Last updated: 2026-10-10

Kia Soul

Kia Soul Years to Avoid

8 scored model years (2018–2025) · model average 77/100

Avoid the 2020 and 2021 model years. Owners report heavy oil burning that ends in knocking, stalling, or engine failure, and both years also have transmissions that lose drive at highway speed. The 2024 Soul is the better year to buy.

Verdict

Avoid
2020 70/1002021 72/100
Buy
2024 86/100
Model average
77/100
See years to avoid ↓See best year ↓See all years ranked ↓

Kia Soul Years to Avoid

These model years score significantly below the Kia Soul average of 77/100.

#YearScoreRatingRecallsComplaintsTop Issue
1202070/100Good1338Engine (144)
2202172/100Good2190Engine (85)

Why These Years Should Be Avoided

70
GoodReliability score: 70 out of 100, rated Good

2020 Kia Soul

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.

1 recalls338 complaintsEst. repair:

Top issues: Engine (144), Power Train (85), Unknown Or Other (37), Electrical System (20), Steering (16), Engine And Engine Cooling (6)

View full 2020reliability report →
72
GoodReliability score: 72 out of 100, rated Good

2021 Kia Soul

Heavy oil burning leads, often a quart or more every 1,000 miles with no visible leak and no warning light. Owners describe knocking and highway stalls, clustering around 57,000 to 72,000 miles. Several say a dealer software visit did not stop it. Some transmissions lose drive at highway speed. One filing describes a fire that destroyed the car.

2 recalls190 complaintsEst. repair:

Top issues: Engine (85), Engine And Engine Cooling (36), Power Train (16), Unknown Or Other (14), Electrical System (10), Steering (9)

View full 2021reliability report →

What Are Common Kia Soul Problems?

Soul engine problems

410 complaints

Most reported in 2020, 2018, 2021

2020: Oil burns off until the dipstick runs dry, often with no low-oil warning, and the engine then knocks, stalls, or fails outright.

POWER TRAIN

152 complaints

Most reported in 2020, 2018, 2021

2020: Transmissions fail suddenly at highway speed.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

104 complaints

Most reported in 2020, 2018, 2019

2020: Oil consumption and stalling make up most of this category.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

75 complaints

Most reported in 2020, 2018, 2021

2020: Many electrical complaints overlap with engine trouble: stalling, hard restarts, shaking, and check engine lights, sometimes after an engine replacement.

Soul engine problems

73 complaints

Most reported in 2021, 2022, 2018

2021: Excessive oil consumption, rough running, and stalling without warning lights fill these reports.

STEERING

44 complaints

Most reported in 2020, 2021, 2023

2020: The electric power steering can lock up or stop working, most often at startup, with a steering warning light on.

Best Kia Soul Year to Buy Instead

86
ExcellentReliability score: 86 out of 100, rated Excellent

2024 Kia Soul

The 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.

Score: 86/100 (Excellent)0 recalls23 complaints
View full 2024reliability report →
VIN History Report

Found a Safe Year? Check the Specific Car

Even the 2024 Kia Soul has 0 recalls on file. A VIN check confirms the recall work on the exact car and shows its accident, title, and service history.

No VIN? Just hit “Check VIN” to look one up.

  • Accidents
  • Open Recalls
  • Title History
  • Odometer Rollback

All Kia Soul Years by Generation

Kia Soul Reliability Scores by Year

Excellent Good Mixed Risky

Frequently Asked Questions

Which KIA Soul years should I avoid?
Avoid 2020 and 2021. Site analysis puts both well below the model's own average. Owners in both years report heavy oil burning, then knocking, stalling, or engine failure, often without a warning light. Both years also have sudden power loss at highway speed.
Which KIA Soul years have transmission problems?
Power train complaints for 2020 and 2021 describe sudden loss of drive at highway speed. The engine revs, the tachometer swings, and the car slows or will not move. In 2020 these reports come early, from about 2,300 to 20,000 miles. In 2021 one filing names the IVT.
Is the 2018 KIA Soul a bad year?
It is not on the avoid list, but it deserves care. Engine is its top complaint area, and it has the most fire reports of any year. Its complaint rate is well below 2020. Get a pre-purchase inspection and check the oil level.
Is the 2025 KIA Soul better than the 2024?
It is too early to say. The 2025 model has very few complaints, but it has had little time on the road to collect any. The 2024 model has been out longer, has no recalls, and is the better-supported pick.
Is the 2020 KIA Soul worse than the 2021?
Yes, by the numbers. The 2020 model has the most complaints and the highest rate per vehicles sold, with engine and power train problems leading. The 2021 model is also weak, with oil burning and stalling, but its complaint rate is about half as high.

How we score every Kia Soul model year

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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