Probably the most balanced and objective review of this car I've seen - Thank you

@DustinBatchelor

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Barry! I appreciate the comment. Trying to get my butt into more PHEV/EV seats but having a hard time finding manufacturers/dealerships willing to lend me their cars.

@barryhaeger4284

7 жыл бұрын

I'm hoping to try out the Soul and Hyundai Ioniq asap. I'm a mission I've 12 months left on my current lease contract and to get out early wouldn't be too smart and with new models launching all the time who knows what EV I'll get into spring 2018

In the US this version of the Kia Soul is called the EV+. Used ones can be found online with excellent prices (well under $15000 US), low miles, one owner, etc. It has some very nice features that aid in saving energy such as heated AND ventilated front seats and heated back seats (but not ventilated), "driver only" HVAC mode and several driving modes. Nice vehicle. It's rated at 93 miles of range, but with care you can get quite a bit more than that.

Just bought my Kia a couple of months ago and this is one of the reviews I helped based my purchase on. Thanks! I kind of wish I didn't get the red on black version because I dislike eye-catching features, but besides that I love this car. It handles and drives super smooth, but most importantly it is fully electric. I drive twenty miles a day roughly so it's lower range is only really noticed when I have to make a one hundred mile drive round trip three times a year. In those cases, I literally just plan to stop and have lunch somewhere and charge while I eat. It's not even an inconvenience if you can plan accordingly. Also I almost solely drive in regenerative brake mode because it gives a similar sensation to after you downshift in a manual transmission vehicle and lose momentum that way. It is super fun and after you get used to it, I feel like it's the better than regular Drive mode where you actually need to use your brakes for more than a complete stop.

I have similar taste in cars, I like boxy wired shaped car. I love the Kia Soul, BMW i3, scion ext. inside feels like a house with high ceilings.

Thankyou. Best review and opinion I have seen. Booked to test drive a used one in 2 weeks. Been driving EV for 5 years and would not go back. Happy Christmas.

@DustinBatchelor

7 жыл бұрын

mdad hdad thanks for the comments! Good luck with the test drive and Merry Christmas!

Very nice non biased review. I'm about to order a Soul or a i3. Leaf design for me is a no go. I think I'll go for the Kia, the stupid door construction on the i3 I think will be annoying in the long run. And the Kia is way cheaper here in Sweden.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mats! The Soul EV is definitely a great vehicle that you can't go wrong with. The i3 is fantastic, but it has some short comings. The door design, and the extremely narrow tires, are major turn offs for a lot of people.

Great review - very comprehensive. I have one for a day next week - really looking forward to that

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment! Have fun with the Soul, it's a great car.

Thanks for the ramblings man, possibly going to pick one of these in a few days. This video helped me choose. Much appreciated.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Hey that's awesome! Let me know how you like it!

Hi Dustin, really Good review, this comment is five years later from the UK, and I am just getting a used 2018 model Kia Soul EV, I have not driven the car, I have bought it online, and after watching your review, I am convinced I have done the right thing, the only EV I have driven is a Nissan Leaf. I have subscribed to your channel.

@DustinBatchelor

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to comment William! Let me know how you like the car once you've lived with it for a few weeks :)

@abakrem

3 жыл бұрын

@@DustinBatchelor Hi Dustin, we have had the Kia Soul EV for nearly a month now, and we really love the car, it is everything we had hoped it would be, and more, thanks again for your review of this vehicle.

We've had the KSEV for over a month now, and I must say one of the best things about it, compared to a fossil car, is the effortlessness of the drive with an EV, it's so relaxing and yet so fun. I always drive in B-mode, just for the one-pedal drive. The car is able to recapture even more energy when you use the brakes. I tried to brake hard with the motor consumption on the screen, and it went to -75kW, that's much more than just lifting off, even in B-mode. Wish It had a B-plus mode :-)

@DustinBatchelor

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment! You're going to love it even more the longer you have it!

Nice review! Looks like Kia Soul EV will be much easier to drive than Leaf and eGolf, with infotainment system much simpler and responsive. This I consider, one of the most important feature in Electric cars. With Charging stations much less in number than gas stations, it would be important to know how much range is left and where is the nearest charging station with the click of a button, even while driving. Also, I would like to quickly get an idea how much the car has charged when parked. Kia has made it much easier for users to get access to these features than most of the electric cars. By the way, I first thought it was weird that you were somewhere from northern US and talking in metric system. Only when you mentioned Vancouver, I said to myself, "aha! from Canada!" :-P

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Rahil!

