Quick Highlights:
- Kia ends Soul production in October 2025 after a 17-year run.
- Over 1.5 million units have been sold in the U.S. since its debut.
- The Soul’s departure leaves the new Kia K4 as the brand’s entry model.
Iconic “hamster” ad campaigns turned a quirky hatch into a pop-culture hit.
The party lights have dimmed for Kia’s most offbeat creation. After a 17-year run, spanning three generations and more than 1.5 million sales in the United States, Kia has confirmed that the Soul’s production will officially end after the 2025 model year. The final units are now rolling off the line in South Korea, closing the book on one of the brand’s most recognizable and personality-packed models.
When the Soul first hit the scene in 2008 (as a 2010 model in America), it landed right as boxy, small cars were having a moment. With its upright stance and squared-off profile, it offered SUV-like utility in a compact, city-friendly shape. It squared up against other design oddities like the Nissan Cube and Scion xB—but unlike those short-lived rivals, the Soul carved out a fan base of its own. Much of that success came from Kia’s unforgettable marketing play: those dancing hamsters grooving to LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” and Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours.” The ads made the Soul more than just a car; they turned it into pop culture on wheels.
Trendsetter to Background Player
The Soul would become one of the pillars of the Kia reinvention story during the 2010s. The initial two generations did not only sell well, they assisted in changing the expectations people had of the brand. The Soul was selling over 150,000 a year in the United States and even won a few rightful slots on the 10Best list of Car and Driver at its best. It demonstrated that Kia could combine both value and desirability in a single package, proving that the company could do a lot more than just create cheap transportation.
With the introduction of the second generation in 2014, it refined all the edges of the initial formula. The style became more aggressive, the inside seemed much more mature, and the introduction of a turbo engine gave it real personality. The third generation followed in 2020 with modern technology, better materials, and the refined Kia we now consider normal. However, at that point, the tide had changed — buyers were moving toward more traditional small SUVs and models such as the Seltos and Niro, and the Soul was struggling to keep its focus in its own category.
By 2024, the numbers told the story. Kia sold a modest 52,397 Souls in the U.S., a substantial decline from its glory days. In the third quarter of 2025, about 40,000 units had been sold. Although it still managed to outsell the Niro, the previously trendsetting Soul had now become a niche product in Kia’s very full crossover lineup.
Kia’s Lineup Evolves—And the K4 Steps In
The Soul’s departure leaves a clear gap in Kia’s lineup. As the brand’s most affordable model, it started at $21,935 for 2025. That entry-level spot will now be filled by the new Kia K4, a sleek sedan-hatchback that starts at $23,185 and will gain a hatchback variant for 2026. The K4 signals Kia’s shift toward a more premium, tech-forward, and globally styled direction.
Kia America’s VP of Sales, Eric Watson, put it plainly in a statement: “We are proud of the legacy Soul will leave behind as it exits our lineup, but equally excited for the future of Kia’s expansive and award-winning utility vehicle lineup.”
In short, Kia is moving forward. But the Soul’s end isn’t just a product swap—it marks the close of an era when quirky looks and bold personality could make a small car a star.
The Legacy Lives On
Even as it slips into the rearview mirror, the Soul’s impact on car culture is undeniable. It helped Kia shed its cautious image and establish itself as a brand willing to take risks. Owners will remember its commanding driving position, excellent visibility, and surprisingly roomy interior. It was both practical and playful—a box with genuine soul.
If you’ve been thinking about owning one, now’s the time. A few thousand Souls remain at dealers, but once they’re gone, Kia will enter 2026 without its quirky little hatch.
And yes—the hamsters have officially hung up their headphones.
Sources: Kia Motors press release; Car and Driver; Edmunds
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