Last updated: 2026-10-10
Buick Envista vs Kia Soul: Reliability Compared
Buick Envista
Kia Soul
Reliability tilts slightly toward the Buick Envista over the KIA Soul. The Envista has one recall, the Soul ten. That gap decides it, but the Envista has only three model years of history, so its lead is narrow.
How Do the Buick Envista and Kia Soul Generations Compare?
Verdict
The Buick Envista is more reliable than the Kia Soul, scoring 79/100 vs 77/100.
A slight edge goes to the Buick Envista, and the deciding fact is how serious the owner reports are. The Soul has ten recalls across eight model years, plus a long run of oil loss, engine replacement and early transmission failure complaints. The Envista has one recall and nothing that heavy. Its owners do complain at a slightly higher rate per car sold, and it has only three model years on the road, so the lead could shrink as more complaints arrive.
Key Differences
- 1Buick Envista has 9 fewer total recalls
- 2Buick Envista scores 2 points higher in reliability
- 3Kia Soul has 0.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold
Category Scoreboard
Buick Envista vs Kia Soul: Which Is More Reliable?
| Metric | Buick Envista | Kia Soul |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability Score | 79/100 | 77/100 |
| Years Tracked | 3 | 8 |
| Total Recalls | 1 | 10 |
| Complaints per 10k Sold | 7.1 | 6.4 |
| Year Wins | 0 | 2 |
What Are the Common Problems With the Buick Envista and Kia Soul?
Drivetrain failures define the Soul's record, while electrical glitches define the Envista's. Soul owners report oil vanishing with no low-oil warning, then rattling, stalling or a full engine replacement. The IVT transmission has cut all power in traffic and on highways, with metal shavings in the fluid. Crashes are linked to the Soul's engine, power train, electrical and steering areas. Envista owners mostly describe the instrument cluster and touchscreen going dark while driving, and windows lowering with the lock on. Its only crash-linked area is service brakes, where a failed master cylinder left a soft pedal on an exit ramp. Shutdown and engine-fire reports exist but are rare.
| Component | Buick Envista | Kia Soul |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2.9Low | 0.5Very Low |
| ENGINE | 0.4Very Low | 2.6Low |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1.2Low | 0.7Very Low |
| POWER TRAIN | 0.3Very Low | 1Very Low |
| STEERING | 0.3Very Low | 0.3Very Low |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 0.4Very Low | 0.1Very Low |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | —None | 0.5Very Low |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 0.2Very Low | 0.1Very Low |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| VISIBILITY | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| AIR BAGS | —None | 0.2Very Low |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | —None | 0.1Very Low |
| STRUCTURE | —None | 0.1Very Low |
| FUEL SYSTEM | —None | —None |
| WHEELS | —None | —None |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | —None | —None |
Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.
How Does Buick Envista vs Kia Soul Reliability Compare by Year?
| Year | Buick Envista | Kia Soul | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 80/1000R / 28C | 85/1000R / 9C | Kia Soul |
| 2024 | 75/1001R / 49C | 86/1000R / 23C | Kia Soul |
Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Buick Envista scored 75/100 and the 2024 Kia Soul scored 86/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.
Who Should Buy the Buick Envista vs the Kia Soul?
Buick Envista vs Kia Soul: Common Questions
- Is the KIA Soul more reliable than the Buick Envista?
- No, the Envista has a slight edge, though both stand as good. The Soul has ten recalls and a heavy record of oil loss, engine failure and transmission failure. The Envista has one recall, but only three model years of history, so its record is thinner.
- Which has more recalls, the Soul or the Envista?
- The Soul has more. Federal recall records show ten recalls across its eight model years from 2018 to 2025. The Envista has one recall across its three model years from 2024 to 2026. The Soul has had far longer on the road to collect them.
- Which costs less to repair, the Soul or the Envista?
- The data cannot answer that. Independent repair-cost data puts the Soul at about $437 a year, with a 9% chance that a repair is major. No matching repair-cost figures exist for the Envista, so a fair dollar comparison is not possible yet.
- What is the biggest problem with the KIA Soul?
- Engine oil loss is the biggest. Owners report oil disappearing between changes without a low-oil warning, then rattling, stalling or a full engine replacement. The IVT transmission is the second concern, with reports of sudden power loss and metal shavings in the fluid.
- What goes wrong most often on the Buick Envista?
- Electrical faults lead the complaints. The digital cluster and touchscreen black out while driving, sometimes for about 30 seconds, and dealers often cannot reproduce it. Some owners also report windows lowering with the lock on. Rarer reports include a failed brake master cylinder and sudden shutdowns.
Related Reliability Comparisons
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Decided between Buick Envista and Kia Soul? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.
How we score the Buick Envista and Kia Soul
Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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