Compare the2025 Mazda CX-30VS 2024 Kia Soul

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-30 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Kia Soul doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Mazda CX-30 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Soul doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The CX-30 has standard Whiplash-Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Soul doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Rear Smart Brake Support that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Soul doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The CX-30 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Soul doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Soul only offers a rear monitor.

The CX-30 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Soul’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-30 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart Braking Support - Rear Crossing on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Kia charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning on the Soul.

The CX-30 has standard E911 Automatic Emergency Notification, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to 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 CX-30 and the Soul have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The Mazda CX-30 weighs 421 to 639 pounds more than the Kia Soul. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Kia Soul:

	CX-30	Soul
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	253
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	38 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	179	324
Chest Compression	.5 inches	2 inches
Neck Injury Risk	33.5%	39%
Neck Compression	85 lbs.	86 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 Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Kia Soul:

	CX-30	Soul
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	142
Chest Movement	1 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	209 lbs.	259 lbs.
Hip Force	275 lbs.	490 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	197	422
Spine Acceleration	60 G’s	73 G’s
Hip Force	525 lbs.	611 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	178	322
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	583 lbs.	1090 lbs.

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

The Mazda CX-30 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Soul has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Warranty

The CX-30’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Soul runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Kia is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 3 places higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

The CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 44 more horsepower (191 vs. 147) and 54 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 132) than the Soul’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 103 more horsepower (250 vs. 147) and 188 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 132) than the Soul’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl. is faster than the Kia Soul:

	CX-30	Soul
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	8.6 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.3 MPH	83.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-30 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Soul doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-30’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Soul:

	CX-30	Soul
Front Rotors	11.6 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.4 inches	10.3 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	11.9 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-30 has larger tires than the Soul (215/65R16 vs. 205/60R16).

Suspension and Handling

The CX-30 has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Soul doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-30’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Soul (104.4 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

Passenger Space

The CX-30 has .6 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Soul.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-30 Premium has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Soul doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/Premium, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Soul doesn’t offer a memory system.

The CX-30’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 CX-30’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, 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.

The CX-30 has a standard Pushbutton Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Soul S/EX/GT-Line offers a Smart Key.

The CX-30 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’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 CX-30’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Soul’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-30’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Soul’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-30 Premium has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Soul doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/Premium is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Soul’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-30’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Soul offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the CX-30 Turbo Premium’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 CX-30 and the Soul offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium 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.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-30 and the Kia Soul, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Mazda CX-30 outsold the Kia Soul by 26% during 2023.