Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2021 Kia Soul
NHTSA data on file today
The 2021 Kia Soul has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 240 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #25V099000 Engine Damage May Cause Stall or Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V259000 Improperly Heat-Treated Piston Oil Rings NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 140 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 47 complaints
- Unknown or Other 27 complaints
- Power Train 26 complaints
- Electrical System 15 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 10 complaints
Of the 240 complaints on file, 12 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 240 complaints, owners report 5 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,500–$13,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2021 Kia Soul has a below-average reliability rating due to significant issues with the engine and cooling system, as evidenced by numerous complaints and recalls related to piston oil ring failures.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 30,000–60,000 miles | $3,000–$6,000 | very common |
| Power train | 50,000–70,000 miles | $1,000–$2,500 | common |
| Electrical system | 30,000–50,000 miles | $200–$800 | common |
| Brakes | 40,000–60,000 miles | $300–$600 | occasional |
| Suspension | 50,000–80,000 miles | $500–$1,000 | rare |
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 change every 3,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 2 years
- Coolant replacement every 3 years
- Transmission service every 60,000 miles
- Tire rotation every 6 months
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Engine knocking sounds
- Excessive oil consumption
- Transmission slipping
- Loss of power while driving
- Flickering dashboard lights
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2021 Kia Soul at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.