Showing the 2020 Soul Base. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2020 Soul
The 2020 Kia Soul has 386 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, and the engine draws the most, with 243. EPA rates it at 27 to 31 mpg combined, with a 5-year fuel cost of $10,480 to $12,030 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the engine, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
27–31 mpgcombined; city 25–29, highway 31–35; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$12,030U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$10,750 at local prices; every version of this model year, electric versions apart; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. Electric versions: $4,000 at U.S. average electricity prices
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2020 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 386 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 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
243
3
6
3
Power train
91
1
1
2
Unknown or other
52
1
0
0
Electrical system
28
1
0
0
Steering
16
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
15
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
14
1
1
0
Engine and engine cooling
11
0
0
0
Service brakes
10
1
1
0
Structure
10
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
6
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
5
0
0
0
11 more parts
Air bags
3
2
0
2
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
Seats
2
0
0
0
Child seat
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Tether, lower anchor (ON CAR SEAT OR VEHICLE)
1
0
0
0
Wheels
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 1 recall campaign for the 2020 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.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 145 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 Soul, the latest on Aug 28, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (78), power train (31), equipment (23), engine and engine cooling (22), steering (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
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 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 2020 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: 6–10 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
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 33 / 30
Soul Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 32 / 29
Soul Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
25 / 31 / 27
Soul Eco dynamics Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
29 / 35 / 31
Soul Electric Front-Wheel Drive
201 kW AC PMSM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 243 miles of range
127 / 101 / 114 MPGe
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