Reliable Auto DB

2022 Kia Soul reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2022 Kia Soul has 88 complaints with NHTSA after 5 years, or 6 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Soul years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Internal engine parts.

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

88

Per year

6

Recalls

1

Years on the road

5

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (51 of 88), then Engine and engine cooling (19) and Powertrain (12). The most filings arrived in 2025 (50 of 88). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, 4 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Next to 2021 and 2023

The 2021 Soul has 233 complaints, 18 per year, and the 2023 has 51 complaints, 14 per year. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2023.

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 2022 Kia Soul. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

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.

Complaints by component (88 total)

Engine
51
Engine and engine cooling
19
Powertrain
12
Electrical system
10
Fuel and propulsion system
7
Speed control
6
Forward collision avoidance
4
Air bags
3
Service brakes
3
Seat belts
2
Steering
2
Structure
1
Suspension
1
Show 5 more Show less
Crash-flagged

4

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

4

Death reports

1

Complaints filed per year

220213202210202322024502025212026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH uphill, there was an abnormal knocking sound from the rod bearings inside the engine. The contact stated that the rod bearings had gone…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-17
  • "Backup camera intermittently glitches and cuts to a black screen. Display will also occasionally appear darker than normal. Concern began suddenly with no known cause. It first occurred after vehicle was parked for…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-06-25
  • "• a theft attempt caused by the widely reported Kia software vulnerability (documented in my police report) • a display failure that Kia refused to repair • a recall that Kia refused to perform because the display was…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-06-14
  • "03/17/26: Kia Soul 2022 was brought into the dealership to have the safety recall (NHTSA: 25V099; Kia: SC336) addressed. There is a description of the service that says, “Piston Oil Ring.” Dealership stated everything…"
    Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-05-10
  • "Weeks before the vehicle completely shut down, my car began stalling and shutting off in traffic without warning while driving. I was usually able to turn the vehicle off and restart it, and it would come back on…"
    Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-05-08

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2022 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 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 2021 Kia Soul Next year 2023 Kia Soul See every Kia Soul model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2022 Kia Soul reliable?

The 2022 Kia Soul has 88 complaints with NHTSA after 5 years, or 6 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Soul years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Internal engine parts.

What are common problems with a 2022 Kia Soul?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (51 of 88), then Engine and engine cooling (19) and Powertrain (12). The most filings arrived in 2025 (50 of 88). Those filings include 4 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, 4 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Is the 2022 Kia Soul more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2021 Soul has 233 complaints, 18 per year, and the 2023 has 51 complaints, 14 per year. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2023.

Has the 2022 Kia Soul been recalled?

The 2022 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 2022 Kia Soul?

Owners have filed 88 complaints about the 2022 Kia Soul with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2022 Kia Soul get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2022 Kia Soul is 30 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).