Kia has come a long way over the years and has strived to kill its reputation as a joke in the automobile industry. It seems to be working. The automaker is now one of the most reliable brands. Yet the Kia Soul failed to impress critics and received some poor scores.
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Regardless of its poor reliability ratings from critics, why do most owners still love their Souls?
About the 2020 Kia Soul
Kia is topping lists for all the right reasons. In fact, it’s beginning to feel as if the automaker can do no wrong anymore. However, the Kia Soul seems to be its weak link, according to critics. The 2020 Kia Soul has a poor reliability rating of 1 of 5. Areas such as the transmission, brakes, suspension, and body hardware sank the Soul’s score. So did a few owner reviews.
In 2020, the Kia Soul entered its third generation, normally a good thing. In this case, it displeased some critics by earning poor scores, and the 2021 model is following suit.
It would make sense for Kia to fix some of the flaws before releasing the 2021 model, but these things are rarely fixed overnight. That said, the 2020 and 2021 models have much in common. In fact, there aren’t enough differences to separate them when it comes to reliability. They both earned the same reliability and owner satisfaction scores.
People Still Love the Kia Soul
Given its poor reliability rating from critics, it wouldn’t be a surprise if owners don’t like their Kia Soul. But, both owners and enthusiasts still love the Soul. So what’s the deal? Why are so many owners standing by the Soul when critics think they should run the other way?
The Soul’s beautiful looks might have something to do with it. Its boxy shape stands out from the crowd, and its bright colours are pleasing to the eye, making it a very attractive vehicle.
Then there’s the fact that the Soul gets impressive gas mileage: 28 mpg. Sure, that doesn’t hold a candle to EVs that can go 300 miles on a single charge, but the Soul is also far more affordable.
Further amplifying this hatchback’s appeal is its advanced safety features. Unlike some other automakers, Kia offers stellar driver aids as standard equipment. They include forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning, blind-spot warning, lane change assist, and rear cross-traffic alerts.
So, perhaps that is why owners like the Kia Soul and accept its flaws. For that price, they’re easy to forgive. Add a cute personality, and it’s hard not to fall in love.
