How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Soul have?

NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2021 Kia Soul model year. Whether one car had the recall work done depends on that car, so check its VIN with NHTSA.

2010: 135 owner complaints, Worthy

Our take: worth a look. Owners filed about as many complaints as in a typical year of this model.

Year verdict

Worthy

1.0× a typical year

About as many owner complaints as a typical year. Still get it inspected.

Confidence: Medium

Close to the Maybe line, so a few complaints either way could tip it.

NHTSA did not answer for 15 years, so this may change.

Past 100,000 miles

Not judged

Too young to judge at high mileage. Most 2021 cars have not reached 100,000 miles yet, so their problems past it have not shown up.

How the dial was counted

Year verdict: Typical year: 217 complaints, the median of 8 nearby years. Each counted over its first 6 years and 9 months from January 2020; this one had 234.

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WhipWorthy sticker

2021 Kia Soul

Complaints240From owners
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Recalls2On file
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NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.
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MPG27 to 30Combined, EPA
Loading fuel economy

Complaints are unverified owner reports, not adjusted for how many were sold.

Compare this car Every Soul year

Car report

Park this car in My Garage and see its recalls at a glance.Car Hunt Pass or Pro

Value signals

We do not price cars.

These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.

Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Fuel: $2,150 to $2,400 a year.The EPA’s estimate for 15,000 miles a year, 55% in town, at its fuel prices. Each version
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
Have the VIN? Check it is this car, and see its open recalls at NHTSA.
VIN
On the dash at the base of the windshield, or on the driver’s door sticker.

What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

The full record

Tap to open

What owners complain about

240 complaints; the part named most is the engine

Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Oct 28, 2020 to Oct 28, 2026. 83% name a part that is usually costly to fix.

Owners reported 12 crashes, 3 fires and 5 injuries in these complaints.

Engine186 · 78%Usually costly to fix
Other or unknown27 · 11%
Transmission and drivetrain26 · 11%Usually costly to fix

What one owner wrote about the engine

We have been in dispute with Hart kia and kia corporate over a reoccurring issue directly related to the recall remedy sc336 oil piston rings manufacturer defect that is affecting my vehicle.

Filed Oct 28, 2026NHTSA complaint 117742611 of 18 owner quotes

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11 more parts, and 18 owner quotes

Every part owners name for the 2021 Kia Soul, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Body and frame.

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SourceOwner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Soul. NHTSA has not answered since Oct 30, 2026.

Seller kit

Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points

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Walk up to the seller ready

Questions to ask the seller of a 2021 Kia Soul, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.

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Write your offer

A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email

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Send the seller a fair offer

Type the asking price and your own offer for the 2021 Kia Soul, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.

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When problems show up

Engine: the middle complaint around 65,000 miles

The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 88 complaints of 240 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last. These cars are young, so problems at higher miles have not had time to show.

EngineCostly30,000 to 90,000 mi
Half of these 77 complaints came between about 30,000 and 90,000 miles, the middle one around 65,000.

SourceMileage from owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Soul. NHTSA has not answered since Oct 30, 2026.

Will it outlast the loan?

The month of your loan each problem zone lands in

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1 problem zone to lay against your loan, 1 usually costly

See the month of your loan each one lands in, and what you would still owe then.

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Recalls

2 recalls on file

Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.

Engine
Feb 18, 2025 · Recall 25V099000
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.
What can happen
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix
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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
Engine
Apr 13, 2021 · Recall 21V259000
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.
What can happen
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix
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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.

SourceRecalls listed by NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Soul. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Crash ratings

NHTSA did not answer

NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight.

NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings for this car. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.

Fuel economy

27 to 30 mpg combined, across 3 versions

The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in.

Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Turbo
Soul · Front wheel drive · Regular gas
City
27 mpg
Highway
32 mpg
Combined
29 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,200
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
Soul · Front wheel drive · Regular gas
City
28 mpg
Highway
33 mpg
Combined
30 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,150
This one on fueleconomy.gov

True cost to own

The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years

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What it really costs to own

What the 2021 Kia Soul costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.

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Every year of the Soul

12 Worthy, 2 Maybe, 2 Pass, of 16 years on file

Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.

