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329 Posts
So I just traded my manual 2011 Soul+ for a Mazda3 sedan iTouring skyactiv automatic. They gave me $14,250 in trade, while I still paid bottom dollar for the Mazda with 1.9% for 60 months. I got the Mazda for $18,249 (excluding only tags/tax/$200 processing), whereas TrueCar has it listed in the lower $19,000s. This was President’s Day I bought it and I think they really wanted to move some cars that day. A couple months ago CarMax offered only $13,500 for my Soul.
The Soul was in very good/clean condition, had ~16,000 miles on it, had the factory audio upgrade package, an aftermarket sunroof, a spoiler, plus small stuff like the bumper protector, metal sport pedals, etc. The windshield had a small ding in it that had been repaired, but was still very visible. The dealership didn’t say anything about that ding (not sure if they noticed it). One major upgrade that I’m sure didn’t add any to my trade value is I did the OEM sport shifter upgrade with the KJB bushings. The dealership guy who test drove my car did immediately ask if I shortened the shifter after he drove it. Whoever buys my Soul will appreciate that though….that shifter felt just plain awesome.
As I’ve griped on here before, I was just not happy with the way the Soul drove on the highway and the MPG is pretty bad given the Soul’s size and power. I think I would have been perfectly happy with a 2012 Soul though, with the new powertrain. My overall feeling on my Soul was that I really liked many aspects of it, while also really disliking a couple things. Those couple dislikes just stuck in my craw and prevented me from really enjoying the car.
My immediate reaction to being in my Mazda3 after driving the Soul for 1.5 years is refinement is way up and space is down. The 3 has clearly superior materials in the interior and drives really nice. That said, I have a renewed appreciation for the amount of space the Soul provides within the small car segment. The 3’s back seat is much more cramped. Also, the Soul’s stereo controls are much simpler and the sound was better than in the 3 (I didn’t get Mazda’s Bose upgrade). I’ve only put about 40 miles on the 3 so far, so it’s too early to tell if real-world MPGs are living up to what is promised. Assuming no major problems arise with the 3 and I get the great gas mileage that's advertised, I’m very happy with my choice to trade…the Mazda 3 is just a much more balanced, well-engineered machine than the 1st gen Soul. I expect to keep it well past my 5 year loan period.
The Soul was in very good/clean condition, had ~16,000 miles on it, had the factory audio upgrade package, an aftermarket sunroof, a spoiler, plus small stuff like the bumper protector, metal sport pedals, etc. The windshield had a small ding in it that had been repaired, but was still very visible. The dealership didn’t say anything about that ding (not sure if they noticed it). One major upgrade that I’m sure didn’t add any to my trade value is I did the OEM sport shifter upgrade with the KJB bushings. The dealership guy who test drove my car did immediately ask if I shortened the shifter after he drove it. Whoever buys my Soul will appreciate that though….that shifter felt just plain awesome.
As I’ve griped on here before, I was just not happy with the way the Soul drove on the highway and the MPG is pretty bad given the Soul’s size and power. I think I would have been perfectly happy with a 2012 Soul though, with the new powertrain. My overall feeling on my Soul was that I really liked many aspects of it, while also really disliking a couple things. Those couple dislikes just stuck in my craw and prevented me from really enjoying the car.
My immediate reaction to being in my Mazda3 after driving the Soul for 1.5 years is refinement is way up and space is down. The 3 has clearly superior materials in the interior and drives really nice. That said, I have a renewed appreciation for the amount of space the Soul provides within the small car segment. The 3’s back seat is much more cramped. Also, the Soul’s stereo controls are much simpler and the sound was better than in the 3 (I didn’t get Mazda’s Bose upgrade). I’ve only put about 40 miles on the 3 so far, so it’s too early to tell if real-world MPGs are living up to what is promised. Assuming no major problems arise with the 3 and I get the great gas mileage that's advertised, I’m very happy with my choice to trade…the Mazda 3 is just a much more balanced, well-engineered machine than the 1st gen Soul. I expect to keep it well past my 5 year loan period.
