Photo: Elise240SX / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
2010 Kia Soul: common problems and reliability
One of the better Soul years.
135 owner complaints, most about electrical system. 3 recalls.
Should I buy a 2010 Soul?The 2010 Kia Soul has 135 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are electrical system and air bags. Owners most often flag catastrophic engine failure (knocking, stalling, seizure) often preceded by excessive oil consumption: very frequent across 2010-2020 models. linked to recalls and extended warranty programs.
Safety record for the 2010 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2010 Kia Soul vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Soul years only. How we score it
Is 2010 a good year for the Soul?
Across the 16 Soul model years we track, complaint volume runs from 51 (2023) to 1,808 (2015). With 135 complaints, the 2010 Soul sits below the model's median of 290.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2010 Soul
structure:body:roof and pillars
Campaign 14V822000Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.
exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Campaign 13V114000Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
electrical system:wiring
Campaign 10V388000KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SOUL AND MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010. A LIMITED NUMBER OF WIRING HARNESSES SUPPLIED BY JCI AND USED FOR THE LIGHTING IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLE'S ADVANCED LIGHTING SPEAKERS, LOCATED IN THE FRONT DOOR TRIM PANELS, AND THE KIA SORENTO VEHICLE'S INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION, LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR DOOR TRIM PANELS, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLDERED.
What owners say across generations
Mixed to negative sentiment, heavily dependent on model year and engine.
- Catastrophic engine failure (knocking, stalling, seizure) often preceded by excessive oil consumption
Very frequent across 2010-2020 models. Linked to recalls and extended warranty programs.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Soul. See the full Soul owner picture and every model year.
Typical used price
Used Soul listings typically run $13,383–$20,275 across 2015 to 2025 model years.
Other Soul model years
Compare every Soul year side by side to see how 2010 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Soul against its rivals
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