Compare the2024 Hyundai TucsonVS 2023 Kia Soul

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Tucson have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Soul doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Tucson Limited has standard Reverse Collision-Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Soul doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Tucson offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Soul doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Tucson’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Soul.

The Tucson Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Soul only offers a rear monitor.

The Tucson has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Soul’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Kia charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning on the Soul.

The Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited has a standard Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Soul doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Tucson and the Soul have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and driver alert monitors.

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

	Tucson	Soul
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	2 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	39%
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	160 lbs.
Neck Compression	59 lbs.	86 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	51/13 lbs.	237/154 lbs.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Kia Soul:

	Tucson	Soul
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	142
Chest Movement	1 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	223 lbs.	259 lbs.
Hip Force	440 lbs.	490 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	422
Spine Acceleration	59 G’s	73 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	614 lbs.	1090 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tucson its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Soul has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the Soul’s (7/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Soul.

Engine

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 40 more horsepower (187 vs. 147) and 46 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 132) than the Soul’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Tucson’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Soul:

	Tucson	Soul
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	10.3 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Soul (235/65R17 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tucson has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Soul LX/S. The Tucson’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Soul GT-Line.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Tucson has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Kia Soul has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Tucson has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Tucson flat and controlled during cornering. The Soul’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the Soul (108.5 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Soul.

Chassis

The front grille of the Tucson uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Soul doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Tucson has 6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Soul (108.2 vs. 102.2).

The Tucson has .7 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.5 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Soul.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Tucson’s rear seats recline. The Soul’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Soul with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 24.2 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Soul with its rear seat folded (74.8 vs. 62.1 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Soul doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Tucson’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Soul doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Tucson has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Soul has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Soul doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Tucson Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Soul doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Tucson Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Soul doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Tucson’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Soul has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Soul’s power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Soul can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tucson’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Soul’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Tucson Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Soul’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Tucson’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Soul’s halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Tucson’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Soul’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Both the Tucson and the Soul offer available heated front seats. The Tucson Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Soul.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tucson Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Soul doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Tucson Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Soul doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Tucson and the Soul offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Soul doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Soul doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

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

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Kia Soul by over three to one during 2022.

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