Pope Francis has quickly gotten a reputation for being thrifty. He doesn't believe in spending too much money on himself, or his chosen ride. Instead of opting for a Mercedes-Benz as his official car, the brand chosen by his more recent predecessors, Pope Francis has picked a Kia Soul. Yes, a Kia. The Pope has already made clear his preference for smaller cars. Before the Kia, he was riding in a 20-year-old Fiat. This is really in stark contrast to the vehicles typically used as Popemobiles.

Other than Mercedes, an Audi A8 was used to drive around Pope Benedict XVI on a visit to Germany. Francis has also ridden in an EV donated by Renault. In terms of the Soul itself, Kia has refused to divulge any details about it, specifically what protective features were installed such as bullet-proof armor and other safety technologies.