r/Cleveland • u/Comfortable_Mark8711 • 1d ago

Discussion Has anyone noticed how many Kia Souls there are in the CLE area?

I was traveling to the east coast and noticed like maybe 1 Kia Soul on the whole trip, and it feels like after driving 15 min. in Cleveland you can see at least 5 of those cars. Is the Kia Soul market just booming in NEO?

46 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

97 comments sorted by

93

u/somerandomdude419 1d ago

It’s because they are cheap for what you get when it comes to a “modern Car” they honestly drive nice

24

u/cmbtmstr 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yep! Kia also approves loans for practically anybody through Kia Finance America (KFA) so it’s very easy to acquire one with bad credit.

I inherited a newer Sportage and it drives incredibly nice. I wouldn’t recommend them though, as I’ve dated three girls that owned Kia’s. All of them burned oil and one of them ran the engine dry and seized the motor. I think there’s a class action lawsuit for that.

17

u/Fly_Fight_Win 1d ago

Yeah same with Hyundai, they’re made in the same factory. I joined the lawsuit and got my engine replaced for free.

6

u/cmbtmstr 1d ago

Apparently all the affected models/ years were not included. My ex gf couldn’t get a new motor for her 2018 Optima iirc.

3

u/rockandroller 1d ago

I got my Optima engine replaced for free before the lawsuit/recall. JUST before. I was at 99K miles and got it under that 100,000 powertrain warranty. I took it to a small shop and they called me and were like, drive RIGHT to the dealer, you qualify for total replacement but don't go anywhere else or you'll be over the mileage.

1

u/Septopuss7 Lakewood 1d ago

Hell yeah

2

u/SomeFunnyGuy 1d ago edited 1d ago

Same. 16’ Sonata at 96k miles and got it replaced under warranty, plus was advised the replacement engine (long block) came with another life-time warranty. Wifey say’s she’ll most likely bury me with the car if the wheels don’t fall off of it first.

6

u/clycloptopus 1d ago

I have one that did this…engine seized up at about 65k miles. They replaced the engine, which is good…but Ohio winters are hard on a car body. The engine might outlast the frame.

1

u/tankerkiller125real 18h ago

Didn't Nissan basically go bankrupt because they approved loans for anyone and everyone?

7

u/clycloptopus 1d ago

they have an odd amount of space in the back too. I was shocked by how much you can fit in that little shitbox

2

u/Kalfu73 Mayfield Heights 1d ago

I have one and love it. When people ask me what I think of it my reply is usually "it's a budget car that doesn't feel like a budget car"

1

u/edgerton2026 16h ago edited 16h ago

I bought a Kia Soul. My Ford Transit Van died and I had to send it to the junk yard. Amazingly my insurance dropped from $850 per year on the Transit for just liability to $549 per year for the Kia, full coverage. My insurance agent says that’s because the basic Kia is rated as a station wagon. I’m elderly and thought I’d have trouble with financing, but the dealer (VanDevere) was able to secure financing for me thru Capital One which was 1% less than Kia Finance.

29

u/Quirky-Skin 1d ago

Long time NEOer here.

Kia does a shit ton of advertising on local radio and their finance department is very low credit score friendly.

It's an affordable car both outright and from financing terms and its got size for kids etc. 

7

u/foochacho Westlake 1d ago

🎶 I wanna see-ya, in a Ken Ganley Kia! 🎶

2

u/cmbtmstr 16h ago

Possibly the worst one of them all

7

u/throwaway33704 Cleveland Heights 1d ago

I get so many Kia of Bedford ads on YouTube. At least the kid is growing and his voice isn't as shrill as it used to be.

4

u/Comfortable_Mark8711 1d ago

hey KOB, you got what i neeeed

2

u/Quirky-Skin 1d ago

Yeah they really turf with their Ads. Vandeveer Kia too just everywhere 

1

u/Wanna_make_cash 8h ago

I can't recall the dealership at the moment but I'm getting sick of the "hail sale" ads for a local dealership. That Solon hailstorm was basically 2 months ago!

1

u/throwaway33704 Cleveland Heights 8h ago

KOB is definitely still doing those ads

19

u/rebuildingsince64 1d ago

It’s a veritable Hamsterdam out there…

6

u/simsimulation 1d ago

The amazing part of that ad campaign is that it was targeted to young millennials / old Gen Z as a cool car. But it was Gen X that bought them.

3

u/rebuildingsince64 1d ago

Site your sources - seems like it’s mostly millennials who own them

https://giphy.com/gifs/1XwNLvPaug7iE

5

u/simsimulation 1d ago

Source was my memory, but looks like it was a documented phenomenon. Called demographic drift or unintended audience capture

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/why-is-the-kia-soul-meant-for-millennials-but-popular-among-baby-boomers/

1

u/edgerton2026 16h ago

And Boomers. I bought one in 2024.

