Kia

Kia Soul

The Kia Soul (Korean: 기아 쏘울) is a subcompact crossover hatchback manufactured and marketed by Kia, produced from 2008 to 2025, in over three generations. Marketed as a crossover since its introduction, the Soul was a five-door, five-passenger hatchback with boxy proportions and a tall roof, maximizing interior space. However, despite its crossover-like styling, it was exclusively offered with front-wheel drive. In a period when small, boxy cars would come to populate the compact U.S. market, prominently the Scion xB (2004-2015), Honda Element (2003–2011) and Nissan Cube (2009–2014), Kia presented the Kia Soul Concept in 2006 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and presented the production model at the 2008 Paris Motor Show — aiming for the North American market and targeting buyers in the 18-35 year-old range. The second-generation model was introduced in 2013 for the 2014 model year, with slightly larger exterior and interior dimensions and a reworked chassis, while retaining its boxy styling. In 2018, Kia introduced the third-generation Soul for model year 2019. Between 2014 and 2024, Kia also offered a battery electric variant as the Soul EV. The nameplate Soul doubles as a homophone of Seoul, the city that hosts Kia's headquarters.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

UK fuel mix: —. Records from the VCA fuel & emissions archive.

Model years

UK vehicles on the road

24,286 licensed and 777 SORN (25,063 total) at 2025 Q4.

DfT/DVLA VEH0120 vehicle licensing statistics, source ↗, Open Government Licence v3.0. Small counts are rounded or suppressed at source.

US NHTSA safety ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (US government, public domain). US-market versions; not the same tests as Euro NCAP.

US safety recalls

• 25V099000 2025-02-17 · model years 2021, 2022, 2023 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

  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.…

• 23V830000 2023-12-22 · model years 2023 AIR BAGS

  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.

  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…

• 23V652000 2023-09-25 · model years 2011, 2012, 2013 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

  Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an…

  Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk,…

• 23V531000 2023-07-31 · model years 2023 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP

  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.

  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…

• 23V298000 2023-04-26 · model years 2023 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

  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…

  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.

• 22V096000 2022-02-18 · model years 2014 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

  Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014 Soul vehicles. The front air bags may not deploy during a crash if the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) loses communication with the front impact sensors.

  Remedy: Dealers will update the ACU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC229.

• 22V031000 2022-01-25 · model years 2017, 2018, 2019 AIR BAGS

  Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not…

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia…

• 21V259000 2021-04-13 · model years 2020, 2021 ENGINE

  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.…

• 20V750000 2020-12-02 · model years 2014, 2015 ENGINE

  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.

  Remedy: 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 of charge. In…

• 19V120000 2019-02-22 · model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

  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 and possible piston…

  Remedy: 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 will also be…

• 17V608000 2017-09-29 · model years 2014, 2015, 2016 STEERING

  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.

  Remedy: 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 contact Kia customer…

• 15V123000 2015-03-02 · model years 2014, 2015 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

  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.

  Remedy: 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 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number…

NHTSA recalls database (US government, public domain). Recalls apply to US-market vehicles; check the manufacturer for your country.

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle), fueleconomy.gov ↗, US government public domain.

Sources

• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kia_SoulCC BY-SA 4.0 · Intro text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1377271177 · retrieved 2026-10-03
• UK Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) fuel & emissions data — https://carfueldata.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/Open Government Licence v3.0
• DfT/DVLA VEH0120 licensing statistics — https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-licensing-statistics-data-tablesOpen Government Licence v3.0
• US EPA / DOE FuelEconomy.gov — https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ws/index.shtmlUS Government public domain
• NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API — https://api.nhtsa.gov/SafetyRatingsUS Government public domain
• NHTSA recalls database — https://www.nhtsa.gov/recallsUS Government public domain
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

More from Kia