Which Subcompact SUV is the Most Convenient: The 2025 Chevy Trax or Kia Soul?

Shopping for a vehicle is a very personal experience. That is to say, each driver has their wants and needs that they expect from what they decide to purchase, and there are a lot of factors to consider before, during, and after you take that necessary test drive. The driver who looks for something pragmatic and favors efficiency and practicality over style and excess tends to consider topics such as cost, fuel economy, storage, and other items that impact the daily commute. 

Two vehicles that embody pragmatism and practicality are the 2025 Chevy Trax and the 2025 Kia Soul. Both are small and have scaled-down powertrains that provide exceptional fuel economy instead of high-octane performance. They are also available for a much lower price than some of the other offerings on the automotive market. Today, we’re looking at both vehicles to assist you in choosing which ones work better for you. It’s the 2025 Chevy Trax vs 2025 Kia Soul in a contest of convenience. 

Performance and Fuel Economy 

A common factor that the Trax and Soul share is that both vehicles are FWD-exclusive and are equipped with a single powertrain geared toward favorable fuel economy. The Kia Soul’s powertrain consists of a 2.0L four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable transmission. Testing conducted by the EPA showed that the Soul offers drivers 27 MPG in the city. The Trax, on the other hand, utilizes a 1.2L three-cylinder engine that mates with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Trax matched the Soul’s combined fuel economy of 30 MPG and outperformed it in the city by offering drivers 28 MPG. Having a practical vehicle means having the ability to go farther for less. Thanks to the design of the Chevy Trax, you’ll have the means to travel farther in between fill-ups. 

A Closer Look at Interior Dimensions

Drivers who favor practicality and a functional vehicle tend to pay close attention to an interior that’s both pragmatic and ergonomically. The 2025 Kia Soul has an interior that Car & Driver Magazine describes as “fashion forward.” There’s certainly a fair amount of truth in this observation, as the interior of the Kia Soul looks attractive. Still, it is hampered by a cramped design that limits the comfort of drivers and passengers alike. 

Drivers who are far more interested in a vehicle that emphasizes pragmatism and a functional means of getting from point A to point B will certainly favor what the Trax offers. The practical driver needs plenty of cargo space for trips to the grocery store and other errands. With the rear seats folded, the Chevy Trax provides customers with 54.1 cu.ft. of storage space, more than three times the average trunk size of a four-door sedan (15 cu.ft.) The Chevy Trax also has a storage organizer, ensuring everything is properly placed. 

When all seats are full, and cargo is still necessary, such as when the family gets together for a road trip, the Chevy Trax outshines the Kia Soul in being practical. The Kia Soul offers 24.2 cu.ft. of room with the rear seats up, but the Trax offers more with 25.6 cu.ft. The difference is subtle, but every little bit counts. With the optional organizer that the Trax can be outfitted with, you’ll have a place for everything. A practical driver is also well-organized. With more cargo when all the seats are full and a means to organize anything you might be taking on the road, the Chevy Trax is far more practical than its Kia counterpart. 

Infotainment and Connectivity

An infotainment screen is a fixture of any practical vehicle, providing access to the technology the modern consumer uses daily. The Soul and Trax share some similarities, but they also have some essential differences that prove Chevy’s design is more in tune with what practical drivers look for. 

The Soul and Trax both offer an eight-inch infotainment screen as the base offering, but the accessibility and intuitiveness provide a striking contrast between one another. The Soul’s infotainment screen is anchored in the center of the dashboard and is the most popular design for modern vehicles. It also provides access to Apple and Android products. Upper trims have a larger 10.3-inch screen, required for access to Sirius XM and wireless charging. One of the highlights of the Chevy Trax is its standard wireless connectivity, ensuring you can leave all those cables at home before embarking on your travels. 

The 8-inch screen on the Chevy Trax features a design that’s more in line with being user-intuitive than what Kia offers. The screen is pointed at the driver and is perfectly level with the steering column, allowing drivers to access their technology and apps without distraction, which is far more practical than other designs from its competitors. The base screen also provides wireless connectivity and active noise cancellation for a more engaging experience behind the wheel. You can also upgrade to a massive 11-inch screen, depending on which trim you select. 

Any manufacturer must provide accessibility to the technologies that modern drivers use daily. Both vehicles have a base screen that offers connectivity to products used daily. While both screens on base trims are equal in size, Chevy’s is slightly more advanced and designed with the practical driver in mind. 

Safety and Driving Assistance Features 

Choosing a vehicle that’s big on practicality also means having one that provides plenty of safety. Having a safe means of transportation is essential for any driver, and seeing that it’s the most important aspect of any vehicle purchase, we’ve saved it for last. Kia and Chevy have a well-established reputation for safety, so allow us to dive into the items that provide protection and oversight. 

It also limits the availability of some of the standard safety items many practical drivers look for in a vehicle. The Soul’s base trim includes Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, and Driver Attention Warning. However, if you want more items, you must pay a higher price or opt for one of the upper trims. 

Opting for the base trim of the Chevy Trax, while also costing less, opens the doors for a broader range of safety and driving assistance features. All trims of the Trax come with Chevy Safety Assist, a comprehensive suite of features meant to increase protection and oversight. Some items that come with Chevy Safety Assist are Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, automated high beams, which Chevy refers to as Intellibeam, Following Distance Indicator, and Lane Keep Assist. 

Safety and driving assistance features are imperative to not just practical drivers but anyone who’s in the process of searching for a vehicle. By providing more standard items than the Kia Soul, the Chevy Trax is a far more advantageous investment. 

The 2025 Chevy Trax is Perfect for Those Who Prioritize Practicality

When it comes to having an SUV that exhibits pragmatism and practicality, there’s no better choice than the 2025 Chevy Trax. Not only is the Trax an affordable means of transportation, but it offers superior fuel economy, an interior designed to be user-intuitive, and technology that informs, entertains, and provides considerable protection and oversight.