Last updated: 2026-10-10

RELIABILITY SCORE: 78/100 (GOOD)

2022 Kia Soul Reliability Report

The 2022 KIA Soul has a good reliability standing, but oil loss that leads to engine damage is the main problem owners report.

Full Breakdown Compare Models

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

13.7per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

$437

Annual Fuel Cost

$1,950–$2,050

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity56/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs90/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact88/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity89/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Consider

Rates better than the 2021 Soul with far fewer complaints and one recall, though oil loss and engine failure still lead the owner complaints.

Top Issues to Watch

ENGINE (25)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (19)
POWER TRAIN (10)

Generation & Refresh (US)

Post-Redesign (Year 3)

2022 is year 3 of the Third generation (SK3).

Redesigned for the 2020 model year.
Well-established in its generation — most early issues should be resolved.
A refresh arrives in 2023.
3rd generation Soul (US).

What this means for buyers

Well into the generation cycle — most design and manufacturing issues should be resolved by now.

2020: Third generation (SK3) Launch

Generation start — new platform.

2022: This Model Year

2022 is year 3 of the Third generation (SK3).

2023: Mid-Cycle Refresh

Updated features and styling tweaks.

Should You Buy the 2022 Kia Soul?

Good, with a catch. This Soul holds up well against other 2022 SUVs, sits among the stronger of the eight scored Soul years, and costs less to keep running than its class: $437 a year in independent repair-cost data against $466. The 2021 rates worse and drew 190 complaints. The 2023 rates about the same.

The catch is the engine. Owners say oil disappears between changes, often with no low-oil warning. The engine then rattles, runs rough, loses power, or stalls in traffic and on highways. Some cars needed a full engine replacement. Timing failures and stalling show up at 92,000 to 97,500 miles. A smaller group lost all power from an IVT transmission failure between 4,300 and 10,734 miles. One federal recall covers engine and engine cooling, and owners describe waiting on parts.

Ask for the full service history and any oil consumption test results. Confirm the recall work is done, and check for engine or transmission repairs. Some owners were turned away by dealers for lacking maintenance receipts, so the seller's paperwork matters.

Compared to the 2023 Kia Soul, which scored 1 points lower. See also the 2021 Kia Soul for an earlier comparison.

Pros

+Acceptable reliability score
+$29 cheaper to maintain than avg subcompact SUVs
+Infrequent unscheduled repairs
+Low major repair risk (9%)

Cons

−ENGINE issues reported (25 complaints)
−ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: Engines burn oil, knock or rattle, and stall while driving (19 complaints)

Compare 2022 Kia Soul With

2022 Hyundai Kona

Reliability: 64/100

Good

2022 Nissan Kicks

Reliability: 82/100

Excellent

2022 Buick Encore

Reliability: 80/100

Excellent

2022 Jeep Renegade

Reliability: 76/100

Good

2022 Chevrolet Trax

Reliability: 81/100

Excellent

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK

1 manufacturer recall issued

Other

HIGH RISK

ENGINE (25)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (19)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

recall on record

The 2022 Kia Soul carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

13.7

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 13.5

LowAvgHigh

Moderate

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 4/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2022 Kia Soul Recall Details

1 recall has been issued for the 2022 Kia Soul. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

25V0990002025-02-17

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

Consequence

Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2022 Kia Soul? Check its history first

Engine problems lead owner complaints about the 2022 Kia Soul, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

Accidents
Open Recalls
Title History
Odometer Rollback

2022 Kia Soul NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 5/5Passenger: 4/5

Rollover risk: 14.7%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Not Available)Advanced Belt Feature (Standard)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Curtain (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Torso/Pelvis (Driver, Front Passenger)Knee (Not Available)Additional Air Bags (None)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)LATCH Locations (Rear Seat)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Optional)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver, Front Passenger)

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Kia SoulRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

4.5

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$437

vs $466 avg for subcompact SUVs

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.2

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

Soul

$437

Category Avg

$466

All Vehicles

$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

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.

This benchmark covers the Kia Soul model overall and is not specific to the 2022 model year.

Value Retained: 69.5%
Depreciation: 30.5%
Listings Analyzed: 355

Listings observed in May 2021. This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.

