Used Kia Soul Hatchback 2014-2019 reliability

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).

With the exception of the above-named steering fault, there’s little to be concerned about. We’ve heard of no major issues that affect large tracts of Soul owners, so as long as you buy one that’s been well maintained, you shouldn’t encounter any big problems.

However, keep in mind that the diesel model, like all of its contemporaries these days, is fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). This requires a high-speed run every now and then to allow it to self-clean, otherwise it becomes clogged up, requiring it to be replaced – and DPFs don’t come cheap. Consequently, it makes sense to evaluate whether you’ll regularly be using your Soul on the motorway; if not, you'd be better off with a petrol model.

Yes, it should be. In our 2023 used car reliability survey, the Kia Soul was not only named the most reliable used small SUV, but did so with a remarkable 100% score - meaning not a single Soul in our survey had developed a fault. In our rundown of the most reliable used car manufacturers, Kia came fifth out of 30

What’s more, the Soul, like all Kias, cames with a seven-year warranty from new, which is transferable. That means that some Souls will still have several years’ warranty left on it, when most other cars will be out of warranty. Do keep in mind, though, that in the 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.