Kia SUV Comparison · New York City

Kia Soul vs Seltos vs Sportage: Soul Trims and Best Alternatives

Published November 4, 2026 · Last updated November 4, 2026

Kia Soul vs Kia Seltos is the comparison New Yorkers have been running since the Seltos arrived, and it has a new urgency: Kia built its last Soul for the 2025 model year. The three vehicles here are the Soul, the box that parks anywhere and starts at $20,290; the Seltos, the subcompact SUV that grew for 2027, offers all-wheel drive on every trim and starts at $24,990; and the Sportage, the compact SUV with a 232-hp hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and a $28,990 starting price. Below, how the Soul stacks up against each, what the Soul's LX, S, GT-Line and EX trims actually included, and where a Soul shopper should look now.

Kia Soul vs Seltos vs Sportage at a Glance

Trading In a Soul? Get It Valued and the Replacement Priced

Most people reading this already own a Soul. Tell us the year, trim and mileage of yours, which of the three you are leaning toward, Seltos, Sportage or another Soul, and the best way to reach you, and a Plaza Kia product specialist will send a Kelley Blue Book-based trade figure, the matching units on the lot and Plaza pricing with this month's Kia offers already applied. A quick reply during business hours, with no deposit and no obligation.

Is the Seltos the Same Size as the Soul?

The Seltos launched for 2021 on a version of the Soul's platform with the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder, and the all-new 2027 Seltos keeps that 147-hp engine in LX, S, EX and X-Line S trims. The difference is what Kia wrapped around it: the 2027 Seltos is 9.2 inches longer than the Soul, 1.1 inches wider, rides on a 3.5-inch-longer wheelbase, and stands up to 2 inches taller, which is why it reads as an SUV where the Soul reads as a tall hatchback. It carries 27.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat to the Soul's 24.2, and 64.2 to 62.1 with the seats down.

The Seltos also answers the Soul's two oldest complaints: all-wheel drive, never offered on a Soul, is $1,700 on LX, S and EX and standard on X-Line with up to 8.1 inches of clearance, and every 2027 Seltos has a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto where the Soul LX made do with 8 inches. Fuel economy is close, EPA figures put the front-drive Seltos at 28/33/30 against the Soul's 29/35/31, and the price gap at the bottom of the range is about $4,700. For a Soul owner trading up, this is the default answer; our Seltos trims compared guide walks the lineup.

How Much Bigger Is the Sportage Than the Soul?

Kia Soul vs Kia Sportage is a size-class jump, not a sibling rivalry. The Sportage is 18.3 inches longer, 2.5 inches wider and rides on a wheelbase 6.1 inches longer than the Soul's, and the cabin shows it: 41.3 inches of rear legroom to the Soul's 38.8 and 39.6 cubic feet behind the rear seat to 24.2, enough for a double stroller and a Costco run at once. The standard 2.5-liter makes 187 hp, 40 more than the Soul, and AWD is $1,800 on most trims.

The Sportage's real argument is the hybrid. The Sportage Hybrid's 232-hp 1.6-liter turbo hybrid is EPA-rated 40/42/41 with front-wheel drive, 10 mpg better than the Soul combined and 11 better in the city, and it starts at $30,590. The Plug-in Hybrid adds 34 miles of electric range at $40,590. The cost is money and space: the gas Sportage LX is $28,990, about $8,700 above a Soul LX, and the extra foot and a half is the difference between a Carroll Gardens curb spot and a garage. The Sportage is the better vehicle; the Soul is the better parker. Our Kia Seltos vs Sportage comparison picks between the two SUVs if the Soul drops off your list.

Is the Niro or K4 a Better Soul Replacement?

