Is the Kia Soul reliable?
The Kia Soul has a first-time MOT pass rate of 70.6%, from 71,542 tests on cars dating from 2009 to 2021. All cars together manage 71.7%. Once age is allowed for, the Soul is about average: within 0.5 points of a typical car tested at the same age. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the Soul scores 91.9% against 87.9% for all cars. When a Soul does fail, play in a track rod end is the item recorded most often.
Why Kia Souls fail the MOT
Play in a track rod end is recorded on 15.5% of failed Kia Soul tests, followed by wipers not clearing the screen at 7% and a sidelight not working at 6.6%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Suspension failures are the hard ones to see coming: a snapped coil spring or a worn ball joint gives little warning. Knocks over speed bumps are the clue.
Advisories to expect on a Soul
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Kia Soul: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 15.9% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. The advisory conversion table shows which of these are worth acting on first.
Soul pass rate by fuel
The electric Soul has the better record at 87.5%; the diesel manages 67.7%. 19.8 points is a real difference. Allow for the electric fleet being younger.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 67.7% | 42,294 |
| Petrol | 70.4% | 21,424 |
| Electric | 87.5% | 6,568 |
Kia Soul pass rate by year
Pass rates run from 53.6% for 2009 cars to 90.1% for 2021 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Soul 2021 | 90.1% | 2,236 | 8,375 | 91.1% |
| Kia Soul 2020 | 88.6% | 2,565 | 7,780 | 92.8% |
| Kia Soul 2019 | 86.9% | 1,004 | 5,943 | – |
| Kia Soul 2018 | 85.6% | 5,786 | 6,122 | – |
| Kia Soul 2017 | 84.5% | 4,990 | 6,314 | – |
| Kia Soul 2016 | 81.4% | 6,303 | 6,544 | – |
| Kia Soul 2015 | 79.3% | 7,686 | 6,692 | – |
| Kia Soul 2014 | 74.7% | 7,775 | 6,686 | – |
| Kia Soul 2013 | 63% | 3,845 | 6,423 | – |
| Kia Soul 2012 | 60.3% | 4,756 | 6,470 | – |
| Kia Soul 2011 | 57.7% | 9,831 | 6,780 | – |
| Kia Soul 2010 | 56.7% | 8,544 | 6,672 | – |
| Kia Soul 2009 | 53.6% | 6,221 | 6,567 | – |
Mileage matters more than the badge
Take the 2011 Soul, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 77.5% of the time, and that falls to 49.8% over 100,000. A 28-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2011 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.5% | 524 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 67% | 1,311 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 60.7% | 2,283 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.8% | 2,532 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.8% | 3,178 |
How the Soul compares
The average Kia passes 74.4% of tests, so the Soul is below the make's own average. Within the family, see how the Sportage does (76.5%), how the Ceed does (67.1%), Kia Niro reliability (87.9%) and the Optima (79.4%), or every Kia model compared. For a cross-make comparison, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Mercedes-Benz CLS have similar test volumes and their own pages. The ranking of every make puts them side by side, and the statistics for all 98 million tests give the baseline.
Failure lists and mileage by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Kia Soul 2021 90.1% pass 2,236 tests91.1% at first MOT
On a 2021 Kia Soul, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 27.1% of failed tests, with wipers not clearing the screen next at 21.3%.
2021 cars pass 91.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 90% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.2% | 1,811 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.3% | 333 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 90% | 60 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 77.3% | 22 |
| Over 100,000 | 90% | 10 |
Kia Soul 2020 88.6% pass 2,565 tests92.8% at first MOT
On a 2020 Kia Soul, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 28.8% of failed tests, with wipers not clearing the screen next at 27.1%.
2020 cars pass 90.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 85.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.1% | 1,951 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.6% | 440 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85% | 120 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 84.8% | 33 |
| Over 100,000 | 85.7% | 21 |
Kia Soul 2019 86.9% pass 1,004 tests
On a 2019 Kia Soul, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 24.2% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 12.9%.
2019 cars pass 88.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 63.6% at 80,000 to 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.7% | 777 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.5% | 166 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 78% | 50 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 63.6% | 11 |
Kia Soul 2018 85.6% pass 5,786 tests
On a 2018 Kia Soul, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 20.8% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 11.3%.
2018 cars pass 88.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 61.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.6% | 3,668 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.1% | 1,511 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77.6% | 442 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 75.9% | 116 |
| Over 100,000 | 61.7% | 47 |
By fuel: petrol 86% (3,002 tests), diesel 86.4% (1,608 tests), electric 83.2% (1,176 tests).
Kia Soul 2017 84.5% pass 4,990 tests
On a 2017 Kia Soul, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 12.9% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 12.4%.
