I recently bought a 2014 Kia Soul from a local dealer and I went in worried that by purchasing a car that wasn't as expensive I would suffer for it in quality. However this little car is big on the inside, has a great deal of power under the hood and has a lot of features for a very reasonable price. There are both pros and cons for the car (the cons I can mostly ignore, because they are small and can be fixed or avoided), but overall I think it was the right choice for me and for the right price; it allowed me to upgrade from my worn out 2002 Ford Explorer that was hitting the 300,000 miles mark... so that's always a plus.

I purchased this car used, with just over 16,000 miles on it. I got a great deal on it, and given the low mileage, I was comfortable with it being used. Within days of purchasing the car, I took it on a 1,000-mile road trip! The seats were incredibly comfortable! There was next to no highway noise, even at 75 mph! The stereo system sounds great, and the steering wheel controls made it very easy to use while driving. The gas mileage for the car is wonderful. Even now with 36,000+ miles on it, I still average 31mpg! I am disabled and rely on crutches to get around, and this car allows me to get in and out with ease, and gives me plenty of space for my crutches. I've even been able to fit a queen-sized mattress in the car with the hatch closed properly! The biggest down side is when it comes to the oil changes. The manufacturer will say you only need an oil change every 5,000 miles. At first, I got my oil changes every 5,000 miles at the dealership. At one point, due to some scheduling conflicts, I had to take my vehicle elsewhere for my oil change. It was a quick stop type place. The employee at the shop showed me the dipstick, and the oil did not look good. He explained to me that even though Kia says the vehicle only needs the oil changed every 5,000 miles, the engine actually burns the oil a little hotter and the car really needs it every 3,000 to properly maintain it. I have started getting the oil changed every 3,000 miles since then, and the vehicle seems to be running significantly smoother!