The Kia Soul is a small hatchback with a tall, boxy body that arrived in the U.S. for the 2010 model year. It uses front-wheel drive and has been offered mainly with four-cylinder engines, plus a turbocharged version from 2017 to 2022 and, in the second generation, a fully electric Soul EV sold in select states. Every generation covered here is a five-door hatchback. We put all 15 Kia Soul model years from 2010 to 2024 side by side, using the same rule for every year.
Kia Soul by model year
Complaints per 100,000 sold. Red: more than twice the model average. Green: the fewest, among years at least three years old.
| Year | Per 100k sold | Complaints | Recalls | Top system | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 201 | 135 | 3 | Electrical | |
| 2011 | 190 | 194 | 3 | Brakes | |
| 2012 | 446 | 516 | 3 | Engine | |
| 2013 | 566 | 668 | 3 | Engine | |
| 2014 | 621 | 903 | 5 | Engine | |
| 2015 | 613 | 902 | 4 | Engine | |
| 2016 | 560 | 817 | 2 | Engine | |
| 2017 | 235 | 272 | 1 | Engine | |
| 2018 | 210 | 220 | 1 | Engine | |
| 2019 | 141 | 138 | 1 | Engine | Fewest |
| 2020 | 540 | 388 | 1 | Engine | |
| 2021 | 319 | 240 | 2 | Engine | |
| 2022 | 164 | 95 | 1 | Engine | Fewest |
| 2023 | 88 | 54 | 4 | Engine | Fewest |
| 2024 | 59 | 31 | 0 | Electrical |
Why these years stand out
2019, 2022 and 2023: fewest complaints. The 2019 drew 138 complaints, or 141 per 100,000 sold; The 2022 drew 95 complaints, or 164 per 100,000 sold; The 2023 drew 54 complaints, or 88 per 100,000 sold. These years have been on the road at least three years, which gives owners time to report problems, so a low count means something.
What Kia Soul owners report most
Engine complaints lead for the Kia Soul, at 61% of all complaints for 2010-2024. Engine and transmission reports together make up 69%. One complaint can name more than one system, so the bars can add up to more than the total.
When problems are reported: mileage
2,932 Kia Soul complaints list the odometer reading at the time of the problem. 29% were reported before 50,000 miles and 34% after 100,000. A large share comes after 100,000 miles, where wear items and age-related failures become more common.
Kia Soul compared with other small suvs
In 3 of 15 model years the Kia Soul drew fewer complaints per 100,000 sold than the average small suv we track for the same year. For 2024, the Kia Soul scored 59 against a class average of 63. The class average only uses models with clean, published sales figures.
Kia Soul generations
- 2010-2013First generation
1.6L four; 2.0L four · 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic (2010-2011); 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic (2012-2013)
The 2012 update brought a direct-injected 1.6L, a new 2.0L and 6-speed transmissions.
- 2014-2019Second generation
1.6L four; 2.0L four; 1.6L turbo four (from 2017) · 6-speed manual; 6-speed automatic; 7-speed dual-clutch (turbo)
A turbocharged Soul Exclaim arrived for 2017, and the electric Soul EV was sold in select states.
- 2020-2024Third generation
2.0L four; 1.6L turbo four (2020-2022) · 6-speed manual (2020-2021); IVT continuously variable; 7-speed dual-clutch (turbo)
The 2023 refresh dropped the turbo, leaving the 2.0L with a continuously variable transmission.
The manual transmission was discontinued in the U.S. after the 2021 model year. The Soul EV was offered in the second generation only in a limited number of states. From 2023 every U.S. Soul uses the same 2.0L engine and continuously variable transmission.
Kia Soul fuel economy
The 2025 Kia Soul is rated at 30 to 31 MPG combined by the EPA, depending on the version. Every year and engine will be on its own MPG page.
Crash test stars
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave the Kia Soul these overall ratings (out of 5) for the model years it tested: 2011: 4, 2012: 4, 2013: 4, 2014: 5, 2015: 5, 2016: 5, 2017: 5, 2018: 5, 2019: 5, 2020: 4, 2021: 4, 2022: 4, 2023: 4, 2024: 4. Ratings can differ between body styles and drive types of the same year.
Questions
What is the best year for the Kia Soul?
By complaints filed with NHTSA per 100,000 sold, 2019, 2022 and 2023 had the fewest among model years at least three years old. 2019 scored 141, against a model average of 377.
What years of the Kia Soul have the most complaints?
No Kia Soul model year passes our rule for "most complaints". By raw count, 2014 has the most: 903 complaints, led by engine reports.
At what mileage do Kia Soul owners report problems?
Across 2,932 complaints that list the odometer reading, 29% were filed before 50,000 miles and 34% after 100,000 miles. These are miles at the time of the reported problem, not how long the vehicle lasts.
How many recalls does the Kia Soul have?
NHTSA lists 34 recall campaigns across model years 2010-2024 (a campaign that covers several years counts once per year). Check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaint counts are reports filed by owners with NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify them, and a complaint does not prove a defect. Scores are our calculation, explained on the Method page. Not affiliated with any automaker.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (complaints, recalls, investigations), data through October 2026; U.S. sales from manufacturer reports, compiled by motorwick; fuel economy: U.S. EPA estimates; crash tests: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.