compromise a bit in terms of range.

Are Kia Souls good after 100k miles?

A well-maintained Kia Soul should not have many issues for lasting around 200,000 miles provided it's driven with care and not pushed too hard. Frequent hard accelerations do tend to cause more wear and tear but the Soul should still run well even after 100,000 miles.

What problems does the 2011 Kia Soul have?

The 2011 Soul problems are rather limited and it includes stability control system faults that come up at around 10,000 miles vibrations while braking at 12,000 miles and minor suspension issues.

How much does a 2011 Kia Soul go for?

The 2011 Soul price starts at $13,300 and goes all the way to $18,495 excluding the $695 destination fee for the fully loaded model. That said, a used Kia Soul is also available for sale from $2,497 onwards.

2011 Kia Soul User Reviews

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POPULAR TAGS

employer

refill

transmission

gallon

moment

buying

KG

Kelsey Guinn

4dr Wagon (1.6L 4cyl 5M)

Not Rated

User Overall Rating

Posted On: August 10, 2024

Only bought it for a dollar but I'll be happy to replace it soon.

Pros - ["Easy to park", "still runs despite being a fire risk", "cockroach of a car till august 7th 2024"]

Cons - ["fire risk due to unsolved recall with no repair in sight.", "transmission decides when it wants to work and not work", "ONLY GETS 250 MILES PER TANK ON A 12 GALLON TANK. MY MOTHERS EQUINOX HAS A 12 GALLON TANK AND CAN EASILY GO 400 MILES!"]

This car was fleet car for my employer but since I've gotten it I've realized just how stupid my employer was for evening buying kia souls in the first place. This thing only has 4 gears, it's clunky it gets the worst mpg for a compact car with a 12 gallon tank, it only goes 250 miles before I need to refill. Transmission can't decide if it was to blow up or not, and KIA still hasn't found a repa...

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