Is 24 mpg city/31mpg hwy good enough?

I would go with a 2nd Gen Scion XB. It is made by Toyota, Camry engine, much more reliable and a safe car. It is common for them to get 300k-500k miles or more.

KIA still has short term and long term problems. I have known too many angry KIA customers. The KIA Seoul is a ripoff from other style vehicles but with a much shorter lifespan. One friend swears if he hits the lottery, he is buying the billboard near the KIA dealer to warn people.

personally, I think it's ridiculous that most vehicles do not get at least 50 mpg these days, what with the computer controlled engines, trans, etc etc..........you also need to know that those figures are estimates only, and a person operating one of those vehicles may be able to attain a higher mpg, or even a lower amount, depending on how the vehicle is operated..............and FYI - it's never a good idea to purchase a new vehicle because the moment that one tire leaves the dealers lot, the vehicle will lose $ 1000's in value !!!

How about a diesel Golf? Reliable car. Good performance. Astonishing mpg. The entry level TDI does almost 75 mpg. Even the hot hatch exceeds 60 mpg. What's not to like?

In the UK the Kia Soul gives far better mpg figures than the ones you quote. Maybe the engine options are different in the US or maybe you have made a mistake with them

The numbers aren't that impressive, but Kia recently finally started making some decent products, so the repair bills should be a lot lower.

With fuel prices, the mileage just doesn't matter anymore.