I just picked one of these up yesterday. It's gotta a surprisingly premium interior with good build quality and materials. I was not expecting that! And the passenger space is really pretty spacious. But the cargo area is meager. I was a little surprised that the seating position is more like an SUV than a hatch. This is the first EV that I've owned. Tbh I am a little underwhelmed. I was expecting it to blow me away as showing me that EVs are the future. But I'm not so sure.

I've been following some youtube videos from England, and EVs seem to be very popular over there. My favourite so far is the VW eUp! I wish they had that one here. Thanks for the test on the Soul. From me up island.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment and watching the video. Much appreciated!

I really like the Soul ev and don't like the Leaf's looks.The 2020 updated Soul ev model is awesome. Thank you for your insightful review of the 2016.

Was trying to figure out where you are, then it hit me near the end, Victoria. I lived there for twenty years before moving back to Ontario ten years ago. Looks like they're been some changes.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment! Yeah there has been so much development here, it's insane

Thanks for making this. I am considering the Kia Soul EV+ too. I love the heated steering wheel and the tall luggage area, great for moving larger items than the Leaf can fit. I love how utilitarian it is, and have you checked out the Sun & Fun option with the full length sunroof!? If I could give you some advice on your video making, if you edit all the times when your just thinking or your saying the same thing again, then it would be a much more enjoyable video to watch. But keep it up! :-)

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback Michael!

Nice video Thanks .Fancy electric next as we are getting ripped off in Scotland . 1pound 15pence a litre even though its made 30 miles away and crude oil from the North Sea.........direct.

Hi Dustin. I see a fair bit of dash reflection in the windscreen on the video. Did this bother you at all in real world driving. I am planning on trying the soul ev in the near future. Thanks for the informative video.

@DustinBatchelor

7 жыл бұрын

Ellis Toms Hi Ellis, thanks for the question. It's been a while since I've been in a Kia Soul EV but I don't remember reflection and glare being an issue. Please let me know what you think of the car once you test drive it! Are you looking at new or used?

very good review honest

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks Simon!

@simonmills9427

8 жыл бұрын

Your welcome

Thanks for the review and I wish we had the VW e golf here in Canada you could've done the same route. Last week I sat in BMW i3 but did not went for a test ride I wish I could but there was no demo there available any how I'm going to wait for when there more use ones available at about 1/2 the price when new. I work on European cars this is why I mentioned VW and BMW the Audi A3 E tron is an other one you could take for a test drive they are available in Canadian dealers it has less EV range than the Volt I think I would be curious to see what you think since you own a volt.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

+V10PDTDI Thanks for the comments! I also wish the VW eGolf was here. I'm planning on driving the A3 eTron to see how it compares to my Volt. Not sure when though :)

I'm considering buying an EV and have narrowed it down to the Soul and the Leaf. So your video was very informative for me. I got a lot to think about. What was the trunk space and the rear seat space like for both?

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

+jhchan69 Thanks for the question! Getting in and out of the Soul rear seating was a bit easier, but I find the seating more comfortable in the Leaf. I also feel that there is more trunk space in 2013 and newer Leafs than the Soul. Not to say that the Soul didn't have a lot of room, it's just a bit bigger in the Leaf. Good luck with your decision, they are both excellent cars!

I've put 11 thousand miles on mine. I love it. I also have a 15 Leaf SL . It's interesting going back and forth comparing the two. Each has it's good points. The Kia is my favorite with features like the opening glass sun roof and a great sound system. The Leaf seems to be smoother and handling is a little more fun perhaps. The LED head lights in the Leaf are better than the Souls in my view. But the Soul is more comfortable. The seat and seating position is better for me. The Leaf seat gives me a back ache. It just doesn't fit me right like the Kia. My partner who is a little shorter prefers the Leaf seat. A big thing is that the Kia charges faster. If my Leaf had the 30 kWh battery, I would be much happier with it.