Explore Kia Soul depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

29–31 MPG

Running cost: $2,400–$2,500/yr

Fuel + repair

27–29 city / 32–35 hwy MPG

Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2022 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Soul Eco dynamics 2.0L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	29	35	31	$1,950
Soul 2.0L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	28	33	30	$2,000
Soul 1.6L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (AM-S7)	27	32	29	$2,050

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2022 Kia Soul.

Pull the dipstick before the test drive; a low level soon after an oil change points to oil burning.
Ask for every oil change receipt, since dealers decline engine repairs when maintenance records are missing.
Run the VIN for open recalls and get dealer records of any engine inspection or replacement.
Scan for stored or pending codes, especially P0017 and P0014 timing correlation codes.
Listen at idle and while coasting for rattling or knocking from the engine.
Accelerate hard on a highway ramp and reject the car if rpm flares without the car picking up speed.
Make several full stops with auto start-stop on and watch for stalling or the car lurching forward.
Check under the hood for chewed wiring or rodent nests near the main harness.

2022 Kia Soul Common Problems by Component

78 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

ENGINE (25)ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (19)POWER TRAIN (10)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (8)ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (5)VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (4)AIR BAGS (2)STEERING (2)Other (3)

ENGINE

25 complaints

Soul engine problems across all model years

Oil disappears between changes, often with no low-oil warning, and the engine then rattles, runs rough, loses power, or stalls in traffic and on highways. Dealers document stuck oil control rings and repeated failed oil consumption tests, and several cars end up needing a full engine replacement. Timing damage follows oil starvation, including a failed timing chain tensioner and camshaft timing codes. Some owners also report stalling with white smoke while auto start-stop is on. Warranty denials, sludge findings, and long waits without a loaner car come up often.

25 complaints total

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

19 complaints

Soul engine problems across all model years

Engines burn oil, knock or rattle, and stall while driving. Some seize with smoke coming from the engine bay and have to be towed. Owners say the low oil warning light stays off even when the oil is quarts low. Most of these reports, though, are about waiting for a recall repair. Dealers say parts are unavailable and the remedy is on hold. Where work does happen, dealers replace engines, oil pumps, or spark plugs, and some owners are turned away because they have no maintenance receipts.

19 complaints total

POWER TRAIN

10 complaints

The IVT transmission fails early. The rpm swings, then all power is lost, leaving cars stuck in intersections and on highways between 4,300 and 10,734 miles. Dealers find metal shavings in the fluid, and some replacement transmissions fail again. These reports include two injuries. Other complaints describe stalling caused by timing faults linked to low oil, with failures returning after major timing repairs. Owners also report jerky, rubber-band deceleration that feels close to stalling, and engines that shut off on the interstate with smoke coming from the rear.

10 complaints total2 injuries

UNKNOWN OR OTHER (8 complaints)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

8 complaintsSafety-related

The car shuts off while driving, sometimes with rows of warning lights and no stored code. Auto start-stop can lunge the car into an intersection just before the engine dies. One crash report involves the car rolling forward after being shifted into park. Other reports describe oil running out before scheduled changes with no low-pressure warning, a check engine light that stays on after engine work, sluggish shifting, and disputes with Kia over warranty help and lost resale value.

8 complaints total1 crash

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (5 complaints)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

5 complaints

The car loses power and stalls, whether at highway speed or at a complete stop, and dealers often find no cause. ABS, traction control, and forward collision avoidance warning lights come on together and keep returning. Some stalls at a stop are tied to the start/stop feature. Other reports cover a broken CVVT pin that requires a new exhaust camshaft and CVVT assembly, a starter failing soon after an engine replacement, power windows that won't roll back up, and automatic emergency braking that grabs too early in reverse.

5 complaints total

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (4 complaints)

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

4 complaints

Acceleration lags and the rpm climbs while the car barely gains speed. Shifts come late and loud. Other reports describe chugging on the freeway with the car unable to go over 50 mph, a no-start, and rpm surges on deceleration in sport mode. Oil loss between changes and a humming air conditioner appear alongside these symptoms. In one case, a dealer will not perform recall service until an unresponsive ECU is replaced.

