Reliability report
Kia Soul reliability and common faults
Based on 35,442 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
25.6%
fail rate · average 24.3%
worse than average
23,449 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
52.0%
with defects · average 50.9%
about average
10,633 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
56.1%
first-time pass · average 65.0%
much worse than average
1,360 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Kia Soul
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Plates and identification
Steeringconfirmed in 2 countries
Brakes
Visibility
Lights and electrics
Tyres
Wheels
Suspension
Seat belts and airbags
Exhaust and emissions
Body and structure
Driving controls
Most common test failures
- 1Tie rod end has too much play
- 2Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 3Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 4Sidelight not working (properly)
- 5Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 6Tyre insufficient tread
- 7Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 8Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 9Windscreen wiper system gives insufficient visibility
- 10Tyre damaged
- 11Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 12Turn signal color incorrect/not allowed
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 10.4% avg 9.9% | 30.4% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 12.0% avg 15.3% | 35.8% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 20.8% avg 22.9% | 40.2% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 35.5% avg 30.3% | 57.8% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 40.7% avg 34.6% | 64.0% avg 64.7% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | Soul | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 52.8% | 79.5% | 53 |
| 2017 | 72.5% | 76.6% | 98 |
| 2016 | 66.4% | 72.8% | 223 |
| 2015 | 52.1% | 71.1% | 142 |
| 2014 | 59.6% | 68.0% | 99 |
| 2013 | 57.5% | 65.9% | 47 |
| 2011 | 51.6% | 61.2% | 95 |
| 2010 | 48.2% | 57.3% | 243 |
| 2009 | 48.7% | 54.5% | 304 |
Kia Soul – FAQs
How reliable is the Kia Soul?+
In the UK the Kia Soul fails 25.6% of MOT tests, against an average of 24.3% for cars of the same age – worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 52.0% of APK inspections (average there 50.9%) – about average. In Lithuania 56.1% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 65.0%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Kia Soul?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: plates and identification, steering, brakes.
What should I check when buying a used Kia Soul?+
The most common inspection failures: Tie rod end has too much play; Tyre pressure not at correct value; Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing; Sidelight not working (properly); Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Kia models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).