Most Kia Soul VINs open with KND (South Korea, 2010–2025). Position 11, the plant, shows 4 codes, most often 7 (100%); a 2026 Soul carries T in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 15 recall campaigns and 5,372 owner complaints from NHTSA.
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How to read a Kia Soul VIN
Here is a real 2025 Kia Soul VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN KNDJ33AUXS794DD58 — decoded free on its own report page.
| Position | Section | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | WMI | World Manufacturer Identifier — country, manufacturer and vehicle type. |
| 4–8 | VDS | Vehicle Descriptor Section — body style, engine, restraint system, series. |
| 9 | Check digit | A calculated digit that validates the whole VIN. Wrong digit = wrong VIN. |
| 10 | Model year | One character for the model year. Letters skip I, O, Q, U and Z. |
| 11 | Plant | The assembly plant that built the car. |
| 12–17 | Serial | Sequential production number of this exact vehicle. |
Kia Soul VIN prefixes, and when each one was used
Every Kia Soul we have on record, from 2010 to 2025, opens with the same three characters, KND:
| VIN starts with | Years seen | Built in | Vehicle type | VINs on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KND | 2010–2025 | South Korea | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
Position 11 names the plant. On the Kia Soul it is not one number either — assembly moved between 4 of them over the years:
| Plant code | Years active | VINs on record | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 2010–2025 | 5,350 | |
| 3 | 2011–2016 | 6 | |
| 5 | 2013–2013 | 3 | |
| 9 | 2013–2020 | 3 |
Counted from 5,358 dated Kia Soul VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.
Model-year codes for the Kia Soul
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Kia Soul has not yet outlived: its 17 years still map one-to-one. All 17 model years of the Kia Soul, 2010 to 2026, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | T | — |
| 2025 | S | — |
| 2024 | R | — |
| 2023 | P | — |
| 2022 | N | — |
| 2021 | M | — |
| 2020 | L | — |
| 2019 | K | — |
| 2018 | J | — |
| 2017 | H | — |
| 2016 | G | — |
| 2015 | F | — |
| 2014 | E | — |
| 2013 | D | — |
| 2012 | C | — |
| 2011 | B | — |
| 2010 | A | — |
Body and engine characters we see on Kia Soul VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 218 VINs the Kia Soul uses 13 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | J (100%) | 1 distinct |
| 5 — series | 2 (25%) · N (23%) · T (20%) · P (17%) · 3 (8%) · X (3%) | 6 distinct |
| 8 — engine | U (35%) · 2 (29%) · 5 (23%) · 6 (8%) · E (1%) · F (1%) | 6 distinct |
What a decoded Kia Soul VIN gets you
Behind a Kia Soul VIN: 5,372 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 15 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 5,372 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 29 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Crash-test ratings | 15 rated model years | NHTSA |
| Model years covered | 17 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Kia Soul
A Kia Soul VIN normally opens with KND; the full number sits in four places, and all four must match.
| Where | How to see it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard, driver side | Through the windshield, bottom corner | Easiest to check before you touch anything |
| Driver door jamb | Open the door, sticker on the pillar | Also lists tire pressures and build date |
| Under the hood | Firewall or strut tower plate | Survives a windshield replacement |
| Title and insurance | Paper documents | Must match the car — a mismatch means fraud or a swapped panel |
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Frequently asked questions
Is this Kia Soul VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 15 recall campaigns and 5,372 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Kia Soul.
What year is my Soul by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2026 Soul carries T, a 2025 Soul carries S, a 2024 Soul carries R.
Where was my Soul built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 5,368 dated Kia Soul VINs it reads 7 100%, 3 0%, 5 0%, 9 0%.
What does position 4 mean on a Kia Soul VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 218 Kia Soul VINs here, J is the most common character in position 4, on 100% of them.
What if the VIN on the dashboard doesn't match the door jamb?
On a Kia Soul check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with KND. A plate that starts with anything else, or disagrees with the other copies of the number, needs documents checked before any money changes hands.
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