2021 Kia Soul: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 222 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
222
Complaints
2
Recalls
12
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
5
Injuries
47.7
Severity index
Severity index 47.7 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 90 2021 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2021 Kia Soul ranks 50 of 90 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 44% of its model-year peers. See the full 2021 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 127 | 57.2% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 42 | 18.9% |
| POWER TRAIN | 26 | 11.7% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 25 | 11.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 15 | 6.8% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 4.5% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 10 | 4.5% |
| STEERING | 9 | 4.1% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 127 of 222 complaints (57.2%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 92 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 61 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 4.4x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V259000 | 13/04/2021 | 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. |
| 25V099000 | 17/02/2025 | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.