2010 Kia Soul Exclaim Review – Creating Memories

by Courtney Caldwell

 

Lime Rickey. That’s the first thing that came to mind when this week’s test car arrived; the new 2010 Kia Soul Exclaim. I haven’t thought about a Lime Rickey since I was a kid growing up in total anonymity in Rhode Island, the smallest state in the union. Suddenly, a flood of wonderful childhood memories filled my head. We were off to a good start.

Its shade of lime green, which Kia calls "Alien", and unique styling certainly stood out in the crowd.

 

Everywhere I went from farm roads to freeways people stopped and stared, with the same head-scratching look of amazement on their faces. Perhaps Kia should have named the vehicle the Kia Alien instead of the paint! With thumbs up and smiles of approval it was clear most wondered what the heck it was and who made it, a good thing for Kia indeed.

 

I must say I was impressed with its easy handling and numerous comfort creatures inside. What I liked most about the Soul was its dashboard simplicity. Finding the radio band button was a cinch, as were the A/C and heating controls, leaving my eyes on the road where they belonged instead of constantly searching for the right buttons. In my book, that was a huge plus in the safety department. It seems so many of the high-end vehicles place the controls in the strangest places making them difficult to find while driving. I’m not sure why they do that but what I do know is that the Kia Soul offered one of the easiest and most manageable dashboards I’ve ever seen.

 

With a global warming score of 8 out of 10 and fuel economy estimates of 24MPG city and 30MPG highway, the Kia Soul is more earth friendly than many others in its class. This model came fully loaded with more than you’d expect for its remarkably low price of $18K. Add to that its 10 year/100,000 warranty and 24-hour roadside assistance, and it’s safe to say that this little SUV is more than capable of reaching destinations beyond the tiny borders of Rhode Island and creating a multitude of new memories along the way.   

 

To quench your curiosity about the 2010 Kia Soul Exclaim, click here.

 

For more 2010 New Car Reviews from RTM, click here.

 

Subscribe to Roadandtravel Blog   Become a Facebook Fan