Reliable Auto DB

2021 Kia Soul reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Kia Soul holds 233 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 18 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Soul years here — over the median of the other years, which is 14. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Internal engine parts and Engine.

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

233

Per year

18

Recalls

2

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (133 of 233), then Engine and engine cooling (47) and Powertrain (26). Those filings include 12 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Soul has 381 complaints, 55 per year, and the 2022 has 88 complaints, 6 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

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 2021 Kia Soul. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2025-02-17 · NHTSA campaign 25V099000
Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
Recall Engine 2021-04-13 · NHTSA campaign 21V259000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.

Complaints by component (233 total)

Engine
133
Engine and engine cooling
47
Powertrain
26
Electrical system
15
Fuel and propulsion system
10
Service brakes
10
Steering
9
Exterior lighting
6
Visibility and wipers
6
Forward collision avoidance
5
Suspension
5
Air bags
4
Structure
3
Wheels
2
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Lane departure
1
Visibility
1
Show 9 more Show less
Crash-flagged

12

Fire-flagged

3

Injury reports

4

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

32020152021122022252023142024922025722026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "My 2021 Kia Soul was included in Recall SC336 involving defective piston oil rings that may cause increased oil consumption, engine damage, and stalling. The recall remedy was done in June 2025. Kia digitally inspected…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-24
  • "Recall 25V099/SC336 was not performed on my vehicle when it was in the dealership. My vehicle is now disabled at Capitol Kia San Jose with complete engine failure. They are denying any responsibility and refusing repair…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-09
  • "The check engine light came on in the car and within a few minutes while looking for a safe place the pull over there was a foul smell coming from the engine, followed by many error lights on the dash and the car losing…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-08
  • "The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-09-04
  • "My kia soul has high oil consumption. When informed of the recall for the piston rings, I had First Team Kia look at it. They informed me that they didn't see anything wrong so they cleared the recall. They NEVER…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-04

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Kia Soul SUV FWD 4 stars 4 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 (AM-S7) Front-wheel drive 27 32 29 MPG $2250
Soul 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 28 33 30 MPG $2150
Soul 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 25 31 27 MPG $2400
Soul Eco dynamics 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 29 35 31 MPG $2100

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (SK3), 2020–present
Body styles Hatchback
Oil 0W-20 (2.0L and 1.6L turbo where equipped) , 4 qt capacity
Tire size 205/60R16 to 235/45R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 21V259000. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage. A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Kia Soul Next year 2022 Kia Soul See every Kia Soul model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Kia Soul reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Kia Soul holds 233 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 18 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Soul years here — over the median of the other years, which is 14. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Internal engine parts and Engine.

What are common problems with a 2021 Kia Soul?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (133 of 233), then Engine and engine cooling (47) and Powertrain (26). Those filings include 12 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Kia Soul more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Soul has 381 complaints, 55 per year, and the 2022 has 88 complaints, 6 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Kia Soul been recalled?

The 2021 Kia Soul has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Kia Soul?

Owners have filed 233 complaints about the 2021 Kia Soul with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Kia Soul get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Kia Soul is 29.3 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).