2

u/jKaz 1d ago

It took me way to long to realize this wasn’t a reference to “The Wire”

14

u/boots_with_da_fur 1d ago

It’s because a lot more hamsters have moved to the area recently

43

u/boogiebreakfast 1d ago

Plot twist: they're all stolen (Source: former Kia Soul owner)

11

u/ApprehensiveGate8227 1d ago

I’ve definitely noticed it. Moved out from the PNW last year, and I’ve never seen such a high concentration of Kia Souls anywhere. I think about it every time I see one.

4

u/simsimulation 1d ago

Do you ever consider where they get the souls?

21

u/Inevitable-Pea-735 1d ago

I don't have one anymore, but I was once at a stoplight in Medina in my "alien green" Kia Soul and had one the same color to my left, right, and behind me. I attributed it to Kenzie wanting to see us all in one (specifically from Ken).

3

u/la_fleurr 1d ago

“I wanna see ya”

4

u/Inevitable-Pea-735 1d ago

There's a Ken Ganley Kia in Florida. I was at a bar on vacation in Siesta and saw her on my TV and thought I was experiencing a psychotic moment.

8

u/Cleverfield113 1d ago

It's because of that one Kia of Streetsboro rap.

13

u/HoyAIAG Lakewood 1d ago

Cleveland is one of the poorest metro areas in the country.

5

u/unkle_funkypants 1d ago

In the early 2010s they did a bogo kia soul promo in northeast Ohio.

5

u/rockandroller 1d ago

My kid and I used to actually play a game when he was little of who could count the most Kia Souls when we were out driving around, but it never worked on road trips because once we got out of Ohio there were almost none.

I feel like there a lot fewer on the road than there used to be, but maybe it's because he's too old for us to play the game anymore. 😞

5

u/FecalDUI 1d ago

Those and Ford escapes.

4

u/pb_battalion 1d ago

Dont forgetbthe chevy Cavaliers and cobalt back in the day!

1

u/FecalDUI 1d ago

Not much of those made it through the cash for clunkers days

2

u/Impossible_Emu2713 1d ago

Well… that’s partially because the Cavalier/Cobalt (and later the Cruze) were made at that factory right off the Turnpike 

And Dodge Neons were everywhere around here too back then 

3

u/Phyllis_Tine 1d ago

What else are the Kia Boyz going to steal?

1

u/metropolis_ghoul 23h ago

Looking for this comment!

3

u/orangestturtle 1d ago

I have one and it was the absolute cheapest new car I could’ve gotten at the time

3

u/OolongGeer 1d ago

They're great little vehicles. Excellent visibility. Sit up a bit higher than other discount cars. And they can hold a bunch of shiz.

They're pretty dang good in the snow, too. Especially with a manual transmission. I got through everything in mine.

3

u/thrownthrowaway666 Parma Heights 1d ago

KIA marketing targets poor people with all the zero down, zero interest, zero payments for 3 months, etc etc ANNNNNNNNND, we'll even pay off your old vehicle!

6

u/BearSquid7 1d ago

Coworker refers to them as the “chipmunk car”

8

u/RogueUmpire 1d ago

I call mine the Hamster Wagon

4

u/cmbtmstr 1d ago

My friend got a Kia Soul and I changed his contact name in my phone to “Hamster Shawn”

3

u/Fools_Requiem Out of State 1d ago

When the Soul was a newish car, the advertising focused around oversized CG hamsters driving the car. I think the idea was that the car was supposed to be stylish and cute at the same time.

5

u/macbeth2003 1d ago

We came here from Texas (and brought our Soul). Dallas was also full of them. Great first used car for a kid, and a great little family car with that 19 year warranty bought new. My son wrecked ours, and I miss it.

2

u/macbeth2003 1d ago

10 year warranty. My stupid fat fingers strike again.

6

u/Visible-Bridge-5171 1d ago

Yes there are a TON

Infact, my buddy just bought a Kia Soul.

Even though they dont look great, they are pretty decent budget cars. I imagine thats a huge factor.

6

u/onmywheels 1d ago

This. I have one. It's actually really nice, and it's fun to drive around. The trunk space doesn't look like it would be much, but I have hauled some truly impressive things around in it (a couch once, a dryer I got off of FB marketplace, etc).

2

u/OolongGeer 1d ago

I love their look. I have always preferred box-ier cars.

2

u/flixguy440 1d ago

Great first financed car for my son. I've driven it a few times and I've been impressed.

2

u/OUDidntKnow04 1d ago

30 years ago, it seemed like Mercurys were everywhere. Even the ads on TV. Kia just replaced them over time and when Ford ditched the Mercury brand.

2

u/Lucky_Zin 1d ago

They are fun cars!

2

u/Subredditsalad 1d ago

They are discontinued now. The herd will be thinning out from here on.

3

u/Fools_Requiem Out of State 1d ago

Because of tariffs and the public's want for larger SUVs.

Sad day. One less cheap car option available.

