The Kia Soul Is Dead. Here Is How The Internet Is Taking It

The Kia Soul was neither one of the fastest nor most exciting cars on the roads in recent years, but it certainly was one of the most affordable. Dependable cheap cars are worth celebrating, especially cheap cars which aren't totally devoid of character, and — love it or hate it — the Soul certainly had character. So, now that its day in the sun is over, we wanted to see how folks were reacting to the news. Is it time for the Soul to go, are people sad, or do they care at all?

In addition to seeking out comments and remarks from Soul enthusiasts, we thought it worthwhile to see how more notable figures in the automotive community were taking the news. Doug DeMuro felt the Soul's demise important enough to discuss on This Car Pod!, where he highlights how the Kia Soul was once the best-selling model from within the Korean automaker's lineup. That a quirky box-shaped compact performed so strongly might surprise some, but it's completely true.

In fact, over 16 years in production, more than 1.5 million units of the Soul have been sold in North America alone. Doug also observed how the demise of the Soul represents a shift in Kia's direction. For many years, Kia as a brand was associated with cheap and cheerful offerings, but the brand has since grown into a more serious automaker, with a smattering of well-developed SUVs, like the Sportage and Telluride, the latter of which we drove and reviewed just last year. These later releases are no longer presented as budget-friendly alternatives to models from more established brands, but as genuine rivals.

Doug DeMuro wasn't exactly upset that the Soul is gone, but he did recognize the important part it played in shaping and securing Kia's current position in the market. There are others who find the news a little harder to bear, such as members of the Kia Soul Owners group on Facebook. Several users expressed how sad they were to see it go, while many simply took the opportunity to express how wonderfully reliable and efficient their Souls had been.

Similarly, some fans took to Reddit to express their sadness and disappointment, while also searching for a reason why. One expressed that Kia no longer produces a vehicle that fits their needs. While the Seltos is similar, it sports an MSRP over $4,000 higher, returns fewer MPG, and — in their eyes at least — brings nothing else to the party. Last year, Consumer Reports compiled a report of the least satisfying cars to own, and the Seltos was up there as one of the worst, with only 45% of owners willing to make the purchase again. In contrast, owners of the Soul have always seemed to just fall in love with it.

YouTuber Christopher Pearce, who reports on snippets of automotive news, seemed pleased to see the Soul discontinued. He acknowledged the importance of the model in Kia's history, but also recognized the Soul's decline in sales and relevance while remembering its divisive looks. This is likely to be the outlook shared by most outside of owner and enthusiast circles. It was a great car, but times are changing — it's better to go out a hero than to overstay your welcome.