KiaSoul2023Overview/kia/soul/2023/base/

2023 Kia Soul

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2023 Soul.

Transmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2023 Kia Soul is a subcompact crossover SUV built on a unibody platform, equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission that delivers EPA-estimated fuel economy of 28 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. The model year carries four recalls on file, with engine-related issues representing the most frequent complaint area among the 48 total owner reports logged for this vehicle. Compared to the model's complaint history spanning 2010 to 2025, which peaked at 898 complaints in 2015 and has since declined to a low of 11 in 2025, the 2023 Soul represents a period of substantially improved reliability, suggesting that the ongoing refinements to the platform have addressed many of the earlier concerns.

Model year202520232022202120202019201820172016

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque79.0-94.0 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy28/33/30 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

Tire size205/60R16 92HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length165.4 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height63.8 in
Wheelbase102.4 in
Curb weight2844 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined28 / 33 / 30 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume101 cu ft
Cargo volume24 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Soul of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.4–8.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.40 sec — 2020 GT-Line Turbo
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2020GT-Line Turbo 1.6L Turbo I-46.40 sec15.00 sec201 hpFWD
2020GT-Line Turbo 1.6L Turbo I-46.50 sec15.00 sec201 hpFWD
2020GT-Line Turbo 1.6L Turbo I-46.70 sec15.20 sec201 hpFWD
2020X-Line 2.0L I-46.90 sec15.20 sec147 hpFWD
2020GT-Line Turbo 1.6L Turbo I-47.00 sec15.40 sec201 hpFWD
2020X-Line 2.0L I-48.00 sec16.40 sec147 hpFWD
2020X-Line 2.0L I-48.30 sec16.50 sec147 hpFWD
2020EX 2.0L I-48.60 sec16.70 sec147 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 79.0-94.0 ft-lbs.

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts79.0-94.0 ft-lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 96,000 mi; coolant every 24,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 24,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 8,000 miCabin Air Filter (inspect)
Every 8,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
Every 16,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 24,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 48,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 48,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed)
Every 96,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2023 Kia Soul sits near the bottom of the model's federal complaint volume, with only 48 NHTSA complaints—down from a third-generation high of 361 in 2020, 220 in 2021, and 87 in 2022, though still above the 28 recorded in 2024 and 11 in 2025. However, the year is an outlier on recalls: its 4 recalls match the combined total of 2020–2022 and are the highest count since 2016's 5, though the data does not specify the underlying reasons. Complaint severity is relatively low, with 5 crash-related complaints and 1 fire complaint, and the top reported areas are engine, unknown/other, exterior lighting, and electrical/unknown other, without the data identifying specific root causes. Across the model run, the broader arc shows complaints falling sharply after the 2020 spike, while 2023 represents a low-complaint, high-recall inflection point that later normalizes in 2024–2025 with zero recalls. That pattern suggests 2023 owners are reporting fewer day-to-day problems but were still subject to multiple manufacturer-initiated safety actions. For a buyer, the 2023 Soul is a reasonable used-car candidate because absolute complaint volume is low, but the recall load is unusually high for the generation, so verifying that all four recalls were completed is essential before purchasing.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
49
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
48
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 48 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine6
Unknown Or Other6
Exterior Lighting3
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other3
Steering,Electrical System,Engine2
Electrical System2
Power Train2
Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

23V298000Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/PanelReported 26/04/2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing… Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…

23V531000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Fluid/Lubricant:PumpReported 31/07/2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can… Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 49 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_BOD3362026-06-04StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: KEY AND CYLINDER SET REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides…
TSB_ELE4222026-05-27Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM…
PS7972025-12-09Back Over PreventionPITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop…
TSB_ELE4022025-11-04Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: POWER WINDOW MAIN SWITCH REPLACEMENT (CA2510) - This bulletin…
TSB_ELE4022025-10-31Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: POWER WINDOW MAIN SWITCH REPLACEMENT (CA2510) - This bulletin…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Soul. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2023 Soul have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Soul get?

EPA figures are 28 city / 33 highway / 30 combined mpg.