What are the most common problems with the 2017 Kia Soul?

Owners filed 290 complaints with NHTSA. The engine group has the most at 200, followed by unknown or other at 34 and the electrical system at 31.

Does the 2017 Kia Soul have recalls?

Yes. This year has 3 recalls. They are listed by code in the Recalls section of this page.

What is the gas mileage of the 2017 Kia Soul?

See the fuel economy section of this page. It is built from EPA data.

Is the 2017 Kia Soul reliable?

The complaint record has 290 reports, with 200 in the engine group. These are unverified owner reports, so read the problems section and check the recall list before you decide.

Which year of the Kia Soul is best?

See the by-year comparison on this page. It lines up complaints and recalls for each model year.

2017 Kia Soul Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 290 owner complaints on file for the 2017 Kia Soul^[1]. The engine group stands out with 200 of them^[2].

290owner complaints^[1]

3recalls^[3]

27–28MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the reports owners filed, biggest first.

Engine. 200 complaints^[2]. Owners describe engines that shut off while driving or while stopped, cars that did not answer the gas pedal, and engine failures that ended in a replacement.
Unknown or other. 34 complaints^[6]. These reports do not fit a single named part.
Electrical system. 31 complaints^[7]. In the stories we read, owners describe a rear camera that stays on while driving forward, doors that do not latch well, a car that fails to start, and warning lights that appear together.
Power train. 21 complaints^[8]. Owners describe stalling, jerking when they press the pedal, and a car that will not pick up speed.
Fuel/propulsion system. 19 complaints^[9]. Owners describe the car going dead in the middle of the road until they lift off the pedal and press again.
Brakes. 17 complaints^[10].
Air bags. 16 complaints^[11].
Steering. 10 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2017 Soul is necessarily included.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Gear Position Indication (Prndl) (23V724), October 2023. About 6,262 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Electrical System › Propulsion System › Traction Battery (23V218), March 2023. About 2,689 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Air Bags (22V031), January 2022. About 410,619 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. 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, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	25 / 30 / 27	$2,500
Soul, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	25 / 30 / 27	$2,500
Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	24 / 30 / 27	$2,500
Soul Electric, electric, Automatic (A1), Electricity^[19]	120 / 92 / 105	n/a
Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM7), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	26 / 31 / 28	$2,400

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV FWD^[5]	5	5	5	4	14.7%

NHTSA lists these versions as not rated: SUV FWD^[20].

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2017 Kia Soul with electric motor^[21]	109 hp
2017 Kia Soul with 1.6L 4-cylinder^[22]	130 to 201 hp
2017 Kia Soul with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[23]	160 to 161 hp

How 2017 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Soul model year. The 2017 is highlighted^[3].

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 290 complaints and 3 recalls for 2017^[3]. Among the 16 model years listed, 9 have fewer complaints than 2017 and 6 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 2017 Soul?

The 2017 Kia Soul has 290 complaints on file^[1]. The engine group makes up the largest share at 200^[2]. Owners also describe electrical problems such as the rear camera and door latches^[7]. These are unverified reports sent to NHTSA and they are not adjusted for sales, but the page also lists 3 recalls for this year^[3]. If you are shopping for one, read the recall section above and ask the seller for repair records.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Kia Soul?: Owners filed 290 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. The engine group has the most at 200^[2], followed by unknown or other at 34^[6] and the electrical system at 31^[7].
Does the 2017 Kia Soul have recalls?: Yes. This year has 3 recalls^[3]. They are listed by code in the Recalls section of this page.
What is the gas mileage of the 2017 Kia Soul?: See the fuel economy section of this page. It is built from EPA data.
Is the 2017 Kia Soul reliable?: The complaint record has 290 reports^[1], with 200 in the engine group^[2]. These are unverified owner reports, so read the problems section and check the recall list before you decide.
Which year of the Kia Soul is best?: See the by-year comparison on this page. It lines up complaints and recalls for each model year.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Kia Soul

2012 514 complaints, 3 recalls
2013 667 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 904 complaints, 5 recalls
2015 908 complaints, 7 recalls
2016 823 complaints, 5 recalls
2017 this page
2018 222 complaints, 3 recalls
2020 387 complaints, 1 recall

Compare all model years of the Kia Soul

Other Kia models from 2017

2017 Kia Forte 305 complaints, 3 recalls
2017 Kia Sedona 134 complaints, 4 recalls
2017 Kia Sorento 807 complaints, 4 recalls
2017 Kia Sportage 402 complaints, 4 recalls

All Kia models

Similar cars from 2017: station wagons

2017 Nissan Murano 107 complaints, 3 recalls

All station wagons we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 290 owner complaints on file for the 2017 Kia Soul (17 mention a crash, 15 a fire, 19 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
200 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 12 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 82,509). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Kia Soul model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM7), 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 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 14.7%. NHTSA vehicle records
34 complaints name the unknown or other component group (1 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 13,250). NHTSA vehicle records
31 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 35,000). NHTSA vehicle records
21 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 79,477). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 72,500). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the brakes component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 19,990). NHTSA vehicle records
16 complaints name the air bags component group (11 crashes, 0 fires, 13 injuries, median mileage at failure 40,000). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the steering component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 23V724, filed October 26, 2023: Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Gear Position Indication (Prndl). NHTSA recall database
Recall 23V218, filed March 29, 2023: Electrical System › Propulsion System › Traction Battery. NHTSA recall database
Recall 22V031, filed January 25, 2022: Air Bags. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Soul, 1.6L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), 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, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), 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: 24 city / 30 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Soul Electric, electric, Automatic (A1), Electricity: 105 MPGe combined, 93 miles of range. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2017 Kia Soul with electric motor: rated 109 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2017 Kia Soul with 1.6L 4-cylinder: rated 130 to 201 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2017 Kia Soul with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 160 to 161 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2017 Kia Soul: problems, recalls and fuel economy