THE KIA Soul offers distinctive styling, plenty of space and decent driving dynamics.

The latest version of the Soul keeps the chunky looks of the previous model, but practicality and equipment levels have been improved.

The car’s big, bold and boxy styling will continue to divide opinion, but the latest version has a more contemporary look than the one that came onto the scene in 2008.

The curious thing about the Soul is the way it’s perceived on different sides of the Atlantic.

In America, the college kids love its boxy but funky looks, while here in the UK, families and those needing practicality enjoy its generous interior proportions.

The latest Soul has a new platform based on that of the larger Kia Cee’d hatchback, along with a much more rigid body and more sophisticated suspension.

The driving dynamics include a chassis tuned to be lively enough to appeal to a younger audience and steering that responds quickly to inputs, although feels a little light and lacking in feel.

All in all though, the handling is pretty decent, being sufficiently energetic to make the driver feel engaged, with body roll in the tighter corners well contained.

The 1.6-litre petrol engine, tested here, is not turbocharged, so lacks low-down grunt or mid-range torque.

However, the 130bhp unit is still capable of providing pleasing performance so long as you work it hard in the higher rev range.

For full peak performance, you need to maintain those high revs by changing gear frequently through the slick and easy-to-use six-speed manual gearbox.

The consequence of revving hard comes in the form of a fairly thirsty engine, with the official combined fuel consumption of over 40mpg often seeming quite a remote prospect.

The Soul’s ride is much improved over the outgoing model thanks to changes in the suspension setup.

The car is also comfortable on the motorway and feels more refined thanks to better cabin insulation keeping wind and road noise to tolerable levels.

The cabin features a considerable amount of black plastic, but is comfortable, well laid-out and well-built.

There are also one or two interior design flourishes, notably the vertical air vents at either side of the dash with the speakers sitting on top - an unusual and pleasing arrangement.

The interior gets a further lift courtesy of the contrast stitching on the seats and gloss black plastic around the gearlever.

An easy-to-use seven-inch colour touchscreen, with crystal clear graphics, is integrated into the dashboard, while large durable switches and dials add to the cabin’s practical feel.

In terms of space, there’s plenty of room up front, with lots of seat and wheel adjustment. Headroom is also decent in the back, mainly thanks to the high roofline.

There’s also an abundance of storage options, including a central console cubby with cup holders.

It means five adults can travel in comfort and that’s all made possible by the fact the latest version has a wheelbase that’s 20mm longer than its predecessor, while also being 15mm wider.

If you opt for trim level 2, tested here, the car comes with plenty of equipment.

This version gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, sat-nav with live traffic updates, privacy glass, climate control, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, 17in alloy wheels and cruise control.

In conclusion, the Soul has matured from its initial rough-around-the edges feel into a car which drives very capably and feels quite refined. Taut handling and a well-damped ride mean the Soul can also be entertaining to drive.

So the Soul is a relatively affordable option for those who want a spacious, characterful and fun vehicle.