I just can't see someone named "Big Cliff" driving a Kia Soul.
I've seen plenty of good reviews on both those cars, so I think you'd be fine with either as long as you like them.
I bought a new car 2 weeks ago. I was in the same situation as you. Narrowed down to two cars - Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester. I had a slight preference for the Mazda, but if I didn't get a good deal I would have seen what I could have done with the Forester.
I suggest you make sure you look at all the dealers in an area equal to the distance you're willing to drive, not just locally. Also use the internet to your advantage. I found a salesperson through internet forums who straight up offered me 2% over invoice with no dealership fees (Nitrogen, Globali and all that other garbage). Almost everyone else played games. Honda and Toyota were some of the worst in my experience.
Good luck!!