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2020 Kia Soul: A box with no rough edges

Kia's all-new, third-generation Soul is about as satisfying as watching one of those well-done YouTube unboxing videos.

Manuel Carrillo III
A Porsche 911 S brought Manuel Carrillo III home from the hospital after he was born, so it's no surprise his lifelong trajectory has centered on cars, leading him to a robust career creating rich automotive media for publications prior to joining CNET.

The Southern California native briefly lived in Sydney, and is proud to have developed a barely passable Aussie accent. He also serves on the board of directors of the Motor Press Guild. When not reviewing cars or nerding out on OEM premium audio, you can find manual-labor-averse Manuel doing his best to convince his closest friends to fix the very Porsche that delivered him home.
Manuel Carrillo III
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The 2020 Kia Soul starts at $18,485, including $995 for destination.

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As tested, my loaded example comes in at $28,485.

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The Soul comes with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine making 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, and sends power to the front wheels via a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission.

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My Soul GT tester is equipped with a 1.6-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder making 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, which is paired exclusively with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

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The Soul GT returns an EPA-estimated 27 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg highway. I averaged 24.1 mpg.

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There's plenty of room inside for up to five occupants.

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Cargo space maxes out at 62.1 cubic feet, which is really good for a subcompact vehicle.

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The Soul's 10.3-inch touchscreen is really sharp and features an easy-to-use interface.

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Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard.

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Click or scroll further for more photos of the 2020 Kia Soul GT.

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