Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2013 Kia Soul has 666 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, with the engine named most often at 285. Combined fuel economy is 25 to 28 mpg, with a 5-year fuel cost of $11,600 to $12,990 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA rates it 4 stars overall. There are 3 recall campaigns, covering brakes, engine, engine cooling, and others, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
25–28 mpgcombined; city 23–26, highway 28–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600–$12,990U.S. average; Ohio $10,370–$11,610 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2013 Soul. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 666 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Soul. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
285
1
30
1
Steering
152
1
0
1
Electrical system
71
2
6
3
Service brakes, hydraulic
68
0
10
0
Unknown or other
61
2
8
3
Engine and engine cooling
45
0
4
0
Service brakes
30
1
1
0
Fuel/propulsion system
27
0
2
0
Air bags
18
14
0
18
Vehicle speed control
17
0
0
0
Structure
15
3
1
4
Power train
14
0
1
1
16 more parts
Visibility/wiper
12
1
0
3
Exterior lighting
10
0
0
0
Suspension
9
1
0
1
Seat belts
6
1
0
1
Wheels
6
0
0
0
Tires
5
1
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
0
1
0
Fuel system, gasoline
3
0
1
0
Seats
3
0
0
0
Visibility
3
0
0
0
Equipment
2
1
0
1
Forward collision avoidance
2
1
0
1
Service brakes, air
2
1
0
0
Child seat
1
0
0
0
Interior lighting
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Soul over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Risk: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.
Risk: A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install industrial adhesive strips to secure the headliner plates, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC112.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 133 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 Soul, the latest on Jun 9, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (44), equipment (41), engine and engine cooling (32), steering (25), engine (16).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Audit query AQ23002 Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires · covers 3 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2013 Soul.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small station wagons. EPA greenhouse gas score: 6–7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Soul Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
25 / 30 / 27
Soul Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
25 / 30 / 27
Soul Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
24 / 29 / 26
Soul Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
23 / 28 / 25
Soul Eco Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
26 / 31 / 28
Soul Eco Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
24 / 29 / 26
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data