Kia Soul Best and Worst Years by Owner Complaints
We rank Kia Soul model years by the number of owner complaints filed with NHTSA, from fewest to most. Complaint counts aren't failure rates: years that sold more cars, or that are older, can show more reports. We rank only model years at least five years old, because newer ones are still collecting reports. Among settled years shown, the 2010 drew the fewest (135) and the 2014 the most (902).
Complaints filed by model year
Every year compared
| Most-reported component | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Still collecting reports |
12 | 0 | Exterior lighting | 4★ | 30–31 |
| 2024 Still collecting reports |
30 | 0 | Electrical system | 4★ | 30–31 |
| 2023 | 53 | 4 | Electrical system | 4★ | 30–31 |
| 2022 | 89 | 1 | Engine | 4★ | 29–31 |
| 2010 Among the fewest complaints |
135 | 3 | Electrical system | — | 26–28 |
| 2019 Among the fewest complaints |
136 | 1 | Engine | 5★ | 27–108 |
| 2011 Among the fewest complaints |
194 | 3 | Service brakes | 4★ | 26–28 |
| 2018 | 218 | 1 | Engine | 5★ | 27–108 |
| 2021 | 235 | 2 | Engine | 4★ | 27–31 |
| 2017 | 272 | 1 | Engine | 5★ | 27–105 |
| 2020 | 383 | 1 | Engine | 4★ | 27–114 |
| 2012 | 514 | 3 | Engine | 4★ | 25–28 |
| 2013 | 663 | 3 | Engine | 4★ | 25–28 |
| 2016 Among the most complaints |
816 | 2 | Engine | 5★ | 26–105 |
| 2015 Among the most complaints |
898 | 4 | Engine | 5★ | 26–105 |
| 2014 Among the most complaints |
902 | 5 | Engine | 5★ | 26 |
Sources: NHTSA ODI complaints, NHTSA recalls, NHTSA NCAP, EPA; retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
What owners reported in the Kia Soul years with the most complaints
These settled model years drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA. The share in brackets is the part of that year’s complaints that names each component; one complaint can name several.
2014 Kia Soul: 902 complaints
Most-reported: Engine 553 (61%); Exterior lighting 130 (14%); Electrical system 98 (11%).
Reports mention 33 crashes, 69 fires, 28 injuries, 1 death. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 88,000 miles. 5 recall campaigns listed.
2015 Kia Soul: 898 complaints
Most-reported: Engine 628 (70%); Fuel/propulsion system 76 (8%); Electrical system 75 (8%).
Reports mention 34 crashes, 83 fires, 32 injuries, 1 death. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 87,648 miles. 4 recall campaigns listed.
2016 Kia Soul: 816 complaints
Most-reported: Engine 561 (69%); Engine and engine cooling 106 (13%); Fuel/propulsion system 84 (10%).
Reports mention 28 crashes, 35 fires, 25 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 82,000 miles. 2 recall campaigns listed.
The Kia Soul years with the fewest complaints
2010 Kia Soul: 135 complaints
Most-reported: Electrical system 24 (18%); Air bags 21 (16%); Structure 21 (16%).
Reports mention 23 crashes, 15 fires, 19 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 20,000 miles. 3 recall campaigns listed.
2019 Kia Soul: 136 complaints
Most-reported: Engine 87 (64%); Air bags 15 (11%); Electrical system 14 (10%).
Reports mention 11 crashes, 8 fires, 12 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 50,000 miles. 1 recall campaign listed.
2011 Kia Soul: 194 complaints
Most-reported: Service brakes 45 (23%); Electrical system 30 (15%); Air bags 26 (13%).
Reports mention 27 crashes, 5 fires, 29 injuries, 1 death. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 55,000 miles. 3 recall campaigns listed.
Crashes, fires and injuries in Kia Soul owner reports
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Typical miles at filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 53 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 1 | — |
| 2022 | 89 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 69,000 |
| 2021 | 235 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 65,000 |
| 2020 | 383 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 13,500 |
| 2019 | 136 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 50,000 |
| 2018 | 218 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 54,100 |
| 2017 | 272 | 17 | 14 | 19 | 0 | 74,000 |
| 2016 | 816 | 28 | 35 | 25 | 0 | 82,000 |
| 2015 | 898 | 34 | 83 | 32 | 1 | 87,648 |
| 2014 | 902 | 33 | 69 | 28 | 1 | 88,000 |
| 2013 | 663 | 22 | 45 | 25 | 0 | 91,000 |
| 2012 | 514 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 2 | 87,000 |
| 2011 | 194 | 27 | 5 | 29 | 1 | 55,000 |
| 2010 | 135 | 23 | 15 | 19 | 0 | 20,000 |
Owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA. “Typical miles” is the median odometer reading in complaints that gave one (shown when at least 10 did). Source: NHTSA ODI complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Largest Kia Soul recalls
- HECU May Cause Engine Compartment Fire (2011–2013 model years; 1,730,192 vehicles across all models; filed Sep 2023; 23V652000)
- Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently (2010–2011 model years; 980,377 vehicles across all models; filed Apr 2013; 13V114000)
- Air Bags May Not Deploy (2017–2019 model years; 410,619 vehicles across all models; filed Jan 2022; 22V031000)
- Overheated Catalytic Converter May Damage Engine (2012–2016 model years; 378,967 vehicles across all models; filed Feb 2019; 19V120000)
- Steering Gear May Separate (2014–2016 model years; 342,381 vehicles across all models; filed Sep 2017; 17V608000)
All 15 Kia Soul recall campaigns · Kia Soul problems, recalls and mpg by year · Used car inspection checklist
What the numbers can't tell you
- Sales volume. NHTSA publishes no sales figures with complaints, so a popular year draws more reports even if each car is no worse.
- Recent years are under-counted. Owners file reports for years after purchase; the newest model years will keep growing.
- The individual car. Maintenance, mileage and repairs matter more for one used car than any model-year average. Get a pre-purchase inspection and check open recalls by VIN.
Kia Soul years FAQ
Which Kia Soul year has the fewest complaints?
Among the model years shown whose counts have settled, the 2010 has the fewest owner complaints filed with NHTSA (135). That is a count of reports, not a measure of reliability.
Does fewer complaints mean a more reliable car?
Not necessarily. Complaint counts depend on how many cars were sold, how old they are and how many owners file reports. Use them to spot patterns worth asking about, alongside recalls, crash tests and a pre-purchase inspection.
Are there Kia Soul years to avoid?
No model year is officially one to avoid. By owner complaints to NHTSA, the settled years with the most reports are the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, and across all years the most-reported problem area is the engine. Compare those years with the ones that drew the fewest reports, then check any specific car for open recalls by VIN and get a pre-purchase inspection.
What is the most common Kia Soul problem?
Across the model years shown, owners most often report problems with the engine (3,131 of 5,550 complaints list it). Each model-year report breaks the complaints down by component.
How many recalls does the Kia Soul have?
NHTSA lists 15 recall campaigns covering the Kia Soul. See every one, with official wording and repair rates, on the Kia Soul recall page.
Why are newer years left out of fewest and most?
Owners keep filing complaints for years after a car is sold. We mark the two newest model years as still collecting reports, and we only rank years that are at least five years old.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.