The Kia Soul is one of the hottest sub-compact hatchback sellers in the market, with more than 75,000 sales recorded in America in 2021. With its success, the 2022 model year added a 10.3-inch infotainment system to the S, X-Line, and GT-Line trim levels, as well as the new design Kia badges received by the entire Kia family.

This time around, the Kia Soul 2023 makes its way to the market with new styling features, an efficient lineup, new color combinations, two optional packages, and a plethora of standard safety features. Kia has made a lot of changes to the Soul compact crossover. The one sad change is the loss of the 201-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter engine.

The 2023 Kia Soul goes on sale in the summer of 2022, which places the release date somewhere between June and September. With the dropping of the off-road-inspired X-Line and the high-powered Turbo trim, the 2023 Kia Soul lineup is now available in five versions: LX, S, EX, GT-Line, and GT-Line Tech.

Here’s a glance into our favorite features of the new 2023 Kia Soul, and why you should have it on your wishlist.

2023 Kia Soul Gets A Fresh Face

Blue 2023 Kia Soul on display
Kia

For the 2023 model year, the Kia Soul comes with a redesigned exterior. At the fascia, the lineup features a new grille, which brings it on par with the grilles of other recent Kia models.

For a more unique and modern finish, the designers created new daytime running lights and turn signals – both of which elevate the car’s frontal design. The Soul also received significant changes to its rear, including upgraded taillights.

Now, buyers can choose new 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels. These fresh wheels boost the car’s profile with a more aggressive look. What we also love is the new color choices including two new two-tone schemes where buyers can opt to combine either Clear White or Surf Blue with Fusion Black roof.

RELATED: Here's Why The Kia Soul 2021 Became The 2021 J.D. Power Quality Winner

Spacious Cabin And Great Technology Features Of The New Kia Soul

2023-kia-soul-interior
Kia

The 2023 Kia Soul has a stunning interior, featuring a well-designed dashboard and high-quality seat upholstery. The interior of the Kia Soul has up to 101 cubic feet of passenger volume. This offers plenty of headroom and legroom for the front and rear occupants on all five trim levels. The cargo space measures around 24 cubic feet, which is not too large, but spacious enough to hold a reasonable amount of travel luggage.

Another thing we admire is the technology. The subcompact hatchback packs some cool gadgets. This includes the standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. For a few extra bucks, users can have a head-up display, heating seats and steering wheel, and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

The only trim level with the 8.0-inch infotainment screen is the LX model. The rest of the lineup gets a larger 10.3-inch screen, which comes standard with in-dash navigation, the wireless smartphone charging pad, SiriusXM satellite radio, and real-time traffic information.

RELATED: Here's Everything You Need To Know About The 2022 Kia Soul

The Reduced Engine Lineup Of The New Kia Soul

2023-kia-soul-rear-left
Kia

For the 2023 model year, the feisty, turbocharged 201-hp 1.6-liter engine has dropped out of the lineup. This means the only engine is the standard 2.0-liter inline-4 motor which makes 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. Based on what we’ve seen so far, this output isn’t front-page news. Still, the 2023 Kia Soul’s powertrain and drivetrain are the perfect synergies, paving the way for an excellent throttle and shifting. The engine channels power to the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission system. This automatic gearbox comes with a manual shifting mode as well. Also, keep in mind that no all-wheel-drive system is available.

Performance-wise, the 2023 Kia Soul doesn’t disappoint. It's peppy enough, and it provides a smooth ride and solid driving dynamics. Also, its spacious interior gives occupants plenty of room to spread out.

Expect the 2022 Kia Soul to have the same EPA rating as last year’s line-up, which is 28-29 in the city and 33-35 on the highway. The exact rating depends on the trim. With these ratings, the Soul slightly overshadows the Toyota C-HR’s estimates of 27 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway.