Kia SOUL — Years to Avoid
Which model years have the most problems and which are safe to buy.
Avoid These Years
2015 Kia SOUL
1214 complaints (1518% of segment average)
Main issue: 2015 KIA SOUL SPUTTERED WHEN GOING FROM FIRST GEAR, TO SECOND GEAR AND THEN THIRD. CW ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. A DIAGNOSTICS REVEALED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FIRING ON ALL FOUR CYLINDERS AND THAT WAS THE REASON THE VEHICLE SEEMED SLUGGISH. THE ENGINE COVER WAS REMOV
2014 Kia SOUL
1214 complaints (1518% of segment average)
Main issue: I HAVE HAD MY CAR TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE WHICH STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IT WANTS TOO AND THEN THERE IS VERY LITTLE POWER IN 1, 2,AND 3RD GEARS THIS IS A MANUAL TRANS. I ALMOST GOT HIT IN THE SIDE BECAUSE OF PULLING FROM A STOP SIGH AND WENT TO GO A
2016 Kia SOUL
1132 complaints (1415% of segment average)
Main issue: MY CAR IS 2016, ITS 18 MONTHS OLD HAS 19K MILES AND THE ONLY THING DONE TO THE CAR WAS OIL CHANGES WHICH WERE PERFORMED AT THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR. ON JAN 19, 2018 MY CAR STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING 45 MILES AN HOUR ON THE STREET. IT HAPPENED ON NW 36TH STREET GOING EAST IN MIAMI, FLORIDA ZI
2013 Kia SOUL
862 complaints (1078% of segment average)
Main issue: SUDDEN DECELERATION QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING STEERING, BRAKES, COMPLETE ENGINE SHUT-OFF AND DASH INSTRUMENTATION. DEALER FOUND "NO PROBLEM" AND DID NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH OR ANYTHING ELSE. *TR
2012 Kia SOUL
669 complaints (836% of segment average)
Main issue: VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, WOULD ONLY ACCELERATE SLUGGISH, RPM WOULD NOT GO BEYOND 2500 RPM, HAD TO GET VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, LOST DRIVEABILITY. *TT
2020 Kia SOUL
479 complaints (599% of segment average)
Main issue: TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2020 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A P
2017 Kia SOUL
351 complaints (439% of segment average)
Main issue: I PURCHASED MY 2017 KIA SOULS BASE MODEL ON JUN 28 THIS YEAR FROM QUIRK KIA IN BRAINTREE, MA. AFTER JUST 2 WEEKS THIS ISSUE HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WAS AT A GAS STATION GASSING UP THE CAR, ONCE I WAS DONE, I TURNED THE CAR ON, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE ' I WAS PRESSING THE GA
2021 Kia SOUL
292 complaints (365% of segment average)
Main issue: WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT 15MPH THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. SO I TRIED TO RESTART IT AND WHEN I TOOK THE KEY OUT EVERYTHING LOCKED UP AND IT WAS LIKE THAT FOR 5 MIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE CAR CAME BACK ON AND FLAHED THE ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT.
2018 Kia SOUL
281 complaints (351% of segment average)
Main issue: FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE HAS A SIGNIFICANT HESITATION PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN/REDLIGHT ETC. AS YOU PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL DOWN, IT HESITATES THEN ACCELERATES HARD. HAS 340 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME. DEALER AND KIA STATE THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION/TURBO DESIGN. EVEN THE SERVICE MANAG
2011 Kia SOUL
270 complaints (338% of segment average)
Main issue: PULLED INTO PARKING SPACE, CAR ACCELERATED AND BRAKES WENT TO FLOOR WENT OVER THE PARKING CURB ON TO WALKWAY, THE CORNER OF THE STORE STOPPED ME NO DAMAGE TO THE WALL, DAMAGE TO THE MY CAR. KIA SOUL, 2011 *TT
2010 Kia SOUL
193 complaints (241% of segment average)
Main issue: BRAND NEW KIA SOUL 2010 - LESS THAN 500 MILES. ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE DOOR PANEL WHILE DRIVING. TOWED TO DEALER, WHO REPLACED DOOR PANEL. LED LIGHT TRANSMITTER IN SPEAKERS SHORTED AND MELTED PLASTIC INSIDE DOOR. RESPONSE FROM KIA (ADVISED BY DEALER) WAS "DON'T LEAVE THE SPEAKER LIGHTS IN ON POSI
2019 Kia SOUL
189 complaints (236% of segment average)
Main issue: WHEN IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, WITH FOOT ON BRAKE IN NORMAL POSITION, CAR OCCASIONALLY JUMPS AND INCHES VERY SLIGHTLY FORWARD. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING DRIVER MUST BE PRESSING VERY VERY FIRMLY ON BRAKE TO THE POINT WHERE DRIVER FEELS TENSION IN HER LEG. THIS HAS HAPPENE
2022 Kia SOUL
131 complaints (164% of segment average)
Main issue: I was entering I 24 east toward Nashville on March 3 2024 @5p. As car entered the freeway. The engine stopped. Engine light turned on pulled over on shoulder. Put in park and tried to start but would not turn over. There was still full battery power according to dash board. I had two minor inciden