4 complaints total

AIR BAGS (2 complaints)

AIR BAGS

2 complaintsSafety-related

Airbags fail to deploy in crashes, and both complaints here are crash reports with three people injured in total. In a rear-end collision at a stop, the seat belts also fail to retract, and a front passenger needs stitches for a head injury. In a frontal impact at about 35 mph that totals the car, the driver reports neck and shoulder injuries. The two reports come at very different mileages, so no shared pattern shows.

2 complaints total2 crashes3 injuries

STEERING (2 complaints)

STEERING

2 complaints

Rodents chew through the main wire harness, twice in the same spot on one car, and the repair runs into the thousands. The owner suspects soy-based wire coating. The other report is not a steering fault. The car shuts down in drive with the battery, oil, and engine lights on, then restarts normally after being turned off and on. This repeats over several years while the dealer finds no cause, later progressing to shutdowns every 10 minutes.

2 complaints total

SUSPENSION (1 complaints)

SUSPENSION

1 complaint

2025-06-13

When vehicle stopped at red light, foot on break. The whole car shut down and locked up and I was unable to move. I had to turn the car off and back on and jerk the wheel to get it to respond again. This happened twice in one drive. This is right after getting my car back from dealership for parts that had to be replaced due to a re-call.

STRUCTURE (1 complaints)

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

2023-05-09

2022 Kia Soul-Consumer is writing in about the battery discharge message display on the dashboard which causes a dead battery, requiring the battery to be jumped anywhere consumers wants to go. Consumers wife took vehicle to dealership where purchased for assistance. Consumer was told by dealership "all Kia's have the same problem & there's nothing that the consumer could do about it." Consumer states there should be a recall or a fix for the issue. Consumer "will send a letter to the state and government" to investigate the issue. Consumer states there should be a fix or pay off for the car, so they can trade it in on a new car that doesn't have this issue. The car is in his wife name, Johniece Lippincott, her contact number it the alternative # listed under Consumer Tab.

When Do 2022 Kia Soul Problems Start?

Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.

4,300–10,734 milesIVT transmission failure

92,000–97,500 milesTiming failure and stalling

Best & Worst Kia Soul Years

Best Kia Soul Years to Buy

Based on reliability index score

Top Pick

Excellent

2024

0Recalls

23Complaints

Good

2022

(Current Model)

1Recalls

78Complaints

Good

Kia Soul Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Kia Soul reliability scores by year
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

Kia Soul Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2025	85/100	-1	Excellent	0	9
2024	86/100	+9	Excellent	0	23
2023	77/100	-1	Good	4	45
2022(selected)	78/100	+6	Good	1	78
2021	72/100	+2	Good	2	190
2020	70/100	-6	Good	1	338
2019	76/100	+3	Good	1	123
2018	73/100	—	Good	1	199

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2022 KIA Soul reliable?

Yes, overall. It has a good reliability standing, well above average among 2022 SUVs, and it is among the stronger of the eight scored Soul years. Estimated repair costs run $437 a year against $466 for its class. The weak spot is engine oil loss, which hurts some cars badly.

What are the most common problems with the 2022 KIA Soul?

Engine trouble leads. Owners report oil vanishing between changes, often without a low-oil warning, followed by rattling, rough running, power loss, and stalling. Transmission failures, stalling tied to timing faults, and electrical stalls come next. Some electrical reports also mention ABS, traction control, and collision warning lights coming on together.

Does the 2022 KIA Soul have transmission problems?

Some do. Ten power train complaints describe the IVT transmission failing early, with rpm swings and then total power loss. Those failures came between 4,300 and 10,734 miles. Dealers found metal shavings in the fluid, and some replacement transmissions failed again.

Has the 2022 KIA Soul been recalled?

Yes. Federal recall records list one recall for the 2022 Soul, in the area of engine and engine cooling. Some owners say they waited for the repair because dealers lacked parts. Check the VIN with a dealer to see whether the work was completed.

Is the 2022 KIA Soul better than the 2021 or 2023?

It beats the 2021, which rates worse and has 190 complaints and 2 recalls. The 2023 rates about the same, with 45 complaints and 4 recalls. The 2023 has had less time on the road, so its lower complaint count does not make it the safer pick.

Don’t buy a 2022 Kia Soul without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2022 Kia Soul

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2022 Kia Soul does best on repair costs (90/100) and worst on complaint severity (56/100). 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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