Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 903 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Soul, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 446 | 49% |
| Unknown or other | 52 | 6% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 28 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 27 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 25 | 3% |
| Power train | 25 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 25 | 3% |
| Engine | 24 | 3% |
| Exterior lighting | 24 | 3% |
| Steering | 20 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owned a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was smoke coming from the exhaust, with an abnormally loud popping sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was pulle
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Dealer refusing to honor open recall remedy for SC200 / NHTSA 20V750000 on 2015 Kia Soul VIN [XXX], approx 100k miles. Recall shows "no unrepaired recall found" on NHTSA VIN lookup, but KSDS update and engine bearing tes
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); the dealer informed the contact t
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The contact owned a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, bystanders notified the contact that the vehicle was on fire. The contact pulled over, exited the vehicle, opened the hood, and there were
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Engine went into limp mode on highway on June 30th 2026 and is available now for inspection. Partner and daughter were almost hit by a semi. VIN was registered on Kia website..Kia and dealership inspected and took respon
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My engine light came on about 6 months ago because I was smelling a gas. I had it run on a code computer and it just showed a gasket needed changed. I didn't think that that was serious enough to address urgently because
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The vehicle burns an unreasonable amount of oil. This clogs tue catalytic converter creating risks of breakdown or fire. There are many documented cases of this on the vehicle models and yet Kia has not resolved. Inst
NHTSA complaint: Engine
the car burns oil. I am having to put in 1 to 3 quarts a month.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2015 Kia Soul. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free
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
Risk: 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 exha
Fix: 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
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
Risk: If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contac
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Soul and Soul electric vehicles manufactured July 21, 2013, to January 8, 2015. A section of the accelerator pedal may bend and fracture.
Risk: If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will add a supporting rubber underneath the pedal stopper, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-33
| Reliability raw | 58 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 69 | good |
| Maintenance | 87 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 74 | good |
| Performance | 41 | below average |
| Efficiency | 47 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other wagons in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 903 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 446 of them (49%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 58/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 69/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2015 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 68/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.