Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2018 Kia Soul
NHTSA data on file today
The 2018 Kia Soul has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 220 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #22V031000 Air Bags May Not Deploy NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 142 complaints
- Power Train 31 complaints
- Unknown or Other 30 complaints
- Electrical System 20 complaints
- Air Bags 11 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 11 complaints
Of the 220 complaints on file, 14 report a crash and 14 a fire; across all 220 complaints, owners report 12 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,000–$9,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2018 Kia Soul has an average reliability rating due to notable engine and powertrain issues. The airbag recall impacts safety but is brand-wide. Despite these, repair costs and frequency are moderate.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| engine | 50,000–80,000 miles | $1,500–$4,000 | common |
| powertrain | 60,000–90,000 miles | $1,200–$3,000 | common |
| electrical system | 70,000–100,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- oil and filter changes
- replace air filters
- rotate and balance tires
- inspect brakes and rotors
- replace spark plugs
- transmission fluid change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- check engine light
- rough engine idling
- delayed gear shifting
- unresponsive airbag sensors
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2018 Kia Soul at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.