Kia Soul MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Kia Soul in Great Britain in 2025 — 24,757 tests. Figures cover every Soul first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the Soul ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
70.5%
1.8 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
24,757
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
8.1%
of Soul first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
63,750
middle half: 46,250–83,750 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Kia Soul cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 25,063 Kia Soul cars that were taxed or on SORN: 24,286 taxed and 777 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Kia Soul vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
24,286
96.9% of the 25,063 Soul cars taxed or on SORN; 54 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
777
declared off the road by their keepers — 3.1% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed Soul cars peaked at 25,697 at the end of 2022 and has since fallen by 1,411 (5.5%) to 24,286 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 99 at the end of 2014 to 777 at the end of 2025, up 684.8%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed Soul cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

010k20k30k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed Soul cars, year 2014: 16kTaxed Soul cars, year 2015: 18kTaxed Soul cars, year 2016: 20kTaxed Soul cars, year 2017: 22kTaxed Soul cars, year 2018: 24kTaxed Soul cars, year 2019: 24kTaxed Soul cars, year 2020: 24kTaxed Soul cars, year 2021: 25kTaxed Soul cars, year 2022: 26kTaxed Soul cars, year 2023: 26kTaxed Soul cars, year 2024: 25kTaxed Soul cars, year 2025: 24k24k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed Soul cars
201415,873
201518,378
201620,338
201722,006
201823,600
201923,686
202024,258
202125,261
202225,697
202325,530
202425,022
202524,286

Soul cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

02004006008002014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Soul cars on SORN, year 2014: 99Soul cars on SORN, year 2015: 157Soul cars on SORN, year 2016: 284Soul cars on SORN, year 2017: 157Soul cars on SORN, year 2018: 166Soul cars on SORN, year 2019: 242Soul cars on SORN, year 2020: 323Soul cars on SORN, year 2021: 360Soul cars on SORN, year 2022: 396Soul cars on SORN, year 2023: 494Soul cars on SORN, year 2024: 657Soul cars on SORN, year 2025: 777777
View this chart as a table
YearSoul cars on SORN
201499
2015157
2016284
2017157
2018166
2019242
2020323
2021360
2022396
2023494
2024657
2025777

Which model years survive

Taxed Soul cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 24,286 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed Soul cars
20242451.0%
20233531.5%
20228163.4%
20211,0974.5%
20208493.5%
20193321.4%
20181,9237.9%
20171,6356.7%
20162,0438.4%
20152,46710.2%
20142,53510.4%
20131,2185.0%
20121,4806.1%
20112,97912.3%
20102,54610.5%
20091,7667.3%
All other build years (three years, each under 1%)20.0%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model name SOUL under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the Soul ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, Soul vs all cars, 2025.

Kia SoulAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Kia Soul, vehicle age 3: 91.6%Kia Soul, vehicle age 4: 89.1%Kia Soul, vehicle age 5: 85.3%Kia Soul, vehicle age 7: 84.6%Kia Soul, vehicle age 8: 85.1%Kia Soul, vehicle age 9: 78.2%Kia Soul, vehicle age 10: 76.1%Kia Soul, vehicle age 11: 72.4%Kia Soul, vehicle age 12: 61.9%Kia Soul, vehicle age 13: 58.9%Kia Soul, vehicle age 14: 57%Kia Soul, vehicle age 15: 56.5%Kia Soul, vehicle age 16: 51.5%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%All cars 57.6%Kia Soul 51.5%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Soul testsSoul pass rateAll cars
387891.6%88.5%
41,12889.1%87.2%
587385.3%86.0%
71,96284.6%80.9%
81,68585.1%78.2%
92,11478.2%74.9%
102,55476.1%71.9%
112,59572.4%68.6%
121,28161.9%65.8%
131,56258.9%63.5%
143,17057.0%61.2%
152,71256.5%59.3%
161,90251.5%58.3%

Better or worse than the average car?

