--- title: "Goodbye, Hamsters: The Kia Soul Is Dead" date: "2025-10-06" modified: "2025-10-06" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/goodbye-hamsters-the-kia-soul-is-dead" categories: - "Kia News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "compact" - "Hatchback" - "Kia" - "Soul" --- # Goodbye, Hamsters: The Kia Soul Is Dead ![First- and second-gen Kia Soul]() *The first- and second-generation Kia Soul side-by-side. \Kia\* The [Kia]() of today is very different from the Kia of 15 years ago, and worlds apart from the Kia of the '90s. But it wouldn't have reached these heights if not for the plucky, quirky [Soul](), which staked the brand's unique identity for the first time. No longer was Kia merely a low-cost, lower quality alternative to Toyota and Honda; with the Soul, it had something you couldn’t find anywhere else. And it’s with that legacy that the boxy hatchback often associated with hamsters and Stormtroopers will bow out after the 2025 model year. Yes, Kia has announced that the Soul will be retired once the current crop is sold through. The nameplate launched in 2008, a time when there was genuine enthusiasm surrounding small cars for the first time in a very long time in this country. That had a lot to do with post-recessions doldrums, of course, but the Soul was appealing because it was a necessary reminder that cheap transportation needn't be bland, undesirable, or cramped. Like the Honda Fit, the Soul could swallow more cargo than you'd think. And of course, the ad campaigns went a long way to establish the car's optimistic vibe in the psyche of the American public, buoyed by a posse of streetwise hamsters. I genuinely don't know what's more shocking in [this spot from 2010](): the CGI rodents dunking basketballs like they're in *NBA Street*, or the sub-$14K starting price of the first-gen model. ![2025 Soul]() ![2023 Soul]() ![2025 Soul]() The Soul also represented a much-needed glow-up for Kia (and Hyundai's) design in the late-aughts, as one of the first products shaped under the influence of Peter Schreyer, who left the Volkswagen Group for the Korean automakers in 2006. From here on, things would only go up. The Soul exits the market now in its third iteration. Kia noted [in a send-off release today]() that over the years, its appeal expanded beyond the younger buyers it was originally designed for, attracting "an older demographic that Kia quickly realized were often people of the same spirit." Not unlike the Honda Element, the Soul found that inventive design transcends generations. Its departure leaves the [K4]() as the brand's cheapest entry point, starting at $23,185. *Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com*[]() ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()