NHTSA has 514 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Kia Soul[1]. The engine group is named most often, with 220 complaints[2].
Most reported problems
Here are the complaint groups in the stories we read, biggest first.
- Engine. 220 complaints[2]. Owners describe a sudden loss of power, hesitation when pressing the gas, white smoke from the tailpipe and cars that stopped while driving. Some stories describe a fire under the hood. The count for fires in this group is 18[2].
- Steering. 166 complaints[6]. Owners describe power steering that failed or a wheel that stiffened and was hard to turn. Some say the problem came back after dealer repairs.
- Brakes. 46 complaints[7]. Owners describe warning lights for the brake and stability systems that stayed on, brakes that felt very touchy, and a car that would not slow down as expected.
- Unknown or other. 39 complaints[8]. These reports do not fit a single named part.
- Electrical system. 38 complaints[9]. Owners describe dash gauges and lights that quit, a frozen radio, a backup camera that stopped working and an instrument panel that went dark.
- Power train. 21 complaints[10].
- Fuel and propulsion system. 21 complaints[11].
- Structure. 18 complaints[12].
These are unverified reports sent to NHTSA, and one complaint can name more than one part.
Recalls
Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2012 Soul is necessarily included.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module (23V652), September 2023. About 1,730,192 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[13]
- Engine (19V120), February 2019. About 378,967 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, a crash, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[14]
- Structure › Body › Roof And Pillars (14V822), December 2014. About 95,314 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[15]
Fuel economy
EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.
| Version | City / highway / combined MPG | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|
| Soul Eco, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[4] | 26 / 31 / 28 | $2,400 |
| Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[16] | 25 / 30 / 27 | $2,500 |
| Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[17] | 25 / 30 / 27 | $2,500 |
| Soul Eco, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[18] | 24 / 29 / 26 | $2,600 |
| Soul, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[19] | 23 / 28 / 25 | $2,700 |
| Soul, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive[20] | 24 / 29 / 26 | $2,600 |
Safety ratings
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV FWD[5] | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 15.1% |
Engine and size
Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.
How 2012 compares with other years
Show the numbers
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 135 | 3 |
| 2011 | 194 | 3 |
| 2012 | 514 | 3 |
| 2013 | 667 | 3 |
| 2014 | 904 | 5 |
| 2015 | 908 | 7 |
| 2016 | 823 | 5 |
| 2017 | 290 | 3 |
| 2018 | 222 | 3 |
| 2019 | 140 | 3 |
| 2020 | 387 | 1 |
| 2021 | 238 | 2 |
| 2022 | 94 | 1 |
| 2023 | 54 | 4 |
| 2024 | 30 | 0 |
| 2025 | 12 | 0 |
NHTSA's counts for the Soul show 514 complaints and 3 recalls for 2012[3]. Among the 16 model years listed, 11 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 4 have more[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2025 (12) and the most are for 2015 (908)[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.
Should you buy a used 2012 Soul?
The 2012 Kia Soul has a sizable complaint file, with 514 reports[1]. Engine and steering reports stand out from the rest, at 220 and 166[2][6]. Some engine stories involve fires, so it is worth taking any warning sign seriously[2]. Brake and electrical reports are smaller groups, but owners still describe warning lights and dash trouble[7][9]. Complaint counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide to what owners reported and not as a score.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Kia Soul?
- Owners name the engine group most often, with 220 complaints, followed by steering with 166[2][6].
- Does the 2012 Kia Soul have recalls?
- Yes. The by-year fact shows 3 recalls for 2012[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
- How reliable is the 2012 Kia Soul?
- NHTSA has 514 owner complaints on file for this year[1]. These are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so use them as a guide only.
- What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Kia Soul?
- See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
- Is 2012 a good year for the Kia Soul?
- See the by-year comparison on this page to compare 2012 with other years of the same model[3].
Keep exploring
Other model years of the Kia Soul
Compare all model years of the Kia Soul
Other Kia models from 2012
Facts and sources
- NHTSA has 514 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Kia Soul (25 mention a crash, 23 a fire, 25 injuries, 2 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
- 220 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 18 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 122,873). NHTSA vehicle records
- Owner complaints and recalls for every Kia Soul model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
- EPA rating for Soul Eco, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 26 city / 31 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
- 166 complaints name the steering component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 68,500). NHTSA vehicle records
- 46 complaints name the brakes component group (3 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 112,000). NHTSA vehicle records
- 39 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 92,680). NHTSA vehicle records
- 38 complaints name the electrical system component group (2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 68,000). NHTSA vehicle records
- 21 complaints name the power train component group (3 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 63,000). NHTSA vehicle records
- 21 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 113,500). NHTSA vehicle records
- 18 complaints name the structure component group (4 crashes, 1 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 67,848). NHTSA vehicle records
- Recall 23V652, filed September 25, 2023: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit / Module . NHTSA recall database
- Recall 19V120, filed February 22, 2019: Engine. NHTSA recall database
- Recall 14V822, filed December 29, 2014: Structure › Body › Roof And Pillars. NHTSA recall database
- EPA rating for Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 30 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- EPA rating for Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 30 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- EPA rating for Soul Eco, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 29 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- EPA rating for Soul, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 28 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- EPA rating for Soul, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 29 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- EPA Test Car List, 2012 Kia Soul with 1.6L 4-cylinder: rated 138 hp. www.epa.gov
- EPA Test Car List, 2012 Kia Soul with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 164 hp. www.epa.gov