Reliability & cost of ownership
Kia Soul Ev Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Kia Soul Ev? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Kia Soul Ev problems by model year
17 recall entries and 38 owner complaints on file across 6 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Soul Ev | 3 | 3 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2018 Soul Ev | 3 | 3 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2017 Soul Ev | 3 | 17 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2016 Soul Ev | 4 | 7 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2015 Soul Ev | 4 | 6 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 Soul Ev | 0 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Kia Soul Ev, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system16 complaints
- power train10 complaints
- service brakes6 complaints
- unknown or other6 complaints
- engine5 complaints
- visibility/wiper2 complaints
- air bags1 complaint
- vehicle speed control1 complaint