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The Verdict
Worst problem area
Engine
Engine leads by volume: 15 of 54 complaints (28%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 97 in 2022 to 54 in 2023.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 54
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $2,000–$2,100
- Combined MPG
- 30–31
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | vs. 2023 Small Station Wagons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,000–2,300 | 2,000–2,150 | 2,000–2,100 | 2,000–2,100 | 2,000–2,100 | |
| Combined MPG | 27–31 | 29–31 | 30–31 | 30–31 | 30–31 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 25–29 / 31–35 | 27–29 / 32–35 | 28–29 / 33–35 | 27–29 / 33–35 | 27–29 / 33–35 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 287–332 | 287–309 | 287–301 | 287–302 | 287–302 | |
| Complaints filed | 244 | 97 | 54 | 31 | 12 | |
| Recalls issued | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 12 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 2 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 5 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 1 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2023 Kia Soul have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2023 Kia Soul?
Engine: 15 of 54 NHTSA complaints (28%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2023 Kia Soul get?
EPA rates it 30–31 MPG combined across 2 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2023 Kia Soul?
EPA estimates $2,000–$2,100 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (2)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Station Wagons | 28 mpg (low) | 33 mpg (low) | 30 mpg (low) | $2,100 (high) | 301 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Station Wagons | 29 mpg (high) | 35 mpg (high) | 31 mpg (high) | $2,000 (low) | 287 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 15 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 5 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| Fuel System | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Brakes | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 5 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (4)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL
- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- 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.
AIR BAGS
- Defect
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
- Consequence
- An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP
- Defect
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
- Consequence
- An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
- Defect
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Consequence
- A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.