Kia Seltos vs Kia Soul: reliability compared
From 2021 to 2025, owners filed an average of 114 complaints per model year about the Kia Seltos and 88 about the Kia Soul.
Side by side
| Kia Seltos | Kia Soul | |
|---|---|---|
| Model years compared | 2021-2025 | 2021-2025 |
| Owner complaints | 569 | 441 |
| Complaints per model year | 114 | 88 |
| Recalls | 4 | 5 |
| Years to avoid | 2021 | None stand out |
| Best years | None stand out | 2022 |
| Most common problem | Engine | Engine |
| Crash rating | No data | No data |
| Fuel economy | 25-31 mpg combined (2025) | 30-31 mpg combined (2025) |
A car that sells more collects more complaints, so the fairest test is the number of years to avoid, which compares each year with a typical year of the same car.
Complaints per model year
Problems compared
| Seltos | Soul | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 360 | 289 |
| Electrical | 94 | 50 |
| Transmission | 88 | 47 |
| Fuel system | 32 | 21 |
| Driver assistance | 28 | 30 |
| Visibility | 16 | 9 |
| Brakes | 12 | 25 |
| Steering | 9 | 21 |
Questions about the Kia Seltos vs Kia Soul
Which is more reliable, the Kia Seltos or the Kia Soul?
Between 2021 and 2025, the Kia Seltos has 1 year to avoid and the Kia Soul 0. The Kia Soul has been more consistent from year to year. By raw volume, the Kia Soul drew fewer complaints per model year (88 vs 114), though sales volume affects that number.
Which has more recalls, the Kia Seltos or the Kia Soul?
From 2021 to 2025, the Kia Seltos was covered by 4 recalls and the Kia Soul by 5.
What years of the Kia Seltos and Kia Soul should you avoid?
Kia Seltos: 2021. Kia Soul: no year stands out.
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VIN decoder
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