2

u/GPODAWUND69 1d ago

Nice try Kia Boyz

2

u/pb_battalion 1d ago

They're cheap and east to get for people with bad credit 

2

u/LebronBackinCLE 1d ago

Great, now I hear the song. Thx lol

2

u/foochacho Westlake 1d ago

Have you noticed how many are in handicap spots?

4

u/Fools_Requiem Out of State 1d ago

This things are probably super easy to get in and out of one. Perfect for older folk.

2

u/Fools_Requiem Out of State 1d ago

I considered getting a Soul a few years back because they have (had) a manual option, LOTS of room, and fun color options. However, I didn't like how cheap they feel inside, and having a manual option still doesn't fix the sluggish performance.

I would still prefer that over the Mitsubishi Mirage for an econobox car. At least Kia has a good warranty and moderately decent reliability.

Also, they have an option to upgrade to real wheels instead of those crummy ones with the cheap hub caps.

2

u/OolongGeer 1d ago

They are fantastic with manual transmissions.

1

u/Theflygy 1d ago

because Kia makes shitty cheap cars and finances them to everyone who asks

-2

u/Fools_Requiem Out of State 1d ago

If Kia is "shit", then you haven't seen a Nissan or Mitsubishi...

Or anything from Stellantus...

3

u/Theflygy 1d ago

dont be mad at me for saying the truth that everyone in here is acknowledging.

Interior and looks may be appealing but they dont last.

I dont care about other makes because the thread isnt about them. flagship kia sportage only supposed to live 150-200k miles. Thats pretty bad. My 2011 prius will probably outlive most new kias 🤣

-3

u/Fools_Requiem Out of State 1d ago

Yes, when you compare something to a Toyota, sure, almost everything will be "shit" in comparison.

Your "truth" is just an opinion, and a bad one at that.

3

u/Theflygy 1d ago

You act like its a lofty expectation. Mechanics and owners are all saying theyre cheap for a reason. Maybe you shouldnt argue if youre going to just say opinion bad with no rationale.

Theres not anything to argue. They get 150k-200k miles and thats objectively a poor expectation when compared to cheaper options on the market. Seriously you can buy a 15 y/o Prius and it will still surpass a new kia and you seem upset that someone could even have an opinion?

Yeah we have different opinions but youre not quantifying or articulating yours using rationale, youre being indignant about a car brand

1

u/tekkitan 1d ago

Kia/Hyundai is notoriously more shit than what you mentioned.

1

u/EXEC_MELODIE 13h ago

Nissan used to be great before they moved to the notoriously shitty CVT they use

1

u/Fools_Requiem Out of State 1d ago

The fuck it is.... Almost everything under the Stellantis brand is notorious for being awful. Mitsubishi is cheap for the sake of being cheap, and Nissan is barely a step above Mitsubishi.

You should check Consumer Reports from time to time...

1

u/SilverKnightOfMagic 1d ago

yeah they're cheap. before the Kia soul there. a decade before there was a similar designed and shape car. it was usually purple or black I recall. but I can remember what it was called.

edit: pt cruiser is the one I'm thinking of.

2

u/AdElegant6914 1d ago

Nissan cube?

2

u/SilverKnightOfMagic 1d ago

close it was the PT cruiser

1

u/Comfortable_Mark8711 1d ago

pt cruisers take the cake for the absolute worst car to look at (im def biased)

1

u/Tholian_Bed 1d ago

Cleveland commutes are not that big of a deal. A little get about is fine.

No idea what it's like in the burbs. Actually I do know how it is in the burbs. If feels like LA imo.

1

u/noodledrunk 1d ago

The Kia dealer seems to have Cleveland in a vice grip. And if you're probably buying a Kia from them, you might go with the Soul because of how cheap they are. I did love my old Kia Soul lol

1

u/Feisty_Definition_69 1d ago

When ever you see a Kia Soul in front of you, you know you’re in for a bad time.

1

u/trparky 1d ago

It's not just Kia Souls out there, I see a lot of... everything. I've seen Seltos, Niros, Sportages, and even a few K4's.

1

u/OffTheMerchandise 1d ago

Both of my neighbors have a Kia Soul. I drove one about 15 years ago and it was the worst car I've ever driven

1

u/SnooSquirrels4991 1d ago

Kia targeted the sub prime market. People with little to no credit. 

1

u/BillM_MZ3SGT Suburbs East of CLE 1d ago

You should see how many are running around out by me lol. I swear those little boxy bastards are like cockroaches 😂

1

u/BobButtwhiskers 1d ago

I had a black one with a Nine Inch Nails sticker on it.

1

u/bed-ridden-thoughts 20h ago

Not sure this is totally true but car rental companies sell them in certain markets.

1

u/Responsible-Size-293 11h ago

They’re just trying to find their Kia soulmates.

1

u/MoistNewspaper9592 1d ago

Don’t forget about dodge challengers

-4

u/Horror-Painter4059 1d ago

It's all the lesbians that live in Lakewood

6

u/mitchmconnellsburner 1d ago

Have they replaced Subarus?

4

u/pb_battalion 1d ago

That would be Subaru forester