The Soul's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the Soul beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

Soul aheadSoul behind
-8-4+0+4+8Age 3: +3.1 points vs the average car3Age 4: +1.9 points vs the average carAge 5: -0.7 points vs the average car5Age 7: +3.7 points vs the average car7Age 8: +6.9 points vs the average carAge 9: +3.3 points vs the average car9Age 10: +4.2 points vs the average carAge 11: +3.8 points vs the average car11Age 12: -3.9 points vs the average carAge 13: -4.6 points vs the average car13Age 14: -4.2 points vs the average carAge 15: -2.8 points vs the average car15Age 16: -6.8 points vs the average carVehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+3.1
4+1.9
5-0.7
7+3.7
8+6.9
9+3.3
10+4.2
11+3.8
12-3.9
13-4.6
14-4.2
15-2.8
16-6.8

The Soul fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the Soul fleet still in use.

01k2k3k4kAge 3: 8783Age 4: 1kAge 5: 8735Age 7: 1k7Age 8: 1kAge 9: 2k9Age 10: 2kAge 11: 2k11Age 12: 1kAge 13: 1k13Age 14: 3kAge 15: 2k15Age 16: 1k16Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
3878
41,128
5873
71,962
81,685
92,114
102,554
112,595
121,281
131,562
143,170
152,712
161,902

What a Soul fails on

Where the failure items land when a Soul fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Brakes23.7%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment20.2%
Suspension15.3%
Tyres12.9%
Steering12.5%
Visibility8.6%
Noise, emissions and leaks2.7%
Body, chassis, structure2.6%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (98.4% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a Soul, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Brakes: 34.2% of advisories34.2%Tyres: 32.2% of advisories32.2%Suspension: 14.3% of advisories14.3%Non-component advisories: 6.0% of advisoriesSteering: 4.6% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 3.3% of advisories
BrakesTyresSuspensionNon-component advisoriesSteeringNoise, emissions and leaks
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Brakes34.2%
Tyres32.2%
Suspension14.3%
Non-component advisories6.0%
Steering4.6%
Noise, emissions and leaks3.3%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid Soul?

First-time pass rate for the three most-tested Soul fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Diesel: 66.7% of 13,941 tests66.7%Diesel13,941 testsPetrol: 69.3% of 7,054 tests69.3%Petrol7,054 testsElectric: 86.8% of 3,761 tests86.8%Electric3,761 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel13,94166.7%
Petrol7,05469.3%
Electric3,76186.8%

What mileage is normal for a Soul?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) Soul; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical Soul (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k357911131516Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 21,250 miles (middle half 13,750–31,250)Age 4: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 21,250–41,250)Age 5: typical 36,250 miles (middle half 23,750–48,750)Age 7: typical 41,250 miles (middle half 28,750–53,750)Age 8: typical 46,250 miles (middle half 33,750–63,750)Age 9: typical 56,250 miles (middle half 41,250–73,750)Age 10: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 46,250–83,750)Age 11: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 51,250–91,250)Age 12: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 53,750–93,750)Age 13: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 61,250–101,250)Age 14: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 68,750–111,250)Age 15: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 76,250–118,750)Age 16: typical 98,750 miles (middle half 78,750–123,750)98k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
313,75021,25031,250
421,25031,25041,250
523,75036,25048,750
728,75041,25053,750
833,75046,25063,750
941,25056,25073,750
1046,25063,75083,750
1151,25068,75091,250
1253,75073,75093,750
1361,25081,250101,250
1468,75088,750111,250
1576,25096,250118,750
1678,75098,750123,750

What fails at each age

The Soul's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresVisibilitySteeringBrakesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSuspensionEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres62.7%
3-5 yrsVisibility19.0%
3-5 yrsSteering6.4%
3-5 yrsBrakes5.7%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment3.6%
3-5 yrsEverything else2.6%
6-9 yrsBrakes39.3%
6-9 yrsTyres24.8%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment11.2%
6-9 yrsVisibility10.9%
6-9 yrsSuspension8.9%
6-9 yrsEverything else4.9%
10-13 yrsBrakes30.7%
10-13 yrsSuspension19.4%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment13.2%
10-13 yrsTyres13.0%
10-13 yrsSteering11.6%
10-13 yrsEverything else12.1%
14+ yrsBrakes22.0%
14+ yrsSuspension17.9%
14+ yrsSteering17.6%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment17.2%
14+ yrsTyres9.8%
14+ yrsEverything else15.5%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.