2025 KIA SOUL

0 recalls — 14 complaints — 4/5 safety rating

No recalls found for this vehicle.

Complaint Statistics

14 total complaints 4 crashes 2 injuries

Top Reported Components

ComponentComplaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING4
SERVICE BRAKES2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST1
WHEELS1
SUSPENSION1
VISIBILITY/WIPER1
AIR BAGS1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING1
AIR BAGS Mar 24, 2026
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
Hit a deer. Airbag did not deploy or emergency braking system didn't come on. Police took pictures of car. The car is at the repair shop now. Insurance company hasn't stated if it will be totaled. There were no other problems prior to incident.
Crash
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Mar 24, 2026
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
Hit a deer. Airbag did not deploy or emergency braking system didn't come on. Police took pictures of car. The car is at the repair shop now. Insurance company hasn't stated if it will be totaled. There were no other problems prior to incident.
Crash
EXTERIOR LIGHTING Mar 9, 2026
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Low beam headlights so dim is impossible to drive at night.
VISIBILITY/WIPER Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Sep 7, 2025
Headlight housing kept falling out of the bracket Driving at night impossable. Fixed one light still dim lights maKES DRIVING AT night dangerous. Second dealer instructed me to not sue the suto light setting because it dims the headlights. It appears that the front bumper design blocks the light to ... Read more
SERVICE BRAKES Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report serious concerns regarding the quality, safety, and reliability of my new Kia Soul, as well as the financial burden caused by defects that should not occur on a vehicle with such low mileage. At approximately **8,500 miles**, one of the original tires failed... Read more
WHEELS Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report serious concerns regarding the quality, safety, and reliability of my new Kia Soul, as well as the financial burden caused by defects that should not occur on a vehicle with such low mileage. At approximately **8,500 miles**, one of the original tires failed... Read more
SUSPENSION Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report serious concerns regarding the quality, safety, and reliability of my new Kia Soul, as well as the financial burden caused by defects that should not occur on a vehicle with such low mileage. At approximately **8,500 miles**, one of the original tires failed... Read more
EXTERIOR LIGHTING Dec 26, 2025
Incident date: Dec 25, 2025
2 incidents driving in a not familiar area...Almost drove off the road in very dark conditions at a light because I couldn't see that my road had ended .I was almost side swiped trying to get back on the road the last second.Iwas not taking any meds abd Don't drink Also drive at night on well lit h... Read more
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST Dec 26, 2025
Incident date: Dec 25, 2025
2 incidents driving in a not familiar area...Almost drove off the road in very dark conditions at a light because I couldn't see that my road had ended .I was almost side swiped trying to get back on the road the last second.Iwas not taking any meds abd Don't drink Also drive at night on well lit h... Read more
SERVICE BRAKES Oct 14, 2025
Incident date: Oct 4, 2025
While driving, the vehicle began accelerating (forced acceleration) without driver input. When driver attempted to stop or slow the vehicle down, the brakes were unresponsive due to the brake override system failure. Because the vehicle could not be stopped or slowed down, and to avoid hitting or ha... Read more
Crash 1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Oct 14, 2025
Incident date: Oct 4, 2025
While driving, the vehicle began accelerating (forced acceleration) without driver input. When driver attempted to stop or slow the vehicle down, the brakes were unresponsive due to the brake override system failure. Because the vehicle could not be stopped or slowed down, and to avoid hitting or ha... Read more
Crash 1 injured
EXTERIOR LIGHTING Aug 2, 2025
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
Headlights when on dim are inadequate. You can not see the road. You can not drive with your lights on bright in traffic. Severe hazard to all. Near miss on animals and road damage. Very frightening.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING Jul 12, 2025
Incident date: Jul 11, 2025
Humidity gets insiste headlights. This issue affects headlights performance making hard to see at night. Safety is at risk.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jul 2, 2025
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
2025 Kia Soul LX Headlights. Totally inadequate standard headlights. Higher end models get LED headlights but this standard light system on the LX is dangerous on anything but well lit streets. Safety should not be an option. I would have upgraded to a model that has adequate headlights but was unaw... Read more

NHTSA Safety Ratings — 2025 KIA SOUL

2025 Kia Soul SUV FWD

CategoryRating
Overall Rating 4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash 4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash — Driver 5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash — Passenger 4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Side Crash 5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash — Driver 5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash — Passenger 5 / 5 ★★★★★
Rollover 4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Rollover Risk 14.7%

Safety Technology

FeatureStatus
Electronic Stability ControlStandard
Forward Collision WarningStandard & Optional
Lane Departure WarningStandard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

EPA Fuel Economy — 2025 KIA SOUL

Trim / Engine City MPG Highway MPG Combined MPG Fuel Type Annual Fuel Cost
2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios) (Front-Wheel Drive) 27.0 33.0 30.0 Regular $2,000

CO2 Emissions: 302.0 g/mile (Small Station Wagons)

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Actual fuel economy may vary based on driving conditions.

NHTSA Safety Investigations — KIA SOUL

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE10030 Opened: Aug 12, 2010 — Closed: Dec 14, 2010
PE — Closed — Model Year: 2010
Steering Shaft Separation
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is aware of a single complaint on the subject vehicles that alleges the hand wheel became mechanically de-coupled from the road wheels when the intermediate steering shaft universal joint separated from the upper steering column.It appears that the intermedi... Read more

KIA SOUL — All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the KIA SOUL across all model years (2010–2023).

66 Total Recalls
7,233 Total Complaints
1 Investigations
405 Reported Crashes
460 Reported Fires
29 Reported Deaths

KIA SOUL — Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year Recalls Complaints
2025 (current) 0 14
2024 0 32 View
2023 13 81 View
2022 1 115 View
2021 3 259 View
2020 2 458 View
2019 5 180 View
2018 5 268 View
2017 5 339 View
2016 3 1,108 View
2015 5 1,200 View
2014 7 1,204 View
2013 5 850 View
2012 5 663 View
2011 4 270 View
2010 3 192 View

Other KIA Models

Model Recalls Complaints
SORENTO 188 13,593 View
SPORTAGE 165 6,601 View
SEDONA 118 3,350 View
OPTIMA 100 10,128 View
TELLURIDE 70 2,186 View
SORENTO HYBRID 62 159 View
SOUL EV 62 50 View
FORTE 56 3,494 View