2010 Kia Soul

Boxy beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some buyers drawn to this body style may prefer the asymmetrical 2010 Nissan Cube (Base MSRP: $13,990 to $20,440) or the Scion xB, which was redrawn to look more mainstream in 2008. But critics generally like the Soul's optical-illusion lines that make the chunky front appear to taper in the rear; the Soul's designer modeled its "cheeky, brash stance" after wild boars he saw on a nature show, Autoblog.com points out. The design attracts teenagers "like it had honey smeared all over it" in The New York Times' test, and a panel of college students at Motor Trend unanimously pick the Soul over the Cube and xB.

But it's what's inside that counts, and here experts still lean toward the Soul. Although cargo space is smaller than the xB, testers say it's still plenty roomy at about 19 cubic feet (53 with the 60/40 split rear seat folded). The Soul offers the same good crash ratings as the xB and Cube and a much longer warranty (five years/60,000 miles, with 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain). The xB is the only one with any reliability history (and it's excellent), but Kia's overall brand reliability has been above average in recent years in a major consumer survey. And although the xB accelerates slightly better in tests, the Soul gets better fuel economy and costs thousands less -- and it's loaded with electronic gadgets.

Even the Kia Soul base trim (Base MSRP: $13,300) includes full power accessories, satellite radio and a CD/MP3 stereo with USB and auxiliary audio jacks. It delivers an estimated 26 mpg city/31 mpg highway/28 mpg combined with a 122-horsepower, 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission.

Most sources test the step-up engine, a 142-horsepower, 2-liter four-cylinder that appears on the Soul + (Base MSRP: $15,195) along with an optional four-speed automatic transmission. This engine sacrifices 2 mpg overall with either transmission (24 mpg city/30 mpg highway/26 mpg combined), with mixed results. Edmunds Inside Line finds this Soul "much more satisfying to drive" than the Scion xB and Popular Mechanics calls it "the canyon carver of the [boxy wagon] group," while CNET's Wayne Cunningham judges it "unimpressive to drive." Testers at Motor Trend and TheTruthAboutCars.com find it unrefined but not bad.

The Soul + trim also adds cruise control, Bluetooth, keyless entry and more (including glow-in-the-dark upholstery), with the option to tack on a sunroof, fog lights and better stereo. The Soul ! (Base MSRP: $17,195) makes these options standard along with bigger 18-inch wheels. The identically priced Soul Sport (Base MSRP: $17,195) gets a sport-tuned suspension, rear spoiler and special trim. All Soul models are front-wheel drive and seat five, with a full complement of airbags and electronic stability control. Experts do note that thick roof pillars -- a common design element of all the boxy wagons -- hurt rear visibility.

If you're wondering which box to buy, you'll find no shortage of head-to-head tests pitting the Kia Soul against the Scion xB and Nissan Cube; Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics and TheTruthAboutCars.com all conduct them (usually with the 2009 xB and Cube, which haven't changed much for 2010), and Cars.com and Edmunds.com draw comparisons with those other budget boxes in their comprehensive Kia Soul critiques. ConsumerReports.org and ConsumerGuide.com rate the Soul not only against the Cube and xB, but also against other wagons and small cars. Autoblog.com has a complete review of the Soul, but it doesn't draw any comparisons with rival wagons. Motor Trend and The New York Times both find the Soul especially tempting for young drivers, and CNET expertly assesses the stereo and phone tech. Crash-test results are posted at SaferCar.gov and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website, with fuel-economy estimates at FuelEconomy.gov.