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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2023 Kia Soul is associated with 49 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 6 reports (12% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 30 to 31 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 49 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (6 / 12%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 5 crash / 1 fire / 6 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 30–31 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2023 Kia Soul?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Soul Eco dynamics 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) 29 MPG 35 MPG 31 MPG — $2,000 / yr
Soul 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) 28 MPG 33 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2023 Kia Soul?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 14.7%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard & Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2023 Kia Soul models.
View complete 2023 Kia Soul crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2023 Kia Soul?

Summary of 49 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
49
Crash Reports
5
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
6
Total Injuries
15

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 6 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 complaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 complaints
Electrical System 2 complaints
Powertrain 2 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2023 Kia Soul problems & component breakdown (32 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2023 Kia Soul?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V531000 Active Recall
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP

Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.
NHTSA Campaign #25V099000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
NHTSA Campaign #23V830000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS

Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.
View all 2023 Kia Soul recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2023 Kia Soul

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2023 Kia Soul

How many safety recalls does the 2023 Kia Soul have?

The 2023 Kia Soul is associated with 4 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 4 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2023 Kia Soul?

NHTSA records list 49 consumer defect complaints for the 2023 Kia Soul. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 6 filings (12% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2023 Kia Soul defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2023 Kia Soul?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2023 Kia Soul earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2023 Kia Soul get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2023 Kia Soul range from 30 to 31 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.