2015 Kia Soul Safety Report

The 2015 Kia Soul presents a mixed safety picture. While it achieved excellent crash test ratings from NHTSA, scoring 5 stars overall, 5 stars for frontal and side impacts, and 4 stars for rollover, its real-world reliability and fire risk are significant concerns. With 882 total complaints, including 80 fires, 36 crashes, 32 injuries, and 1 death, the complaint data paints a stark contrast to the crash test performance. A substantial portion of these complaints, 435, are related to the engine, indicating a widespread and severe issue. The presence of four recalls, two of which directly address engine fire risks and potential engine stalls, further underscores these concerns. The most common complaint patterns revolve around catastrophic engine failure, often leading to fires or complete loss of power. Specific issues include high exhaust gas temperatures damaging catalytic converters, piston damage, broken connecting rods puncturing engine blocks, and excessive oil consumption. Several complaints describe loud 'pop' sounds followed by smoke and immediate engine compartment fires, even at highway speeds. Beyond the engine, steering issues, specifically the pinion gear separating, and accelerator pedal fractures are also noted in recalls, posing risks of loss of steering control and difficulty accelerating, respectively. The recall history directly correlates with the high volume of engine-related complaints. Two recalls (NHTSA ID 19V120000 and 19V120000) specifically target engine compartment fires and catalytic converter damage leading to piston damage and engine stalls. Another recall (NHTSA ID 18V363000) addresses the steering pinion gear separation, and a fourth (NHTSA ID 15V041000) concerns accelerator pedal fractures. Despite these recalls, numerous complaints indicate that owners continue to experience these issues, sometimes even after recall repairs, suggesting potential inadequacy or widespread nature of the underlying defects. The high number of fire incidents (80) is particularly alarming and points to a critical safety flaw that extends beyond typical mechanical failures.

Our recommendation: Given the high number of severe engine-related complaints, including fires and stalls, and multiple recalls, exercise extreme caution. A pre-purchase inspection focusing on engine health and verification of all recall completions is essential before considering this vehicle.