The power steering is hydraulic rather than electric, and does not feel as heavy in the hands as the Scion xB. It makes the whole car feel lighter, which it is by about 250 pounds. Don't expect it to feel like a sports car, but then it's not intended to.
The suspension is good, compliant, okay over speed bumps, and not once did we hit any jagged spots. We climbed into the sport model with its firmer shocks and springs, and couldn't feel much if any difference in comfort. However, we were in Miami, so there were no corners to challenge the Soul. Kia says the sport suspension mostly reduces body roll. The brakes were firm and tight.
However, one thing we did notice in the sport was the louder exhaust. It's the same system, but something about the manual transmission makes the Soul louder and more visceral feeling, with more vibration too. We've noticed this in other cars. The redline is 6000 rpm, and it gets there nicely. Next Page