Dustin, thanks for your review on Soul EV. I have a question for you as it is my first time thinking of getting EV and lives in Seattle, WA which is close climate as you. Is EV any issue with winter weather like ours for driving?Thanks for your help.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

Hi Ann, thanks for the question. Our weather is perfect for EVs, and I believe every edition of the Kia Soul EV comes with the heat pump system now. I'd suggest the luxury edition though, as it has some really great features.

I wish I could buy the EV Soul here in the Midwest. I drive a 2010 Soul and would look into the EV but my Kia dealer said they can't sell them here.

@mrjaffar

8 жыл бұрын

Laura Bodycombe 'They can't sell them here.' Why? Are the vested interested ICE dealers blocking at the state level?

If you ever had the chance to do another review of the Soul, it would be interesting to do it with your wife to see what her preoperative is, especially since she is also an EV driver. You mentioned riders in the i3 being physically ill and that BMW was making changes. Please elaborate. Sounds intriguing. What is the issue and what changes are BMW doing to fix the problem.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

+Statimtek Thanks for the comment! I would have liked for my wife to drive the car but I only had the Soul EV for a short amount of time. Unfortunately BMW isn't releasing an update to the i3 to address the issue. The issue is that there is constant heavy engine braking whenever you let the accelerator pedal off. Most EVs have a heavy regenerative mode similar to this, but they also have a more free running mode which lets the car coast instead of recapturing all that energy. The heavy regenerative mode causes the car to be far more jerky of a ride, and the i3 was to the point that even when driving the car, my wife got very sick. BMW could have avoided this by just adding an option in the menu or another drive selector mode. Of course this can be avoided by using cruise control, but cruise control won't work in city driving. Thanks again!

It`s Allen from two and a half men.....!!!

Love my leaf, but going for a test drive of a tesla model s P85D on April 1st

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

You'll love the Tesla, such an amazing vehicle.

@RichardHaydenuk

8 жыл бұрын

I only hope I love my leaf after LOL

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

+Richard Hayden haha, you'll still appreciate what the Leaf does and what it stands for, but you'll want the Tesla. I was surprised how the Tesla felt like a small car even though it's freaking huge.

@RichardHaydenuk

8 жыл бұрын

Which tesla s did you drive??

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

+Richard Hayden it was a while ago, but it was the p85. The D wasn't available yet, so yes, kind of jealous!

Honest opinion... I'm looking into the Kia Soul EV+ for work but the line of work I do is LVN Field Nurse (Patient visits to their houses). Do you think it would be a good choice? I would have 8 patients a day and all within at least a 20 mile radius. Thanks...

@DustinBatchelor

7 жыл бұрын

Josefina Rios honestly I think it would be a great choice for that. Just make sure to get the rapid charger option so you can easily extend your range for longer trips. It's a great vehicle!

@nurse_josie

7 жыл бұрын

I'm new to the whole EV thing and honestly not sure what you mean by that lol, is that the charger you have to install at home versus using the standard outlet? Also if you could please explain the B mode, it's okay to drive in that mode the whole time right? Thanks for your answers lol, the sells lady at the dealership seemed new to selling cars and wasn't very informative lol. Thanks again!

@DustinBatchelor

7 жыл бұрын

First off you'll find most sales people are hopeless when it comes to EVs. The fast charger is a different plug that is commonly known as a DC fast charger. These are ultra fast chargers that can give your vehicle an 80% charge in 30 minutes. You can't install these at home but will find them on freeways, town centers etc. B mode is just a different drive mode that you can use at all times. Essentially when b mode is on, when you let go of the accelerator the car engine brakes itself much harder than normal. This recovers more energy. Some people like driving in this mode all the time, others like to use it only when they are coming up to a stop. Most EVs have this mode. I use it in stop and go traffic, city driving, and coming up to a stop.

