Reliable Auto DB

2017 Kia Soul reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 272 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Soul over 10 years — 11 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Soul years here — under the median of the other years, which is 16. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Air bags.

2012 Kia Soul
Photo by DieselFordMondeo, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

272

Per year

11

Recalls

1

Years on the road

10

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (191 of 272), then Electrical system (19) and Powertrain (19). Those filings include 17 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 13 that report an injury.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 Soul has 819 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2018 has 218 complaints, 15 per year. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2017 Kia Soul. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Air bags 2022-01-25 · NHTSA campaign 22V031000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

Complaints by component (272 total)

Engine
191
Electrical system
19
Powertrain
19
Fuel and propulsion system
18
Air bags
16
Service brakes
12
Steering
10
Engine and engine cooling
9
Speed control
8
Structure
4
Suspension
4
Hydraulic brakes
2
Seat belts
2
Tires
2
Wheels
2
Adaptive and mobility equipment
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Seats
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

17

Fire-flagged

14

Injury reports

13

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

72017122018152019292020432021462022412023312024282025202026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "This car since I had it burns alot and I mean alot of oil between oil changes i have to keep oil on hand and constantly checking the oil I have alot of friends with this car and the same issue I had my soul for over 5…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-22
  • "The paint is completely failing on this kia soul. The eroded paint is a well known issue with Kia, nothing is being done about the paint failing and chipping across the whole body of the car, which will lead to…"
    Structure · filed 2026-09-09
  • "One day I noticed my oil light flashed on and off about three times during a drive down the road, simultaneously a loud knocking started in my engine. Although I had gotten my oil changed just a couple months prior and…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-23
  • "The engine has structural manufacturer defect causing extreme internal engine oil consumption with zero external leaks, creating a severe risk of sudden oil starvation catastrophic mechanical engine failure. The severe…"
    Powertrain, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-07-13
  • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, a loud knocking sound was heard, and the vehicle's speed decreased to approximately 25 MPH. The contact was able to safely…"
    Engine · filed 2026-06-12

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2017 Kia Soul EV SUV FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2017 Kia Soul SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Soul 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 30 27 MPG $2400
Soul 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 30 27 MPG $2400
Soul 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (7-speed) Front-wheel drive 26 31 28 MPG $2300
Soul 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 30 27 MPG $2400
Soul Electric — Automatic (1-speed) Front-wheel drive 120 92 105 MPG / 93 mi range $700

Specs and fitment

2nd generation (PS), 2012–2019
Body styles Hatchback
Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (1.6L and 2.0L) , 4 qt capacity
Tire size 205/60R16 to 215/45R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 19V120000. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure. Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

Compare

Previous year 2016 Kia Soul Next year 2018 Kia Soul See every Kia Soul model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Kia Soul reliable?

Owners have filed 272 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Soul over 10 years — 11 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Soul years here — under the median of the other years, which is 16. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Air bags.

What are common problems with a 2017 Kia Soul?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (191 of 272), then Electrical system (19) and Powertrain (19). Those filings include 17 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 13 that report an injury.

Is the 2017 Kia Soul more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 Soul has 819 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2018 has 218 complaints, 15 per year. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

Has the 2017 Kia Soul been recalled?

The 2017 Kia Soul has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2017 Kia Soul?

Owners have filed 272 complaints about the 2017 Kia Soul with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Kia Soul get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 Kia Soul is 42.8 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Soul take?

5W-20 or 0W-20 (1.6L and 2.0L)

What does NHTSA recall 19V-120 cover on the Kia Soul?

NHTSA campaign 19V120000.

What generation is the 2013 Kia Soul?

2nd generation (PS) (2012-2019).