Two other Kias pick up pieces of the Soul's job. The 2027 Niro is the efficiency play: a 139-hp 1.6-liter hybrid rated 53 mpg city and 50 combined, 19 mpg better than the Soul, in a 174-inch body with 21.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat, from $29,890, about $9,600 above a Soul; for 2027 the Niro EV and Plug-in Hybrid were dropped, so it is hybrid-only and front-drive only. The K4 Hatchback is the closer spiritual match: a five-door at a car price, $25,090 for the EX with the Soul's 147-hp 2.0-liter, 22.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.3 folded, a 12.3-inch screen and heated seats standard, at 174.4 inches long, the same length as the Seltos. It gives up the Soul's tall seating position but drives better and has a future. See our 2027 K4 sedan and hatchback guide and, for the three-way SUV decision, Kia Niro vs Sportage vs Seltos.

What Were the 2025 Soul Trims: LX vs S vs GT-Line vs EX?

The 2025 Soul came in four trims, all with the 147-hp 2.0-liter, a continuously variable transmission and front-wheel drive. The LX, $20,290, had 16-inch steel wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cloth seats, forward collision avoidance and lane keeping assist, and a $500 Technology Package that added blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. The S, $22,790, is the trim to look for used: 16-inch alloys, the 10.25-inch touchscreen, smart cruise control with stop-and-go, the blind-spot system standard, a leather-wrapped wheel and better cloth.

The GT-Line, $23,890, was the look-at-me Soul: 18-inch wheels, a sport grille and bumpers, LED headlights and fog lights, sport seats and red accents, with the same engine as everything else. The EX, $24,590, was the comfort trim: 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, a 10.25-inch screen with navigation and Kia Connect, and a 10-way power driver's seat, with Harman Kardon audio available. New for 2025 was the Soulmate Special Edition, worth knowing when you scan used listings: exclusive 18-inch wheels, a two-tone roof, lower body cladding, Umber interior trim and Harman Kardon audio. EPA ratings ran 29/35/31 on the LX and S and slightly lower on the 18-inch trims. Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty covers the original owner only; Kia Certified Pre-Owned restores 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage from the original in-service date.

Is the Soul Still Sold? Best New Alternatives

No new Soul is being built. Kia's newsroom confirmed the 2025 model year as the last, ending a run that began in 2010, and the final cars reached dealers through late 2025 and early 2026. What remains is leftover 2025 stock at a shrinking number of dealers, usually discounted, and a steady supply of two- to five-year-old Souls on the used and certified pre-owned market, where a 2022 to 2024 S or EX typically lands well under $20,000. Plaza Kia lists both in used Kia inventory and certified pre-owned Kia inventory.

For a new vehicle: the Seltos is the Soul's successor in all but name, from $24,990; the K4 Hatchback is the choice for a buyer who wanted a Soul-sized car rather than an SUV, from $25,090; the Sportage is the step up for a growing household, from $28,990 or $30,590 as a Hybrid; and the Niro is the pick for the highest mileage at 50 mpg combined, from $29,890. Outside Kia, the class is covered in Kia Soul vs Venue, Kicks, Encore and more.

Seltos, Sportage and Soul in Stock at Plaza Kia

Every 2027 Seltos and Sportage on the ground at Plaza Kia in Brooklyn is listed below, along with the certified pre-owned and remaining new Souls we have today. Filter by model, trim, color or price, or call (877) 545-6543 and we will line up all three nose to nose so you can judge the size jump for yourself. Free delivery within 25 miles.

Soul, Seltos or Sportage: Which Should You Buy?

Kia Soul vs Seltos vs Sportage: Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: Kia newsroom pricing releases for the 2025 Soul, 2027 Seltos, 2027 Sportage and 2027 Niro and Kia's confirmation that Soul production ended after the 2025 model year; EPA fuel-economy ratings (fueleconomy.gov); Kelley Blue Book.

*MSRP excludes destination ($1,375 on the 2025 Soul, $1,495 on the 2027 Seltos and Sportage), taxes, title and registration fees. Soul figures are for the 2025 model year, the final year of production; new-vehicle availability is limited to remaining dealer stock. Specifications and pricing are based on manufacturer information available as of November 4, 2026 and are subject to change. EPA ratings are estimates; actual mileage will vary. See dealer for details.