Kia Soul Quantum 1.6 GDi 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The performance credentials for the top-of-the-range Quantum are the same as those for the cheaper models and the 1.6 litre engine delivers 138bhp at 6300 rpm with 122lb-ft of torque.

This is a decent amount of power considering the car's size and gives the model a top speed of 112 mph. Unfortunately, the petrol engine needs to worked hard to achieve this. There is a lot of roll experienced in bends and noise disturbance is also high. The diesel engined model is quieter and more refined.

The steering is light but the suspension fails to offer the high quality expected. Overall, the car performs well in the city but struggles when taken out of town.

The Soul has a distinctive appearance with a bulky and somewhat boxy shape. Unfortunately, this style is not continued in the interior where a cheap finish fails to match the luxurious detail of rivals such as the Citroen C3 Picasso and Nissan Juke.

In terms of equipment you get power steering, central locking, stability control, electric door mirrors, electric windows, an advanced stereo with CD player and MP3 connectivity as well as Bluetooth connectivity as standard.

The Quantum offers additional features as well, with the air conditioning of the standard model replaced with climate control. Metallic paint becomes a standard feature instead of costing an additional £435 and cruise control, rear parking sensors and leather seats also become standard features.

The tall roofline and boxy dimensions of the car provide plenty of headroom and space for passengers but unfortunately this spacious interior compromises the capacity of the boot which offers an unimpressive 340 litres when the seats are in place and 818 litres when they are folded down.

The safety kit of the Soul includes driver, passenger and front side airbags which all helped the model score a full five star rating in the NCAP crash tests for overall safety. Unfortunately there is no option for an alarm on this model, compromising security, but an immobiliser is included as standard.

In terms of reliability, the reputation of the Kia brand is high and buyers should have few concerns over their purchase. There is even a standard seven year, 100,000 mile warranty offered to provide additional reassurance.

With fuel economy of 44.1 mpg, the Kia Soul 1 1.6 GDi isn't the most economical car in the world. Unfortunately it still fails to match the more impressive credentials of the diesel model and higher carbon emissions (149 g/km) push it into road tax band F.

On top of this, the purchase price of £15,595 is a little steep and makes this model just over £3,000 dearer than the standard Soul 1 1.6 CDi. Insurance premiums should be relatively cheap as the Soul Quantum 1.6 GDi falls under insurance group 18.