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2018 Kia Soul

ElectricGas
Small Station Wagons
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
C
Safety Signal
74 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical3
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA216
Crash ratingNHTSA overall5★
EV rangebest configuration, EPA111 mi
Fuel economybest combined, EPA28 mpg
2025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2018 Kia Soul is sold in the U.S. as a electric and gas wagon with 5 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the Soul Electric, is EPA-rated at 111 miles with 108 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 216 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
Soul ElectricElectricFWD81 kW AC PMSM12493108 MPGe111 mi31.25 h$700
SoulGasFWD1.6L 4-cyl turbo263128———$2,250
SoulGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl253027———$2,300
SoulGasFWD1.6L 4-cyl253027———$2,300
SoulGasFWD1.6L 4-cyl243027———$2,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39322, 38889, 38830, 38887, 38888.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2018 Kia Soul is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
○minor

Electrical System

SC287
6,262 vehiclesElectric only
ProblemKia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.RiskUnintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.FixDealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall number 20V-389. Vehicles previously repaired under 20V-389 will need to have the new remedy completed.
NHTSA campaign 23V724000reported Oct 26, 2023Kia America, Inc.
!critical

Electrical System

SC267
2,689 vehiclesElectric only
ProblemKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.RiskA battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.FixDealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs, the battery will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC267.
NHTSA campaign 23V218000reported Mar 29, 2023Kia America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

SC226
410,619 vehicles
ProblemKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.RiskAir bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.FixDealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
NHTSA campaign 22V031000reported Jan 25, 2022Kia Motors America

NHTSA defect investigations

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Internal:Park Pawl — Vehicle Rollaway closed

On July 2, 2020, Kia America Inc. (Kia) filed safety recall 20V-389 for model year (MY) 2015-2016 Kia Soul EV vehicles. This recall was in response to allegations of unintended vehicle movement while in Park and provided updated electronic control unit software for the electronic parking brake logic as the remedy. The updated logic, which was included during production for MY 2017-2019 Kia Soul EV vehicles, automatically activates the electronic parking brake when the vehicle is powered off while the gear shift lever is in the Park position. On September 10, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ23-005) to investigate allegations of unintended vehicle movem

Opened Sep 10, 2023 · closed Jan 16, 2024 · action RQ23005

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
216complaints filed

15 involved a crash · 14 a fire · 12 injuries · 1 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2018: 9 · 2019: 21 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 31 · 2022: 30 · 2023: 29 · 2024: 29 · 2025: 32 · 2026: 20

Most-cited components

Engine136
Power Train32
Unspecified30
Electrical System22
Air Bags11
Fuel/Propulsion System11

What owners describe

“The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that the electrical system had experienced power fluctuations, which reduced the charging capacity of the battery to only 8 percent. The EV warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was informed that the vehic…”Nov 13, 2023 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report
“This is for 2018 Kia Soul EV. I stopped, placed the car in park and got out. Car then rolled down a hill with no one in the car. Causing an accident.”Aug 9, 2023 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report
“My 2018 kia soul EV has had a significantly decreased range, inconsistent charging, and a check EV light illuminating periodically. All of these are symptoms of the recall. Kia is not only not giving a timeline to diagnose and repair the problem, they are also charging me a "diagnostic" fee for the recall. I cannot jus…”May 31, 2023 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆15%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other Soul model years

A

2025 Kia Soul

0 recalls · 12 complaints

A

2024 Kia Soul

0 recalls · 29 complaints

F

2023 Kia Soul

4 recalls · 50 complaints

B

2022 Kia Soul

1 recalls · 88 complaints

C

2021 Kia Soul

2 recalls · 231 complaints

B

2020 Kia Soul

1 recalls · 375 complaints

C

2019 Kia Soul

3 recalls · 138 complaints

C

2017 Kia Soul

3 recalls · 288 complaints

F

2016 Kia Soul

5 recalls · 812 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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