@nurse_josie

7 жыл бұрын

Got ya and thanks man. I'm in Southern California where there has been an increase of charge stations in the area which will be no problem then. You've been a big help ;-)

@DustinBatchelor

7 жыл бұрын

Anytime! Feel free to ask me anything. If you buy one let me know what you think of it :)

Hi Dustin, OK, so we finally plumped for the e-Golf (like this one: kzread.info/dash/bejne/fYmVm9aHZs3blqg.html). We don't need much range and it was the least expensive, smoothest-riding, quiet, fast, solid EV option (the doors go: "thunk!"). We also looked at Soul EV, LEAF, i3 Rex, and 2016 Volt. They are all good in different ways but this was an excellent deal, possibly because VW stripped the 2015 version down a bit for the 2016 SE (no cruise, no NAV, 3.6 kW charging only -- none of these are issues for us). We are using VW's Car-Net and the phone-car interface is fantastic for hands-free phone, music, checking and setting charging and climate control, and so on). We've only had it for a few days but I think that we are going to like this e-Golf a lot! I felt I owed you some feedback since you spent such a lot of time helping us all out with your reviews -- thanks again!

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

+xchopp Hey sorry I was on vacation for a couple of weeks! Congrats on the EV! I'd love to get the chance to test drive an eGolf as I've heard it's a fantastic car. Let me know your thoughts after you've owned it for a while!

@xchopp

8 жыл бұрын

Dustin Batchelor Hi Dustin, OK, we will do that!

@xchopp

8 жыл бұрын

Hi Dustin, Well after three months we are still in love with our e-Golf. I just wish more people knew about them: we seem to be the only one around here, though there are many Model S's and some LEAFs and iMievs in our neck of the woods (and there's a Mercedes B-class in our street too). We still like all the aspects mentioned earlier. Five more nice things we ought to mention: the handling is superb; heated seats; fantastically smooth regenerative braking (B model is smoother than the i3 but still allows mostly one-pedal driving); the car is insanely efficient: we usually get between 4 and 5 miles per kWh -- and this includes driving up big hills with gusto); and same trunk space as a normal Golf (we removed the floor and two tote bins fit in there just fine). There are only a few things we'd change: 1. Bigger range. Hopefully, the next e-Golf will have a much bigger range -- and allow consecutive fast charges for long trips. If VW can fix those, we'd consider a VW EV even though we had a deposit on a Model 3 on day one. I would like to emphasize a few range-related points: first, the current EPA estimated range of 84 miles is completely adequate for 99% of our driving needs; second, charging at home on a normal 120v socket is completely adequate and we haven't used L2 charging at all; third, the AC hardly hurts the range at all; 2. They put the Start button right next to the Mode button and the car will stop if you hit the former by mistake: this is a double design flaw. The car should not stop if you hit the Start button while in motion -- and the Mode button ought to be on the wheel/stick somewhere. This is no longer an issue for me as I just leave it in Normal -- I enjoy the EV acceleration so much! It's almost like driving a GTi. 3. A few truly minor things: Charge port: needs a small LED light when open and reconfiguring so that the charge gun can't hit the car body when you pull it out (you have to be careful and pull up and out; maybe some kind of guard on the lower part of the body?). 4. Needs an "Electric Drive" (as on Merc B-class) or EV sign somewhere: it's a bit too anonymous in this respect. We EV early adopters want people to know these vehicles are available and go like the wind! Speaking of which, we purchase our jiuce from a wind farm, so it's gotta be one of the cleanest drives (yes, we have a sticker in the rear window that says "Powered by WIND...").

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

xchopp Wow, I definitely need to try and drive one of these cars! All your points make sense, and I'm so glad you love the car! I especially agree on the final point about signage on vehicles. It needs to be visible and stand out a bit to at least get other people sitting in traffic thinking about the very real choice that is available to them now. Thanks for taking the time to give me an update, I appreciate it!

I too wish VW had an ev. I would trade in the Bradley. they would be a good owner for a classic VW ev.

@DustinBatchelor

8 жыл бұрын

+Eric Jenkins VW actually makes several Electric Vehicles right now, they just don't sell them everywhere. The Volkswagen eGolf is very popular in a few European countries, and will be getting a boot to 180 mile range in late 2017. By the way, thanks for the comment and the subscription, I appreciate it.

@jenkinseric2

8 жыл бұрын

+Dustin Batchelor I am watching your Soul video and trying to reply. I have 4 vehicles right now and would like to reduce that to 2. The Bradley is wonderful car but a low sports car that needs ongoing work/development and I want to work on the Beetle. If I had a production ev that had decent range I could have just the van for work and then retire soon and drive only the leaf/soul/volt/bolt/tesla

U know you have a backing camerea. No need to turn around hahahaha