2025 Kia Soul
The 2025 Kia Soul is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Soul Eco dynamics, is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 12 complaints, most often about the exterior lighting. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $20,490 to $24,790 across 4 trims.
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| Trim | Powertrain | Drive | MSRP | HP | Torque | MPG comb | Cargo (2nd row) | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LX | Gas | FWD | $20,490 | 147 hp | 132 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 24.2 cu-ft | 16 in |
| S | Gas | FWD | $22,990 | 147 hp | 132 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 24.2 cu-ft | 16 in |
| EX | Gas | FWD | $24,790 | 147 hp | 132 lb-ft | 31 mpg | 24.2 cu-ft | 17 in |
| GT-Line | Gas | FWD | $24,090 | 147 hp | 132 lb-ft | 30 mpg | 24.2 cu-ft | 18 in |
MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul Eco dynamics | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 29 | 35 | 31 | $2,150 |
| Soul | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 27 | 33 | 30 | $2,250 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 47943, 47942.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul, Soul Eco dynamics | 6 / 10 | Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
The cheapest ownership win
Insurers price the 2025 Soul very differently, and the gap between the best and worst quote on the same car and driver is usually larger than any option you are weighing on this page.
How to compare cover →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (0)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseNo NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2025 Kia Soul. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2025 Kia Soul, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2025 Kia Soul
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Soul →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported
1.6 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 76,911 Soul built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2025: 5 · 2026: 7
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
2 incidents driving in a not familiar area...Almost drove off the road in very dark conditions at a light because I couldn't see that my road had ended .I was almost side swiped trying to get back on the road the last second. Iwas not taking any meds abd Don't drink Also drive at night on well lit highways.
When pulling out of a parking spot all of collision responses started to flash. This included front collision, side collision and rear collision. The power steering no longer worked. I bought the car new in 11/05/2025. I only have 1,311 miles on the car.
Hit a deer. Airbag did not deploy or emergency braking system didn't come on. Police took pictures of car. The car is at the repair shop now. Insurance company hasn't stated if it will be totaled. There were no other problems prior to incident
Headlight housing kept falling out of the bracket Driving at night impossable. Fixed one light still dim lights maKES DRIVING AT night dangerous. Second dealer instructed me to not sue the suto light setting because it dims the headlights. It appears that the front bumper design blocks the light to the roadway.
I am submitting this complaint to report serious concerns regarding the quality, safety, and reliability of my new Kia Soul, as well as the financial burden caused by defects that should not occur on a vehicle with such low mileage. At approximately **8,500 miles**, one of the original tires failed prematurely.
Headlights when on dim are inadequate. You can not see the road. You can not drive with your lights on bright in traffic. Severe hazard to all. Near miss on animals and road damage. Very frightening
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.
Reported by Kia itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 1.3 per 100,000 built. Every Soul model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 15% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first · Kia warranty extension WTY041This bulletin has been revised to include additional information.
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Kia warranty extension (28) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Electrical System, Structure, Power Train, Steering, Back Over Prevention.
- TSB_ELE426 Service bulletin2026-08-19 · Electrical System
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN GEN 5.0 WIDE SOFTWARE UPDATE - This bulletin provides information on the Audio Video Navigation (AVN) system software update for certain vehicles equipped with AVN5W and Navigation System listed in the table below. Affected vehicles may overestimate travel times during route calculation.
- TSB_ELE422 Service bulletin2026-05-28 · Electrical System
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE. KIA. COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for sup
- PS797 Other2025-12-09 · Back Over Prevention — Warnings
- PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane
- WTY041_TSB_R1 Service bulletin2025-09-11 · Electrical System
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (WTY041) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information associated with the ‘Warranty Extension Program’ (WTY041) to inspect and, if necessary, replace the horn assembly on certain 2020-2025MY
- TSB_ELE395 Service bulletin2025-07-25 · Steering
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: MDPS CONNECTOR LOCKING INSERT INSPECTION (SA623) - This bulletin provides information to inspect the steering MDPS connector on certain 2025MY Soul (SK3) vehicles produced on June 16, 2025, which may not have a fully engaged secondary lock on their MDPS connector, although the connector remains secured by the primary connector locking mechanism.
- TSB_TRA046_R5 Service bulletin2025-04-17 · Power Train
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is
- TSB_ELE378 Service bulletin2025-03-20 · Electrical System
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The affected vehicles may encounter the following issues: remote Start/Climate Control function not working, vehicle Status on the Kia Access App not updating, con
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2025 Kia Soul failed the safety inspection on 0.16% of first inspections — lower than the 0.36% for every 2025 model-year vehicle inspected.
failed the safety inspection
1,246 initial inspections of 1,225 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2025 Soul | Every 2025 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the safety inspection | 0.16% | 0.36% | 1,246 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.08% | 0.16% | 1,246 |
| Miles driven a year | 8,335 | 8,354 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 12,209 | 12,194 | odometer at inspection |
New York does not emissions-test model years this new, so the safety inspection is the record here. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2025 vehicle” is every 2025 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Soul by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2025 Soul
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsHow much does the 2025 Kia Soul cost?
Manufacturer pricing runs from $20,490 for the LX FWD to $24,790 for the EX FWD, across 4 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.
Does the 2025 Kia Soul have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2025 Kia Soul. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them, and a clean sheet on a recent model year often just means the vehicle is new.
How safe is the 2025 Kia Soul?
NHTSA gave the 2025 Kia Soul 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (100/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2025 Kia Soul?
Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2025 Kia Soul, the best EPA combined figure is 31 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What do owners complain about on the 2025 Kia Soul?
Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Kia Soul, most often about exterior lighting, unspecified, service brakes. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2025 Kia Soul?
The EPA smog rating for the 2025 Kia Soul is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2025 Kia Soul?
The manufacturer has filed 13 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2025 Kia Soul, most often covering electrical system, structure, power train. The most recent is dated 2026-08-19. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2025 Kia Soul do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2025 Kia Soul failed the safety inspection on 0.16% of first inspections — lower than the 0.36% for every 2025 model-year vehicle inspected. The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
Which 2025 Kia Soul trim is the best value?
$4,300 separates the cheapest of the 4 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 2 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 2 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | none | NHTSA recall campaigns | No campaign has been filed. Because the register is complete, an empty row here means there is nothing to find — not that we are missing it. |
| Owner complaints | 12 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 1 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 13 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | none | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | 4 trims | Manufacturer press kit | Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.