Thread: 2012 Soul+ Manual Decontented

I held off on buying my Soul so I could see the Hyundai Veloster as it looked like just the ticket. I came out of a Miata that was totalled in my driveway in a North Texas hail storm (it was named the Titanium Terror, after the storm I renamed it Dimples). I needed a relatively inexpensive car that I could put my mom’s wheel chair in the back and still transport my Mom and my wife and still have a sporty car. In my opinion, the car looked good but not as good as the picture (it wasn’t the best color though). The deal killer was that it was just too small and the rear seat access was no fun at all. I did not even drive it. I went straight to the nearest Kia dealer and found a white 2012 Soul+ manual. Great comfort and it not only has more power than the Miata it feels like it has more power. My son says it is pale but it will not be that way long as I intend to turn it into a Razorback edition. I think the white Soul is a great blank canvas for that. So far, my ideas for the name are Roid Hawg or Roid Hog, picked for Hamster on steroids concept. You know Ham or Hog it is all just pork. Or Roid Hogster. The Transformer name RoidHawgimus Prime. Having the Soul seems to just make me want to be silly.

Lets Scoot
Scooterdaddy

On a more serious note, the literature for the Soul+ indicates that it comes with cruise control and there is nothing that says that is not the case with the manual. However my Soul+ though the factory window sticker shows it has cruise it in fact does not. Does anyone have a 2012 manual with the cruise? Any ideas about what Kia might or should do about the omission?

I have the + automatic and it definitely has the cruise. There is no reason the manual shouldn't have it, especially if the factory sticker says it does. I'd take it back and demand my cruise installation.

Originally Posted by Yikes

I have the + automatic and it definitely has the cruise. There is no reason the manual shouldn't have it, especially if the factory sticker says it does. I'd take it back and demand my cruise installation.

yup - if it's on the sticker they sold you one -

I can relate. I purchased a BASE 2012 and I thought it came with Bluetooth. WRONG, only on automatics. This fact is also buried in the fine print on the Kia website. Also, no keyless entry, visor mirrors, or tinted windows. I am OK with all of this, just putting it out there for perspective buyers of the base manual model. Think carefully before choosing the manual. I love mine but wish I would have had the automatic goodies

Oh and my BASE manual doesnt have cruise either...

Originally Posted by Borgus

I can relate. I purchased a BASE 2012 and I thought it came with Bluetooth. WRONG, only on automatics. This fact is also buried in the fine print on the Kia website. Also, no keyless entry, visor mirrors, or tinted windows. I am OK with all of this, just putting it out there for perspective buyers of the base manual model. Think carefully before choosing the manual. I love mine but wish I would have had the automatic goodies

Oh and my BASE manual doesnt have cruise either...

I test drove one before buying the auto. I couldn't do it! Had to have the auto. Manual would have been nice, but no keyless, tint or cruise was too much!

Tiptronic Is nice though! That satisfied my need for a bit more control. If I can start in 2nd in the snow, I'm cool!

it sounds as though Kia really dosent want people to buy the manual....wonder why?

Originally Posted by tempest

it sounds as though Kia really dosent want people to buy the manual....wonder why?

I dont know if its that or they had their horse blinders on when trying to achieve a certain base price point. They probably realized a starting price under 14 grand is the sweet spot and started subtracting options to achieve it.

I have already tinted my windows (35% all the way around) and I have already had a Viper security system with keyless installed. I also went ahead and got a Parrot aftermarket bluetooth kit. Was it all worth it? I dont know. It was to me because I liked the manual better.

With that being said, the automatic 2012 base seems to be the better value and I had no legitimate complaints with the transmission at all. It seemed to keep the motor in the right right power band all the time.

Edit: One more thing, after owning my base m/t for awhile, I can say there doesnt seem to be a whole lot of difference between 4th and 5th gears...the difference between 5th and 6th is even more miniscule.

Originally Posted by Borgus

Edit: One more thing, after owning my base m/t for awhile, I can say there doesnt seem to be a whole lot of difference between 4th and 5th gears...the difference between 5th and 6th is even more miniscule.

Interesting. My biggest complaint with my 2011 5 speed is the gear ratios. I really feel they are out of whack and are the biggest detriment to overall driving enjoyment. 3rd gear is too tall (too much jump from 2nd) and there isn't enough difference between 4th and 5th (5th is too short/RPMs too high above 70mph).

In your 2012, is there a big jump between 2nd and 3rd gear?

Folks, a BASE Model is just that...BASE. That implies no fabulous goodies like cruise control, keyless entry, etc. After all, it's a BASE model.

I don't get why anyone would expect a bunch of goodies like bluetooth on a car's lowest trim level.

Some car models do not have cruise control with manual transmissions. I believe Hyundai does this, as while I was looking at cars discovered the Elantra Touring has cruise with automatic trannys only.

But yeah, if your sticker states it has cruise and it doesn't, that's a legitimate complaint. Visit the dealer and find out why.

The dealer just says the Moroni ( the sticker is wrong)