Used Kia Soul Hatchback 2014-2019 review

Most Souls will have been used as family cars, which means it’s important to check through the interior for staining, scuffing or broken pieces of plastic. A car that has been used and abused by a family might not have had the best attention paid to its upkeep elsewhere.

On Souls built between January 2014 and September 2015 (and possibly including cars registered in the UK even into early 2016), a recall was issued for a steering fault that could cause a loss of directional control. Listen out for odd noises from behind the dashboard; if you hear anything untoward, it could be a sign that the recall hasn’t yet been carried out, so get the owner or dealer to get it fixed before you buy (if it is the fault in question, it should get fixed for free).

Yes, it should be. The Soul finished top in our most recent reliability survey, not just in its small SUV class but overall, thanks to a magnificent 100% score. It seems nothing went wrong. Kia as a manufacturer came sixth out of the 31 surveyed.

What’s more, the Soul, like all Kias, comes with a seven-year warranty from new, which is transferable. That means a three-year-old Soul will still have four years’ warranty left on it, when most other cars will be out of warranty. Do keep in mind, though, that in those last four years, cover levels can drop off, and the mileage is capped at 100,000, so it’s worth checking the small print to check you’re happy with what the warranty covers if this is an important selling point for you.