2019 Kia Soul: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
135 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The second-generation Soul (2014–2019) carries the Gamma and Nu engines that were subject to Kia's engine-failure investigation and the 2019 recall for catalytic-converter damage leading to piston failure; the 2014–2016 years have the highest counts, with engine noise, stalling and fire cited. The 2017–2019 years are better, and the third generation from 2020 is quiet apart from a bump in 2020. Read the full note on the model page. 2019 specifically: a year the record favours — 135 complaints, score 89/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Kia Sorento, Sportage and Soul: the recall years and the good years after them, including 2019 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 135 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 19.29
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My 2019 Kia Soul has been professionally diagnosed with DTC B162000, “Internal Fault – Replace SRSCM,” involving the Supplemental Restraint System/Airbag Control Module. My repair shop documented this diagnosis on August 24, 2026. Kia Safety Recall SC226 / NHTSA Recall 22V-031 addresses an Airbag Control Unit defect in certain 2017-2019 Kia Souls and specifically addresses vehicles exhibiting DTC B1620. However, I ha…
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a burning odor and smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. Additionally, the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact pulled over and checked the engine oil level, and the dipstick indicated that the engine oil level was extremely low. The contact stated that engine oil was added to the en…
I purchased a 2019 Kia Soul in June 2022. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has been stolen three separate times. During at least one theft, the steering column was damaged to bypass the ignition, and responding officers indicated the theft method was consistent with the widely reported Kia theft method. I had possession of my keys during the incidents. The repeated thefts created a significant safety risk, financial …
Recalls: 1 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 22V031000 | Air Bags | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,200
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine86 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other19 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Air Bags15 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Electrical System14 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System12 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Service Brakes8 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Kia Soul years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Kia Soul?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (86 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Kia Soul a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 89/100, computed from 135 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Kia Soul's most common problem?
86 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 Kia Soul sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2019 Kia Soul cost to run per year?
About $4,216 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,080 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2019 Kia Soul have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 Kia Soul, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 25/01/2022. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2019 Kia Soul really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 135 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 135 NHTSA complaints on record (19.3/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (30.1/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems