I like the look. Think unless you are a car person you may not notice the trans.

 

i once drove a rental car with a CVT . Was a Toyota Camry. I couldn't stand it . Was curious if it were similar to the CVT transmissions.

 

The IVT is entirely different throttle response than conventional automatic.

What you will notice diiferent.
You will see the RPMs 'all over the place'.
There is not a set of fixed gear ratios for the engine to be in a single gear and have the RPMs steady climb.
The RPMs and Variable Trans will BOTH fluctuate. Even while holding a steady speed if on up/down hill.
May take a short time to get used to it.

 

Sounds annoying. They should have stuck with a regular transmission

 

I personally don't think I would like it. At that level I'd rather just drive an electric car. I bought my wife a Chevy Bolt EUV to replace her Kia Soul and it's a pretty cool car. I would rather have no transmission like that car does. The Soul is roomier, though - always been a big attraction for me.

 

I'm in a condo so nowhere to plug in here . Wife drives a 2010 Kia Soul. Used to be mine. Was my over the road work horse that won't due. Dad just got his 3rd soul. He leased the 2 prior then financed this one . As for me I'm driving a cushy Buick Park Avenue that's ready to celebrate it's 25th birthday in November.

 

The old 6 speed auto was near bulletproof, there’s still question marks for the IVT (which is a CVT, Hyundai/Kia just calls it an “intelligent” variable transmission).

They have been used on the Soul since 2020 and after the initial issues they had with them, they seem to be doing ok. I’d change the fluid every 60k miles or sooner if I owned a CVT.

I drove an Elantra with that transmission and was impressed. It simulated shifts when I gave it the beans and was smooth overall. I didn’t notice that constant droning like some other CVTs I drove in the past. Good mpg too. I still prefer the old 6 speed auto.

 

Our 2010 with the 4 speed trans is still shifting smooth . We've had the fluid changed 3 times within 165k miles .

 

We have a 2020 Soul S. First of all let me say that the car only has 26,000 miles on it. It was built at the tailend of the "ring" issue (poorly built piston rings allowed some engines to fail). Testing for this issue after 10,000 miles via an oil eval kit proved we didn't have "that" engine. There have been kinda frightening stuff regarding the "kia boys" and there were a couple of recalls on software. Until 4 months ago, all was well. Just before our 5 year or 50,000 warranty ran out the steering assembly failed. After a backorder, we were without our car for 101 days. But...our local relationship with a reputable dealer gave us a Forte to use. Saying all that....bottom line: Use the best oil you can afford, only use Kia parts for oil changes, or transmission drains, etc. Watch how much oil you put in...too much is worse than too little (either use the dealer for this service or KNOW EXACTLY WHO, WHAT, AND WHEN...of your maintenance...document everything), use top grade fuel, Shell, etc., as well as Techron fuel cleaner every 5,000 miles, read all the time about issues for your model on YouTube and here, and finally remember: this is not a Porche...it is a moderate priced Asian car...not bullet proof. The transmission is quirky...but. it will do well if don't beat it down. I've learned how to work with it and it does great. On a short trip this afternoon, my 2.0 Atkinson plus the IVT pulled me and my family out of a dangerous situation...it can fly if you take care of it. IMHO
PS Don’t use the "scheduled maintenance" as the Kia bible...always ere on the very conservative side of everything.

 

Trust me it won't be driven like a Porsche 😂 it's my 80 year old dad's car. He always brought his Souls to the Kia Dealer for maintenance. We will hang onto all the receipts for him God forbid something goes wrong and needs something expensive fixed under warranty.

 

We traded in our 2011 Soul+ and got a 2025 Soul "S". The IVT feels very smooth and has very good acceleration. Very different than the old 4 speed in that the shift points depend on a variety of factors (mostly how aggressive you are on the gas pedal), so you don't really get the audible feedback of shifting through the gears...but it is smooth.

 

Your Dad is going to love it a lot; specially if it has smart cruise control, it has sports modes; so cool ; easy to pass someone in the hway if needed. Transmission is so smooth; easy to zip around city; powerful enough to pass someone; more importantly; it has great MPG; average 37mpg easily for two people. I love mine 2024. It is the best car I ever bought it.

 

He don't go on the highway. It's just to go to our local casinos . I was inside of it earlier today and it looks just like the 2023 Soul he had. Not sure what transmission was in that one or if everything is exactly the same as the 2023

 

I own a 24 Soul S. Only 8k miles so far. Overall happy. Good service in Livermore Calif.

 

Hey Steve J...does your 24 S have a button on the left side panel near the shifting control that says something like "drive control", where you can turn the transmission down to a lower range without using the shifter?

 

I know my dad's 2025 has a drive button to the left of the shifter that toggles between sport mode and regular.

 

You're right! They are ugly! 😅 Just kidding! I'd like the second generation myself! Mine is an exclaim model with a 6-speed 2.0 and it's a rocket !

 

We have had kias since 2001 . Two Optimas and two Souls . Any problems we had , the dealer stood behind .
It is great in the snow and the ride is surprisingly smooth has nice elbow room.