How reliable is the Kia Soul?
Owner-reported reliability data: inspection results, typical mileage, and the most common failures.
The Kia Soul passes first-time inspections somewhat below the European average. The most commonly reported issues are a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded. Typical mileage by age and a year-by-year breakdown of reliability are shown below. All figures are owner-reported real-world data, not a marketing rating.
Below average reliability
Based on 8,059 inspection tests. First-time pass rate: 64.9%.
Kia Soul reliability by year
How the Kia Soul performs at first-time inspection, broken down by the year cohort. Empty cells mean we don't have enough owner-reported data for that year yet.
| Year cohort | Pass rate | Typical mileage @ 5 yrs |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 63.3% | – |
| 2010 | 64.1% | – |
| 2011 | 64.9% | – |
| 2012 | 67% | – |
| 2013 | 69.1% | – |
| 2014 | 80.4% | – |
| 2015 | 84.8% | – |
| 2016 | 86.8% | – |
| 2017 | 88% | 66,143 km |
| 2018 | 90.9% | 49,477 km |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 48,023 km |
Model-level pattern, not per-car prediction
These figures describe the Kia Soul as a model. The reliability of any individual Kia Soul also depends on service history, accident history, and how it was driven. Run a free VIN check to see the records attached to a specific car you're considering.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Kia Soul reliable?
Based on owner-reported inspection records, the Kia Soul passes first-time inspections somewhat below the European average. Its first-time inspection pass rate sits around 65%. Reliability varies by year and engine: see the year-by-year breakdown on this page for the specific cohort you're considering.
What are the common problems on the Kia Soul?
The most common owner-reported issues are: A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play (7.1% of inspections); A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (3.6% of inspections); Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded (1.8% of inspections); A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (1.7% of inspections); Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements (1.6% of inspections).
What mileage is normal for a Kia Soul?
For a typical Kia Soul, owner-reported average mileage works out to about – at 3 years, – at 5 years, and – at 10 years. The mileage section on this page shows the full distribution, high-use vs low-use cars often differ by a factor of three.
How do I check a specific Kia Soul before buying?
Enter the 17-character VIN on Carlytics. The free check shows decoded specs and open safety recalls. The full vehicle history report (from EUR 8.90) cross-references owner-reported issues, mileage records, and stolen-vehicle databases for the specific car, model-level reliability tells you the pattern, the VIN check tells you the car.