Kia Soul and Subaru Impreza review

The Subaru Impreza and Kia Soul are compact, versatile cars that look very different from each other. The Impreza has a low, sporty stance and a traditional hatchback design. The tall, less-expensive Soul is dressed in funky, boxy styling that has become more common in recent years.

But it's on the road where the biggest differences are apparent. The all-wheel-drive Impreza ($22,345), which was redesigned for 2012, has a smooth, comfortable ride, and the Soul ($19,270) can be unpleasantly stiff. Although the Soul is notably quicker thanks to recent engine tweaks and a new six-speed automatic transmission, performance is marred by much longer braking distances.

In some ways, the two cars are very alike, providing easy access, simple controls, similar cargo room and turning circles, and the same commendable fuel economy of 26 mpg overall. Each also suffers from a noisy cabin.

The Impreza's overall road-test score of 79 places it second in our small-hatchback Ratings, behind the Volkswagen Golf. The less-refined Soul scored a 66, but it's still a good value. We expect average or better reliability from both.

Each car is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. To improve fuel economy, Subaru downsized from the previous 2.5-liter engine and now uses a continuously variable transmission. The Impreza's gas mileage is impressive for an AWD car, but the CVT was overly aggressive with engine braking when going downhill and often held engine revs too high, resulting in added engine noise. The Soul's six-speed automatic transmission works well.

These cars deliver nimble handling, but the Impreza is more enjoyable. The grippy 17-inch performance tires on our Impreza Sport help it brake and handle better than the Impreza Premium sedan we tested for the last issue. Each car proved secure and posted a quick speed in our avoidance maneuver.

In contrast to the Impreza's impressive suspension isolation, the Soul telegraphs bumps into the cabin, but the ride improves on the highway. Both cars let in lots of engine and road noise, and the Soul adds excessive wind noise to the mix.

Drivers will find plenty of room in either cabin. Both have telescopic steering wheels, but the Impreza's doesn't push in enough for some drivers and the Soul's doesn't extend enough.

The Impreza's front seats are generous and firm, though some drivers found the seatback support to be uneven. The rear seat can fit three adults comfortably. The Soul's front seats are firm and flat, and less supportive for long drives. Its rear bench is very spacious and supportive for two but too narrow for three.

Both interiors are trimmed with a lot of hard plastics, although the Impreza adds soft tops to the dashboard and doors. Gauges and controls are simple in either car, with large, high-mounted climate and audio controls.

The Soul has much better electronics overall. Its Bluetooth works better than the Impreza's, it includes satellite radio capability, and the optional high-end audio system has a voice-activated system for operating a portable music player and a helpful backup camera, which is rare for this price.

Cargo storage is modest in each car, although the Soul has a bit more cargo space and a flat floor for easy loading.