To assess the efficiency of the cold test for soybean seed vigor determination, three seed lots with different physiological quality of three distinct cultivars were evaluated by three different substratum (plastic boxes with mix of sand and soil, paper rolls with soil and paper rolls without soil), two temperatures (10ºC and 15ºC) and three cold periods (3, 5 and 7 days). Treatments were conducted in two seasons, four months apart. The methodologies were compared by Tukey test. Correlation analysis between the cold test methodologies and the routine vigor tests were carried out (first germination count, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity and seedlings emergence in the field). The methodologies using boxes and paper rolls with soil drastically reduced emergence, especially in seed lots with low physiological quality. The results of methodologies using paper rolls without soil presented the best correlation with first germination count, electrical conductivity and field emergence.