[djkenny]

I am shopping for a new 2017 base model. Wondering what the drive experience is like between the two?

MPGs matter and Reliability above all else. But is the manual peppier and does it get better or less MPG?

Active Eco Help?

I tend to like a manual, but the addition of keyless entry is mighty appealing with a 3 yr old and baby on the way. Split! I guess I could add the keyless at Cartoys.. likely add a back up camera one day there, too...add Cruise too from online sources for $100 if I go Manual.

I think the center console is on the automatic?

 

[GeoSoul]

Hi dj,

After 3 plus years of real world data, my MT Soul averages 28.7 mpg. 50/50 open freeway/city driving.

Both the mileage & what you call "peppiness" have been a pleasant surprise.

I intalled factory cruise & center armrest console in the first few weeks & have never looked back.

 

[conwelpic]

the only way to judge is from the EPA figures on this model (as they are tested under the same identical conditions), but as they say "your mileage will vary" What someone else gets doesn't mean you will get the same, but its a guide only, same as the EPA figures.

2017 1.6L manual: 24/30/27
2017 1.6L auto: 25/30/27

Active Eco is only on the auto, makes it more sluggish, but judge it for yourself, most members leave it turned off.

 

[dynamo]

The trouble with anecdotal data (like GeoSoul and me) is that it doesn't tell you a lot. What kind of driving you do, and where you do it, count for much of the results. My "real world data" for 1 year with an AT is 24.9 mpg overall. But almost all of my driving is in city, stop & go, under 35MPH and under 4 miles. And half the year it's a lot colder here than in Oregon (my one long trip I got about 30 mpg over 2400 miles with temperatures hovering a bit below freezing).

If you look around in the forums here, people don't seem to find much difference between the transmissions in terms of mileage.

 

[XxHaimBondxX]

Do humans even factor mpg when they have to choose between m/t or a/t? i always thought transmission was the most important feature.

 

[r17kia]

We get about 33 MPG about town and out on the highway with our automatic tranny. Now that is hard to beat week in and week out.

 

[Neanderthal]

Check Fuelly for a larger database of real world MPG.

 

[RLSanders]

If you're looking for a small crossover and MPG/reliability are the primary concern, the Kia Soul is a great choice. The MPG actually isn't the best but the reliability, safety ratings, uniqueness, price and space make up for it. If you have small kids, or drive in stop and go traffic, you should probably get the auto.

If you get a manual, you can add OEM cruise for around $70-$80 (DIY on this site). You can add an OEM center console with storage for a little under $200 (DIY on this site). You can even add keyless entry for less than $50 (DIY on this site).

I don't have enough posts to provide links but if you just Google "2017 Kia Soul Awards", you'll get plenty of impressive results. I honestly never thought I'd own a Kia or Hyundai but after doing the research, the Soul was a clear winner. My priorities were: Price, Reliability and MPG (in that order).

Good luck with the search. Hope you get the right car whether it's a Kia or not.

 

[dynamo]

Do humans even factor mpg when they have to choose between m/t or a/t? i always thought transmission was the most important feature.

I dunno, people weigh things differently. Having lived various places with both, I'd say that if you do a lot of city driving, you should have an AT. Otherwise, if you're into driving for fun, a MT. If it's just transportation, an AT. My impression (without a lot of experience) is that AT is better for towing, but the Soul isn't a particularly good choice for that. MPG did used to be an issue, but with current technology it doesn't seem to be. ATs are mechanically complex and potentially expensive to fix, but they're pretty reliable. MTs have less to go wrong, but getting your clutch replaced isn't any fun, and sooner or later you'll need to do that. (Sooner, if you're hosting any driving students.)

And Souls do come with other different features, depending on MT/AT.

 

[tampa8]

To answer the question about transmission - it will make virtually no difference in gas mileage. At one time cars with manual transmissions got better mileage overall that is no longer true. Some people like the more control of using a manual, though I like my soul because it gives you both an automatic or some manual control. A Manual transmission should be less expensive in the long run but can hurt resale value.

 

[jdmartin]

The manual is cheaper. The drive experience is not a whole lot different either way. I have both a manual and an automatic and there's hardly a difference between the two. I like rowing my own gears, but on days like today with a sore knee and 30 minutes of bumper to bumper traffic, I would have preferred to have brought the automatic.

 

[hlb3]

Can't speak for auto, but my 2016 6spd manual has averaged 33mpg over the last 15,000 miles.

 

[Somerville99*]

I get 27 MPG around town and 31 MPG highway in my 2017 automatic base. I like a manual trans but my wife can't drive one. There is almost no difference between autos and manuals with todays computer controls.

 

[GeekOnTheHill]

My experience is that a driver who understands the mechanics and physics of how cars work and who is skilled in the art of operating a manual transmission can usually squeeze out some extra MPG compared to a computer controlling a comparable car with an automatic. I have never owned a manual-transmission car whose EPA MPG estimates I didn't beat by a big margin.

 

[GeoSoul]

My experience is that a driver who understands the mechanics and physics of how cars work and who is skilled in the art of operating a manual transmission can usually squeeze out some extra MPG compared to a computer controlling a comparable car with an automatic. I have never owned a manual-transmission car whose EPA MPG estimates I didn't beat by a big margin.

Automatics also can't see "what's coming" next. It's nice to down shift prior to starting up a steep hill, in town, seamlessly accelerating & not waiting for the automatic transmission to figure what's going on.

 

[GeekOnTheHill]

Automatics also can't see "what's coming" next. It's nice to down shift prior to starting up a steep hill, in town, seamlessly accelerating & not waiting for the automatic transmission to figure what's going on.

Exactly.

 

[FLHamster]

Ahem!
I never have to wait for my AT, she's always in the right gear for the moment. She has ESP!