The Kia Soul is a estate built from 2010 to 2026 over 2 generations. Most were assembled in South Korea — 100% of those on record. Between 2010 and 2025 it grew 9 cm longer and gained 319 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Electric. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Soul is
The Kia Soul is a estate that Kia built from 2010 to 2026 — 17 model years. Our measurements put it at 2 generations, the current one starting in 2020. It has been offered with 4-cyl, Electric power. Its closest sibling in the Kia range: Niro.
Where the Soul is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 5,298 Souls on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | KND | 2010-2025 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Kia VIN decide which of these 2 lines your Soul belongs to. What every character in a Soul VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Kia Soul adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Soul generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Soul's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Soul that gives 2 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-2019 | 411 cm | 255 cm | 1253 kg | - | - |
| 2020-2025 | 420 cm | 260 cm | 1572 kg | +9 cm | +319 kg |
Between 2010 and 2025 the Soul gained 9 cm in length (+2.2%) and 319 kg in weight (+25.5%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Soul that is 319 kg against 9 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Kia Soul tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Soul owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Kia Soul have? Power & range
The Kia Soul is offered with 2 powertrains — 2L 4-cyl, Electric. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Kia Soul, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.0L · 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | Regular |
| Electric | Electric motor | Single-speed | FWD | Electricity |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Soul by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Kia Soul. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Soul | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 39 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 5,510 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,602/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 2,319 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Kia Soul?
The Soul is a estate, built from 2010 to 2026 across 2 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Electric.
Where is the Kia Soul made?
Across 5,298 cars in our records the split is: South Korea (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Soul have?
2 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2020. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Soul grew 9 cm longer and gained 319 kg.
What is the Kia Soul warranty?
New models carry 5 years / 60,000 miles basic cover and 10 years / 100,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Soul reliable?
It scores 4.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Soul?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Kia
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Telluride | 2020–2026 | 33 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Kia K5 | 2021–2026 | 21 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Kia Sorento | 2001–2026 | 88 | 37 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Kia Carnival | 2022–2026 | 16 | 33 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Kia Sportage | 1995–2026 | 101 | 43 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Kia Stinger | 2018–2023 | 22 | 25 mpg | 4.5/5 |
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