2023 Kia Soul Safety and Reliability

The Kia Soul's crashworthiness ratings are good. In the US, the NHTSA's crash-test review of the Kia Soul resulted in a rating of four stars out of five overall, with four stars for a frontal crash, five for the side crash, and four for the rollover test. The IIHS doesn't seem to agree with the Soul being anything less than exemplary and awarded the 2020, 2021, and 2022 Soul with a Top Safety Pick award. So far, the 2023 model achieved "Good" scores in all the IIHS crashworthiness criteria.

Another advantage of the Kia Soul is that it comes with decent safety features, even when you opt for a lower trim level. On all trims, forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection is standard, along with lane-keep and -following assist, lane-depature warning, speed-limit assist, driver-attention warning, and rear-occupant alert. The S additionally gets blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic collision assist, and lane-change assist. The GT-Line can be optionally equipped with junction turning detection, Highway Drive Assist, and navigation-based adaptive cruise control - features that are, strangely enough, not available on the EX. All models come with dual front, front side, and side curtain airbags. Buyers who want to opt for the base LX can opt for the LX Technology package that adds blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance and lane-change assist - and throws in a set of 16-inch alloys for good measure.

With not even one recall from 2017 to 2020, the Soul scores high on the reliability meter. There was a single recall in 2021 for potential engine damage resulting from improperly manufactured piston rings. The 2022 model was free from any recalls and so far, the 2023 model has maintained that record at the time of writing. Kia also offers a five-year or 60,000-mile basic warranty and a corrosion warranty is valid for the same time and mileage limit. The powertrain is also covered for ten years or 100,000 miles, and roadside assistance is standard for five years or 60,000 miles.