Kia Soul Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021 · Best: 2019 — based on 5,442 NHTSA complaints across 16 model years (2010–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 5,442 NHTSA complaints, the Kia Soul years to avoid are 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021 — the worst logged up to 3.2× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
No year rated caution
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 134 | 75 | 3 | SOLID | — |
| 2011 | 193 | 109 | 3 | SOLID | — |
| 2012 | 512 | 445 | 3 | AVOID | — |
| 2013 | 657 | 563 | 3 | AVOID | — |
| 2014 | 890 | 705 | 5 | AVOID | 2014 Soul problems → |
| 2015 | 897 | 778 | 4 | AVOID | 2015 Soul problems → |
| 2016 | 800 | 698 | 2 | AVOID | 2016 Soul problems → |
| 2017 | 268 | 235 | 1 | SOLID | 2017 Soul problems → |
| 2018 | 209 | 176 | 1 | SOLID | 2018 Soul problems → |
| 2019 | 131 | 113 | 1 | BEST | 2019 Soul problems → |
| 2020 | 358 | 309 | 1 | AVOID | 2020 Soul problems → |
| 2021 | 220 | 199 | 2 | AVOID | 2021 Soul problems → |
| 2022 | 87 | 80 | 1 | SOLID | 2022 Soul problems → |
| 2023 | 48 | 28 | 4 | SOLID | 2023 Soul problems → |
| 2024 | 27 | 7 | 0 | SOLID | 2024 Soul problems → |
| 2025 | 11 | 3 | 0 | N/A | — |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Kia Soul. Full methodology.
Soul problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Kia Soul problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Kia Soul are engine, body. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Connecting rod bearing failure / rod knock
· Kia Soul 2013–2022Corroborated by 32 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3,024 engine complaints across 2013–2022, typically 30,000–265,000 miles.
Window spontaneous failure / explosion
· Kia Soul 2013Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 24 body complaints across 2013.
Why these years stand out
2012 Kia Soul: 512 owner complaints on federal record, 445 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Soul.
2013 Kia Soul: 657 owner complaints on federal record, 563 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Soul.
2014 Kia Soul: 890 owner complaints on federal record, 705 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Soul.
2015 Kia Soul: 897 owner complaints on federal record, 778 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Soul.
2016 Kia Soul: 800 owner complaints on federal record, 698 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Soul.
2020 Kia Soul: 358 owner complaints on federal record, 309 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Soul.
2021 Kia Soul: 220 owner complaints on federal record, 199 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Soul.
Know what to pay for the right Kia Soul — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
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FAQ
What years of the Kia Soul should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Kia Soul years to avoid are 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Kia Soul?
The 2019 Kia Soul shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Kia Soul verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Kia Soul's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Kia Soul before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Kia Soul reliable?
The Kia Soul's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 5,442 NHTSA owner complaints, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021 rate "avoid", while 2019 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Kia Soul?
The most-reported problem area for the Kia Soul is engine, followed by body. Confirmed failures include connecting rod bearing failure / rod knock, window spontaneous failure / explosion. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Kia Soul across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Kia Soul, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.