2021 Kia Soul reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2021 Kia Soul — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 292
- 280 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- ENGINE
- 124 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 2
- see below
- Reported harm
- 24 reported crashes · 12 injuries · 4 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#1,827
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Kia median
+27
median 265 across 138 Kia records
Vs 2019-2023
+53
median 240 complaints in 444 records
Top component share
42%
Engine: 124 complaints
What owners report fails — 2021 Kia Soul
- ENGINE 124
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 40
- POWER TRAIN 25
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15
2 recalls on record for the 2021 Kia Soul
- NHTSA 25V099000 · 2025 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PA Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- NHTSA 21V259000 · 2021 · ENGINE A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, incre
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2021 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 2021 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 2021 Kia Soul reliable?
NHTSA has 292 consumer complaints on record for the 2021 Kia Soul and 2 recalls. The most-reported problem area is engine (124 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2021 Kia Soul units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Kia Soul?
Owners most often report problems with: engine (124), engine and engine cooling (40), power train (25), unknown or other (23). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2021 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.