2017 cars pass 88.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 70.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.4% | 2,425 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.2% | 1,539 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.9% | 677 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79.4% | 247 |
| Over 100,000 | 70.6% | 102 |
By fuel: diesel 85% (2,577 tests), petrol 84.8% (1,821 tests), electric 81.3% (592 tests).
Kia Soul 2016 81.4% pass 6,303 tests
On a 2016 Kia Soul, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 12.4% of failed tests, with parking brake efficiency below the limit next at 12.2%.
2016 cars pass 87.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.6% | 2,126 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82% | 2,126 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77% | 1,276 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 71.9% | 523 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.6% | 250 |
By fuel: diesel 81.7% (4,204 tests), petrol 81% (1,692 tests).
Kia Soul 2015 79.3% pass 7,686 tests
On a 2015 Kia Soul, parking brake efficiency below the limit appears on 15.8% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 13.4%.
2015 cars pass 86.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 69.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.8% | 1,777 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.9% | 2,337 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 76.8% | 1,998 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 70.4% | 1,033 |
| Over 100,000 | 69.6% | 540 |
By fuel: diesel 79.4% (5,376 tests), petrol 78.4% (2,008 tests).
Kia Soul 2014 74.7% pass 7,775 tests
On a 2014 Kia Soul, parking brake efficiency below the limit appears on 11.8% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 10.6%.
2014 cars pass 83.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 64.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.8% | 1,317 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78% | 2,186 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72.9% | 2,044 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.7% | 1,287 |
| Over 100,000 | 64.7% | 941 |
By fuel: diesel 74.9% (5,257 tests), petrol 74.2% (2,473 tests).
Kia Soul 2013 63% pass 3,845 tests
On a 2013 Kia Soul, play in a track rod end appears on 29.2% of failed tests, with ball joint no longer prevents the ingress of dirt next at 13.1%.
2013 cars pass 76.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 53.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 76.5% | 541 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 69% | 977 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 59.7% | 1,063 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.3% | 654 |
| Over 100,000 | 53.1% | 610 |
By fuel: diesel 62.5% (2,611 tests), petrol 64.1% (1,234 tests).
Kia Soul 2012 60.3% pass 4,756 tests
On a 2012 Kia Soul, play in a track rod end appears on 32.2% of failed tests, with ball joint no longer prevents the ingress of dirt next at 10.7%.
2012 cars pass 78.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 53.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 78.3% | 489 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 64.5% | 915 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 60.6% | 1,284 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 54.3% | 1,058 |
| Over 100,000 | 53.6% | 1,009 |
By fuel: diesel 60.1% (3,330 tests), petrol 60.8% (1,423 tests).
Kia Soul 2011 57.7% pass 9,831 tests
On a 2011 Kia Soul, play in a track rod end appears on 31.9% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 16.9%.
2011 cars pass 77.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.5% | 524 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 67% | 1,311 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 60.7% | 2,283 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.8% | 2,532 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.8% | 3,178 |
By fuel: diesel 57.5% (7,892 tests), petrol 58.2% (1,939 tests).
Kia Soul 2010 56.7% pass 8,544 tests
On a 2010 Kia Soul, play in a track rod end appears on 31.7% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 18.4%.
2010 cars pass 71.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 50.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 71.8% | 301 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.1% | 961 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 59.9% | 1,803 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 56.4% | 2,175 |
| Over 100,000 | 50.5% | 3,300 |
By fuel: diesel 57% (6,208 tests), petrol 56% (2,336 tests).
Kia Soul 2009 53.6% pass 6,221 tests
On a 2009 Kia Soul, play in a track rod end appears on 29.4% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 18.9%.
2009 cars pass 77.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 48.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.4% | 235 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.4% | 529 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 59% | 1,167 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 51% | 1,506 |
| Over 100,000 | 48.6% | 2,781 |
By fuel: diesel 52.4% (3,231 tests), petrol 55% (2,990 tests).
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Kia Soul?
On MOT evidence the Kia Soul is about average. It passes 70.6% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 0.5 points. 91.9% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 71,542 DVSA tests.
What fails a Kia Soul MOT most often?
Play in a track rod end (15.5% of failed tests), wipers not clearing the screen (7%) and a sidelight not working (6.6%). Suspension failures are the hard ones to see coming: a snapped coil spring or a worn ball joint gives little warning. Knocks over speed bumps are the clue.
What is the best year for a used Kia Soul?
Among years with a large sample, 2018 cars have the highest pass rate at 85.6% and 2009 cars the lowest at 53.6%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Kia Soul usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 15.9% of all Soul tests, then worn brake discs (10.9%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Kia Soul do?
About 6,657 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
Does the Kia Soul pass rate apply to my car?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Own a Soul?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 6,657 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.