2018 Kia Soul reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2018 Kia Soul — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 281
- 203 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- ENGINE
- 129 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 19 reported crashes · 15 injuries · 1 death · 20 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#1,903
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Kia median
+16
median 265 across 138 Kia records
Vs 2016-2020
-6
median 288 complaints in 538 records
Top component share
46%
Engine: 129 complaints
What owners report fails — 2018 Kia Soul
- ENGINE 129
- POWER TRAIN 30
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 28
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16
- AIR BAGS 11
1 recall on record for the 2018 Kia Soul
- NHTSA 22V031000 · 2022 · AIR BAGS Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2018 Kia Soul
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2018 Kia Soul units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Kia Soul reliable?
NHTSA has 281 consumer complaints on record for the 2018 Kia Soul and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is engine (129 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2018 Kia Soul units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Kia Soul?
Owners most often report problems with: engine (129), power train (30), unknown or other (28), electrical system (16). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2018 Kia Soul?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.