The Kia Soul Is Dead

• The Kia Soul won't be built after October of this year.
• If you want one, what's left on dealer lots is all you'll have to choose from. 
• We always liked the Soul and will be sad to see it go.

Kia also cemented the Soul's place in history thanks to a series of ads starring rockin' and rappin' hamsters. There are people to this day who refer to the Soul as the "hamster-mobile." 

The second-generation Soul debuted for the 2014 model year and took a less conservative approach design-wise. It kind of looked like a training shoe on wheels, but it maintained the Soul's great packaging, was super affordable, and got a more upscale cabin. In 2017, the Soul got a turbocharged engine, giving it a bit more pep at the cost of some efficiency. 

In 2020, the third-generation Soul made its debut with much more modern tech, the kind of interior that contemporary Kias are largely applauded for, and a plethora of trims to pick from. The EX was the pick of the litter, though, blending style, great tech, and the Soul's penchant for practicality into a sleek package. A GT-Line model was also offered that, thanks to more power and some relatively sticky rubber, was more fun than it really had any right to be. 

A face-lift in 2023 killed off the GT-Line model, saddled the Soul with downright low-rent exterior looks, and made little in the way of meaningful interior changes. It was far from a successful rework and lacked the blend of style and substance the Soul had always been known for. It's a shame that the Soul will go out on its lowest note, but it leaves behind a cool, trend-bucking legacy that millions of buyers no doubt appreciated across its 15-year run.