Reliability & cost of ownership
Kia Soul Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Kia Soul? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Kia Soul problems by model year
34 recall entries across 14 model years and 5,591 owner complaints across 16 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining 2 model years — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Soul | Not confirmed | 12 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2024 Soul | Not confirmed | 31 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2023 Soul | 4 | 54 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2022 Soul | 1 | 97 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2021 Soul | 2 | 240 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2020 Soul | 1 | 388 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2019 Soul | 1 | 140 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2018 Soul | 1 | 220 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2017 Soul | 1 | 272 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2016 Soul | 2 | 819 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2015 Soul | 4 | 902 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2014 Soul | 5 | 903 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2013 Soul | 3 | 668 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2012 Soul | 3 | 516 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2011 Soul | 3 | 194 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2010 Soul | 3 | 135 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Kia Soul, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- engine3,160 complaints
- unknown or other650 complaints
- steering523 complaints
- electrical system521 complaints
- power train433 complaints
- engine and engine cooling409 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system348 complaints
- exterior lighting252 complaints