Can Kia Soul Tow A Trailer? [And What Size]

A trailer is an unpowered vehicle that is attached to the back of a car or truck. There are many different kinds of trailers, such as utility trailers, flatbed trailers, mobile homes, enclosed trailers, and many more. Ever wondered if your Kia Soul can tow a trailer? We have consulted automotive experts on the Kia Soul towing a trailer and how much it can tow. Here is what we got from them.

The Kia Soul can tow a trailer, but it can only tow a trailer between 1,200 lbs to 2,000 lbs depending on your Soul's year model. Carrying any more than that might damage your engine. Note: unless you have a strong aftermarket brake, your vehicle may have a hard time coming to a stop. With a maximum of 2,000 lbs, you can tow a trailer of around 16 feet long.

All trailers will be made using different materials, so their size and weight may vary. Keep in mind that the 2,000 lb weight limit is the overall weight of the trailer. For more information about the Kia Soul, keep reading below.

A blue colored Kia Soul parked on the road, Can Kia Soul Tow A Trailer? [And What Size]

What Kia Has The Best Towing Capacity

The Kia that has the best towing capacity would be the Sorento, with a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. The Sorento outshines Kia's other models. Kia also has different engine options for the Sorento, including a diesel which is perfect for towing.

An orange colored Kia Sorento

The Sorento is available with a V6 DOHC gasoline engine that pushes out 200 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque and an inline 4 14 valve diesel engine that's pushing 148 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are very capable of towing 5,000 lbs.

For the best towing experience, your best choice will be the diesel engine since it has more torque. The diesel engine will give you more consistency when towing on flat or inclined surfaces. While the gas engine is best if you're also going to daily drive your vehicle, you get better gas mileage and cheaper maintenance.

Can I Put A Hitch On A Kia Soul

A stainless trailer hitch photographed up close

Yes, since most Kia Souls do not come with any tow hitch out of the factory, you can get an aftermarket one that is compatible with your Soul's year model. Buying the right kit for your car's model is essential because all of the spots you have to bolt together will line up perfectly.

Another method you can do is buy the hitch yourself or from a mechanic shop and have them install the tow hitch for you. This will be the best option for you if you are not mechanically inclined. Note that labor will cost extra, but a mechanic will professionally install your hitch.

Can A Kia Soul Wow A Teardrop Camper

A white car towing a teardrop trailer

Yes, a Kia Soul can definitely tow a teardrop camper as long as it is below 2,200 pounds. A teardrop camper is just a trailer camper that is streamlined and lightweight. A teardrop camper is perfect for the Soul since it won't have a hard time towing it around.

A teardrop camper is generally small and can range from 4 to 6 feet in width, 8 to 10 feet in length, and have a height of 4 to 5 feet. The wheels of these campers are also usually outside of the body and are covered by fenders. The shape of the teardrop camper also has great aerodynamics, which could lessen the drag the wind brings when driving.

What's The Ground Clearance Of A Kia Soul

A white Kia Soul parked on the side of the street

Ground clearance is a factor some people tend to forget. The higher your ground clearance is, the higher an obstacle or terrain you can drive through, while lower ground clearance makes your car more stable and handle better.

The average ground clearance of an SUV is between 9 inches and 10 inches, while a sedan is approximately 6 inches. The Kia Soul sits with a ground clearance of 7 inches. Since a Soul is classified as a subcompact crossover SUV, it would generally have the ground clearance of an ordinary sedan.

Is A Kia Soul A 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder?

A cylinder is a combustion chamber where power is generated for the engine of the vehicle. The more cylinder your car's engine has the more power it can produce. In the automotive market today the top engines being sold are 4 and 6 cylinders, they can come in different layouts such as inline and V engines.

The Kia Soul has a 2.0L 4 cylinder DOHC D-CVVT engine that produces 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. With this engine, a Kia Soul has a gas mileage of 28 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

Is a Kia Soul Considered A Truck

The new Kia Soul parked on the side of the road

No, a Kia Soul is considered to be a subcompact crossover SUV. In 2008 the Kia Soul was introduced and is being manufactured in South Korea. Kia Soul is meant to rival the Nissan Cube and Sion XB.

The Kia Soul is a subcompact SUV, it gives its users the versatility of a car while giving them a feeling of driving an SUV. The Soul is one of Kia's best-selling models. The main design of the Kia Soul is to be a city car, but it is also great to take out of a weekend of camping and outdoors.

What Problems Do Kia Souls Have

A worker checking the engine of a car

There are very few problems with the newer models of Kia Souls. The 2019-2021 models have mostly reports of brakes getting stuck or the car suddenly revving up then shutting down. Most of these cars don't have enough mileage to reveal any other hidden issues. If if there are any some of these vehicles are still covered by warranty.

While older models of Kia Souls such as the first and second generations do have problems with them. Most of these issues had already been fixed for the later generations. Here are the most common issues of the earlier generations of the Kia Souls.

  • Electrical problems
  • Engine failures
  • Faulty suspension
  • Transmission problems
  • Steering problems
  • Hood unlatching
  • Faulty air-conditioning

Note that everything listed here is a compilation of problems that the first and second generation Kia Soul had. All these problems will not happen to one car but multiple of them might. Having regular inspections done by a mechanic can help avoid these problems.

Are Kia Souls Expensive To Repair

No, the Kia Soul is relatively cheap to repair and maintain. You will be looking at around $300 yearly for the first four years of your vehicle. Your vehicle's maintenance will hit $1,000 or more yearly when you reach the eight year mark. Also, when your car reaches twelve years you will have a 40% chance of a major repair.

When you drive your car with care, you can lessen the stress on your car's components especially if your car is getting older. This will reduce the risk of something essential from breaking like the engine or transmission. This will be very costly and may not be able to repair and will need a replacement part.

If you have regular inspections by your mechanic you will most likely see any signs of problems before something happens. A mechanic can also keep a record of your car making sure you keep track of when components or fluids need replacing. This will help you avoid any permanent damage that will cost a lot of money to fix or replace

Closing

A blue colored Kia Soul parked on the road

The Kia Soul is very capable of towing a trailer, just be sure to tow a trailer that is below 2,000 lbs to keep yourself and others safe on the road. Pulling a heavier load will put a lot of stress on your engine and you might end up blowing it.

If your looking for a vehicle capable of towing your best choice would be a diesel engine. It has more torque than a gas engine so it's more efficient for towing but a gas engine is a lot for efficient if you're also going to use your vehicle for daily driving.

For more automotive topics and tips, check out the following post.

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