Kia Soul

Back in 2014 Kia unveiled its second generation of the Soul. It employed more dramatic styling, bolder lines and higher levels of standard kit.

Despite its rugged, off-roady looks, all models are limited to front-wheel-drive only, seeing as Kia had decided that buyers "desire the appearance, semi-elevated driving position and perceived safety advantages" of an SUV, but the efficiency and practicality of a 2WD car. That's not the only limitation though - there isn't a wide choice of engines. You're stuck with a 130 bhp 1.6-litre GDi (petrol) unit or a 126 bhp 1.6-litre CRDi (diesel), both mated to a 6-speed manual 'box with the 6-speed auto being offered for just the diesel engine.

On the subject of engines, efficiency ranges from a claimed 38.7 to 56.6 mpg, far from impressive by today's standards. CO2 emissions aren't great either - 132-170 g/km.

Despite being a poor contester with its powertrains, the Soul is very practical. Growing in length and width but being shorter has given the Soul a more modern, sleek appeal. Ease of use is is what Kia was focused on with this update, as the 62mm wider boot opening means the 354-litre boot is super-practical (volume up by 4%). Behind the 60:40 split folding rear seats is a 994-litre space, or 1,367 litres should you choose to fill to the roof. Shame about the giant load lip and the lip created when the seats are folded.

Standard equipment includes DAB, a tyre pressure monitoring system, colour-coordinated bumpers, door handles and mirrors, air conditioning, all-round electric windows, electrically adjustable door mirrors, a multifunction steering wheel, USB and auxiliary inputs and 6 airbags.

That's all on entry level Start. Step up to Connect for 17-inch alloys, front fog lights, a reversing camera, cruise control, automatic lights and Bluetooth. Connect Plus ups the game with an Infinity premium sound system, an 8-inch touchscreen and automatic air con. Mixx brings 18-inch alloys, LED daytime running lights, rear privacy glass, front heated seats, electrically folding mirrors and the 2-tone paint job. A panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery and front and rear parking sensors all come as standard on top-of-the-range Maxx models.

Oh, and did I mention there's now a Kia Soul EV? A fully electric version which only means one thing - no poor running costs. It comes with 16-inch lightweight alloys, super low rolling resistance tyres, an 8-inch touchscreen, reversing camera, automatic dual-zone climate control, LED DRLs, heated front seats and steering wheel, keyless entry and go, DAB, privacy glass and a special upholstery individually tailored for the EV model. It uses a 27 kWh lithium ion polymer battery  to produce 109 bhp. Realistically, you'll achieve the lower end of Kia's claimed 60-132 mile range if you were to drive it in a 'normal' way.

It's suitably priced and cheaper than the Citroën C4 Cactus, Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008, Nissan Juke, Škoda Yeti and Mini Countryman. The Cactus' CO2 emissions start at just 82 g/km, and even the worst in the list, the Countryman, kicks off its emissions at 118 g/km. The Cactus, again offering the best, is said to achieve 94.2 mpg at the best, whereas most cars will achieve more than 50 mpg.

So the Kia is way behind in terms of running costs and engine choices in general. If Kia were to address this issue, I could definitely see the sales of the Soul shoot up. It's a nice car that stands out from its crowd of rivals and is impressively well-equipped. It's a shame that potential buyers are overlooking it in favour of more economical cars.