The Kia Soul has the upright boxy feel that comes with a large SUV, but its offered as a small hatchback that rides on small wheels to make a difference in the driving enjoyment on the road and the personality of the vehicle. For most of its life this has been a car that we could look at as cute or funky to give it some style and appeal, but Kia finally added the items to this vehicle that will make it more appealing than ever to ensure you’ll want to drive this hamster-mobile.

If you’re looking for a vehicle that makes a great gift for someone who is graduating or just staring out this is one that will make a great choice. Of course, when you see the improvements Kia has made you might want to keep this vehicle for yourself. This is a small hatchback that offers the personality you’ve been after and makes for a car that you can have a lot of fun behind the wheel in when you want something that will ask for the attention that you’re looking for during a night on the town with your friends or family.

For 2017 the Kia Soul has been upgraded with items such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an eight way power passenger seat, more USB ports, HID headlights, a full color infotainment display in the gauges and a new turbocharged engine to push the power upward of this little hatchback. The addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are perfect for this little car as most that choose it are part of a connected generation and need to use this feature to stay connected to everything that’s already in their phones. This is the perfect way for you to use the phone features you love in your car.

As for more feature talk with this car you can start at the base Plus model which gives you 16-inch alloy wheels, a new drive-mode function, and an upgraded audio system over previous model years. You also have the benefit of a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power windows and locks, Bluetooth connectivity and the manual transmission. Higher levels move you up to the automatic transmission, larger engines and larger wheels which can be as big as the 18-inch alloy wheels that are offered on the Exclaim model for you to have the drive you want.

The options for the Kia Soul are setup by model level. There is a Convenience Package which brings in an improved audio system, a rearview camera, automatic headlights and more. The Plus model can be upgraded with the Primo package which adds a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, power adjustable seats, heated and cooled seats, blind spot detection, forward collision warnings, lane departure warning and much more. The Exclaim can be upgraded with the turbocharged engine, a panoramic sunroof and a Technology package which adds a Harmon/Kardon audio system to this small but funky little toaster on wheels.

Under the hood you have the choice of three engines to make the power you want. The base engine is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder model with 130 horsepower and 118 lb.-ft. of torque, the first upgraded is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder which will produce 161 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque while the top engine of the group is the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder model giving you 201 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. The base engine is the only one that uses the six-speed manual transmission while the base and the mid-level engine both can use a six-speed automatic, the turbo engine has the benefit of a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission to give you a great ride.

The Kia Soul has been a car that we’ve admired and driven to pull the fun out of the funky style. With the upgrades offered for this year, this car is now a real competitor in the hatchback market and it can be the right choice when you need a great vehicle to drive. This new Soul is worth the drive to your local Kia dealer to check it out and see what it can be for you and the lifestyle that you have for it to blend into with style.