Kia offers no less than six trims in the Soul lineup, most with their own unique exterior styling themes, and some are bolder than others. After a recent browsing of all the variations on Kia’s build site—spanning the entry-level LX, S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX, and GT Turbo—I started daydreaming about swiping bits and pieces from the other five trims in an attempt to achieve a custom look for the mid-range, straight-shooter Soul EX.
Even though I rather like the styling of the Soul EX—and have even suggested it sort of looks like a mini Range Rover—it’s still fun to imagine the Soul I could mold by combining parts from other trims. This is where the mind wanders when there are so few complaints about the Soul, which remains one of our top-ranked subcompact SUVs despite not offering all-wheel drive.
Our long-term EX rides on upgraded 18-inch wheels with low-profile tires (the EX comes standard with 17-inch wheels). The short sidewalls have an adverse effect on ride comfort and cabin noise, so I’d happily switch to the 16-inch wheels available on the Soul S. Not only would the taller sidewall likely provide a more compliant, quieter ride, but I also prefer the styling and finish of the 16-inch wheel.
From the off-road-y Soul X-Line trim I’d snatch the tough-looking, aggressive body cladding on the lower part of the doors, fenders, and rocker panels. None of these additions alter the Soul’s ability to go off-road, they immediately up its curb appeal. Additionally, I’d borrow the X-Line’s silver roof rails, which spruce up the vehicle’s crown.
I’d also like to alter the EX’s side mirrors by swapping to the silver-capped mirrors from X-Line and merging them with the LED turn signal indicators from the Soul Turbo model.
For a brief moment I also considered adding the big, bold “Hot Stamping” grille and unique front fascia from the GT-Line Soul. Ultimately, though, I decided that I prefer the EX’s grille as-is; the GT-Line grille is just a bit too assertive.
Last, to add some driving joy to the above aesthetic changes, I’d swap out the EX’s continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) for the six-speed manual that comes standard in the basic Soul LX. I take no issue with the EX’s transmission, and I think it’s rather good for a CVT, but the idea of shifting my own gears in my custom one-off Soul sounds like fun.
Want to build your own Soul, at least within the boundaries of what Kia offers? Check out its online configurator and go to town.
