2019 Kia Soul Third Generation

According to some rumors, we could see the third generation of this crossover already as 2019 Kia Soul. The famous model is considered as one of the most amazing small crossovers on the market. With its great quality and highly approachable price, it is definitely among leaders in the segment. Many manufacturers offer their models in this class, but none of them offers such an amazing balance between price and quality, so they usually cost more.

The original version of this model came in 2009 and we have seen the first redesign only five years later. So, if we consider its short production cycle, it is better not to dismiss these rumors about redesign at the moment. The testing model has been spotted, but it is unclear will this be a complete overhaul or the company wants to extend production of the current model with some kind of a mid-cycle refresh.

2019 Kia Soul redesign

As we already mentioned, there are two possibilities for 2019 Kia Soul, and both of them include changes. The first one is a complete redesign. It this case, the spotted testing mule comes not just with new styling, but also with many other, more significant changes. In this case, we will see a completely new architecture, which will bring improvements in various aspects, such as better driving experience, better usage of space, more convenient interior etc. Also, this will probably mean some novelties under the hood. However, it is still early to make such predictions, especially when it comes to technical specifications. Redesigns usually bring new or updated engines, with more power, better efficiency, and similar things.

2019 Kia Soul update

Another possible scenario is a mid-cycle update. The current model is doing very well on the market, so it is a little bit irrational to go for a redesign in such hurry. So, a mid-cycle update sounds more likely. The testing model wears almost a complete camouflage, so we can presume that some big visual improvement is about to come. Just like it is usual for a mid-cycle refresh, biggest changes will be done at the front. We could see things like new headlights, new grille, bumper, but also a new hood, which will provide more rugged appearance. Other areas of the crossover will suffer as well. We should see some novelties at the rear end, such as new rear bumper, exhaust tips etc. When it comes to the interior design, 2019 Kia Soul could receive some novelties on the dashboard, but the overall layout will probably remain the same.

Engine Options

At this moment, it is too early to speculate about possible engine tweaks. However, one thing is for sure. The 2019 Kia Soul will surely come with pretty much same engine lineup, although some of those units could receive updates that will provide better efficiency, which eventually means more power and better fuel economy.

The current model comes with three gasoline and one diesel engine. The base version features a 1.6-liter unit with around 140 horsepower. There is also a version of this unit with 201 horsepower.

Finally, there is a proven 2.0-liter engine, which has a max output of 160 horsepower.

Kia Soul Turbo

When it comes to a diesel engine, there is a familiar turbocharged 1.6-liter unit. For this occasion, it has a max output of 201 horses. All engines are available with either manual or automatic transmission. Some reports suggest that AWD version will come with this update.

2019 Kia Soul release date and price

The 2019 Kia Soul is still far away from production and latest reports suggest that the new model will come in about a year or even year and a half. When it comes to price, we don’t expect changes. So, the base model will cost around 17.000 dollars, while top-range version could go up to 23.500 dollars.

Competition in this segment is tough. Of course, there are some better models, but its price is much higher. The models that feature some comparable prices are crossovers like Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500x and Mitsubishi Outlander.