Best and worst years of the Soul

NHTSA did not answer for 19 years, so the chart may be missing some.

SourceNHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Soul. NHTSA, checked Oct 30, 2026.

Before you buy this one

5 checks, with a close look at the engine

Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.

Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 2 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the engine. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look hard at the engine. It is usually costly to fix.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the engine.
Start it cold if you can. Listen for knocking or ticking, and watch for warning lights and smoke.

Going to see it? Take the checklist52 checks with the bad signs to look for, saved on your phone.

Check this exact car

The verdict is about the model year. These checks are about the one in front of you. Most are free or a few dollars.

VIN for these checks

Copy it, then paste it into each check. Nothing is sent until you open one.

Official checks on this VIN

Open recallsFree
NHTSA
Safety recalls on this VIN that are not fixed yet, from the last 15 years.
A recall already fixed does not show.
Check recalls at NHTSAnhtsa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Theft and total lossFree
NICB VINCheck
Whether an insurer reported it stolen and not found, or wrote it off as a total loss.
Only insurer records. Five checks a day.
Open NICB VINChecknicb.org (opens in a new tab)
Title brandsA few dollars
NMVTIS, the federal title system
Salvage, flood, junk and rebuilt brands from any state, and the last miles on the title.
No repairs, service or recalls. Sold by approved sellers listed on the site.
See the approved sellersvehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov (opens in a new tab)
Title statusVaries by state
The state motor vehicle office
Whether the title is branded in that state and, where the state offers it, whether a lender still has a lien.
It will not name the owner. Each state asks its own way, and some only by mail. Ask to see the seller’s title too.
Find your state’s officeusa.gov (opens in a new tab)

What a paid report adds

A history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck pulls in more of the car’s past than these checks can:

Crashes and damage reported by police, insurers or shops, even when it was fixed.
Service visits that shops reported, with the miles each time.
How many owners, for how long, and the states it was registered in.
Whether it was a rental, fleet or lease car, when that was reported.

It only knows what was reported to it. A clean report is not proof of a clean car. Ask the seller first: many dealers hand one over for free.

Red flags in a history

Salvage title
Usually an insurer called it a total loss. In most states it cannot be driven on the road until it is rebuilt and inspected.
Rebuilt title
A salvage car that was fixed and passed a state check. It can be fine, but it is worth less, can be harder to insure, and needs a careful inspection.
Flood damage
Water can ruin wiring and sensors months later. Be wary of a flood brand that vanished after a move to another state.
Lemon or maker buyback
The maker bought it back over a defect it could not fix. Ask what the defect was and how it was fixed.
Odometer rollback
A mileage reading lower than an earlier one, or a title marked not actual miles.
Many owners, fast
Three owners in two years can mean a problem each one passed along.
Gaps in the records
Years with no service or registration. Ask why: it may have sat, been off the road, or been rebuilt.

Title words and rules differ by state. Not legal advice.

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection
Have a mechanic you choose, not the seller, put it on a lift and look it over before you pay.
Insurance quote
Get a quote on this exact car before you sign. Ask your own insurer and one or two others.

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Crash ratings

Fuel economy

Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Turbo

Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L

True cost to own

Every year of the Soul

Before you buy this one

Check this exact car

Official checks on this VIN

What a paid report adds

Red flags in a history

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection

Insurance quote

Add WhipWorthy to this device

Send feedback

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Turbo

Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Model year	Owner complaints	Verdict
2010	135	Worthy
2011	194	Worthy
2012	516	Worthy
2013	668	Worthy
2014	905	Pass
2015	908	Pass
2016	824	Maybe
2017	272	Worthy
2018	220	Worthy
2019	139	Worthy
2020	388	Maybe
2021	240	Worthy
2022	95	Worthy
2023	54	Worthy
2024	31	Worthy
2025	12	Worthy

The verdict on the 2021 Kia Soul

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Crash ratings

Fuel economy

Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Turbo

Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L

True cost to own

Every year of the Soul

Before you buy this one

Check this exact car

Official checks on this VIN

What a paid report adds

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection

Insurance quote

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Engine

What can happen

The fix

Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Turbo

Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L