2017 Kia Soul Turbo: More tech and much more power

The 2017 Kia Soul gets a lot of small changes and one massive performance change.

A new 1.6-liter turbocharged model now sits at the top of the lineup.

All Soul trim levels get visual upgrades, but the Turbo's look is unique and much more aggressive.

Power is now stated at 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque.

The Turbo is good for a stated 28 mpg combined. Meanwhile, the naturally aspirated models get a 1-city-mpg bump.

Kia makes no suspension or handling upgrades to the Turbo aside from larger 18-inch wheels with 235mm wide tires.

Power reaches the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

More powerful models feature no Turbo badging, but differentiate themselves with red-trimmed side skirts and the badges. This can be difficult to see on red or orange examples.

The Soul Turbo feels peppier around town than its naturally aspirated siblings, but the performance difference mostly disappears on the highway.

The new Soul Turbo model hits the road later in 2016 with a starting price of $22,650. As tested, our example stickered at $27,620.