Last updated: 2026-10-10
Kia Soul Reliability by Year
KIA Soul reliability is good, but oil burning and sudden engine failure hit the 2020 and 2021 model years hardest. The 2024 is the site pick.
Kia Soul Reliability Overview
Good as a used compact SUV, with yearly repair costs of $437, a little under the subcompact SUV average. The real risk is the engine. Owners report heavy oil burning that ends in knocking, stalling, or seizure, often with no warning light. Skip 2020 and 2021, and start with 2024. The 2025 model is too new to judge.
Current generation: 3rd gen (2020–present), facelifted 2023.
Best & Worst Kia Soul Years
Best Kia Soul Years to Buy
Based on reliability index scoreThe 2024 model has excellent reliability, no recalls, and far fewer complaints than 2020 or 2021. Its newer age explains part of that gap, but its top complaints are electrical, such as a dark instrument cluster, not the oil burning and engine failure that dominate the weaker years. It has also been on the road long enough to judge.
Kia Soul Years to Avoid
Oil burns off until the dipstick runs dry, often with no low-oil warning, and then the engine knocks, stalls, or fails. This year has the heaviest complaint load of any. Transmissions also quit suddenly at highway speed, mostly early, between about 2,300 and 20,000 miles. Several under-hood fires are reported.
Kia Soul Reliability Score Trend
Kia Soul reliability has improved in recent years, with newer models scoring an average of 82/100 compared to 73/100 for older years.
Scores 0–100. Higher is better.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 73/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 76/100 | Good |
| 2020 | 70/100 | Good |
| 2021 | 72/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 78/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2024 | 86/100 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 85/100 | Excellent |
Year-by-Year Reliability
2025 Kia Soul
0 recalls · 9 complaints
Final year of the third generation, with excellent reliability and no recalls; the only repeated complaint is dim low beams at night.
2024 Kia Soul
0 recalls · 23 complaints
Best-rated of the eight scored Soul years, with no recalls, though owners report blank instrument clusters and one engine compartment fire.
2023 Kia Soul
4 recalls · 45 complaints
Good reliability with four recalls, one a park-outside fire risk, and owner reports of stalling, steering pulls and blank instrument clusters.
2022 Kia Soul
1 recalls · 78 complaints
Rates better than the 2021 Soul with far fewer complaints and one recall, though oil loss and engine failure still lead the owner complaints.
2021 Kia Soul
2 recalls · 190 complaints
Above average among 2021 SUVs, yet one of the weaker Soul years because of oil burning and stalling engines.
2020 Kia Soul
1 recalls · 338 complaints
Weakest of the eight scored Soul years, with engine oil loss and early transmission failures behind most of its complaints.
2019 Kia Soul
1 recalls · 123 complaints
Middle of the Soul lineup, it rates better than 2018 and 2020 but carries complaints of oil-burning engines and air bags that failed to deploy.
2018 Kia Soul
1 recalls · 199 complaints
Mid-pack among Soul years, with good standing overall but sudden engine failures and oil burning dominating owner complaints; the 2019 rates better.
Common Kia Soul problems
Problem areas with the most owner complaints, each with the years affected, symptoms, and fixes.
Found Your Kia Soul? Check Its History
Exterior lighting (4) problems come up most in Kia Soul owner complaints, and 10 recalls cover the years we track. A VIN check shows whether the car you found had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
Kia Soul Repair Costs
Reliability Rating
4.5/5
Annual Repair Cost
$437
Repair Frequency
0.2/yr
Major Repair Risk
9%
$29 below the subcompact SUVs average of $466/yr.
Ranked #3 of 7 among subcompact SUVs.
Kia Soul Resale Value
The Kia Soul is estimated to retain about 69.5% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.
- Value Retained
- 69.5%
- Depreciation
- 30.5%
- Listings Analyzed
- 355
after 5 years
over the same period
U.S. used-car listings
Listings observed in . This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.
Explore Kia Soul depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.comKia Soul Years to Avoid
See which model years have the most problems
Most Reliable Kia Models
Compare all Kia models by reliability
Compare Kia Soul With Similar SUVs
The Kia Soul competes with other compact suvs such as Hyundai Kona, Nissan Kicks, and Buick Envista.
Soul vs Hyundai Kona
9 years tracked · 790 complaints
Soul vs Nissan Kicks
9 years tracked · 439 complaints
Soul vs Buick Envista
3 years tracked · 80 complaints
Soul vs Buick Encore
5 years tracked · 190 complaints
Soul vs Jeep Renegade
6 years tracked · 687 complaints
More Kia Soul comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best KIA Soul year to buy?
- The 2024 model is the site pick. It has excellent reliability, no recalls, and a low complaint rate, and it has been on the road at least two years. The 2025 model also rates well, but it is too new to have collected a fair number of complaints.
- Is the KIA Soul reliable?
- Yes, its standing is good and above average among SUVs on the site. The exception is engine health in certain years. Owner complaints describe oil burning that leads to stalling or seizure, so reliability depends heavily on which model year you pick.
- What are the most common KIA Soul problems?
- Engine trouble leads by a wide margin. Owners describe heavy oil consumption, then knocking, stalling, power loss, or full seizure, often with no warning light. Power train complaints are next, covering sudden power loss and some highway transmission failures. Electrical starting problems and stalls follow.
- How much does it cost to repair a KIA Soul each year?
- Independent repair-cost data puts the estimated annual repair cost at $437. The comparison average for subcompact SUVs is $466, so the Soul runs a little cheaper. A major engine failure would far exceed that yearly figure.
- Do KIA Soul engines fail without warning?
- Many owners say they do. Engine and cooling complaints repeatedly mention stalls with no warning light, sometimes at highway speed, after heavy oil burning. Owners also report low oil showing up soon after an oil change, so checking the dipstick often matters.
How we score the 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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