Compare the2023 Kia SoulVS 2023 Hyundai Tucson

Both the Soul and the Tucson have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Soul is safer than the Hyundai Tucson:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Soul is 1.2% to 2.7% less likely to roll over than the Tucson.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Soul is faster than the Hyundai Tucson:

On the EPA test cycle the Soul gets better mileage than the Tucson:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Soul higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Tucson (5). This means the Soul produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tucson every 15,000 miles.

The Soul has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Tucson doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Soul stops much shorter than the Tucson:

The Soul LX/S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tucson’s standard 65 series tires. The Soul GT-Line’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Tucson’s optional 55 series tires.

The Soul has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Tucson; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Soul handles at .86 G’s, while the Tucson Limited AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Soul executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Tucson Limited AWD (26.8 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Soul’s turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the Tucson’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Kia Soul may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 700 pounds less than the Hyundai Tucson.

The Soul is 1 foot, 5.1 inches shorter than the Tucson, making the Soul easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Soul uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Tucson uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Soul Turbo has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Tucson doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Soul will be $2858 to $3165 less than for the Hyundai Tucson.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Soul and the Hyundai Tucson, based on reliability, safety and performance.