MODEL
Kia Soul Electric Safety
NHTSA safety across every Kia Soul Electric model year we cover.
Across the 1 model year of the Kia Soul Electric we cover (2020 to 2020), no year has an NHTSA crash-test score on record. 1 recall have been issued across those years.
The 2020 Kia Soul Electric is a compact crossover-style hatchback powered entirely by a battery-electric drivetrain, positioned as an urban-friendly, personality-forward alternative to more conventional EVs. It targets city commuters and eco-conscious buyers who want a distinctive, boxy silhouette with zero tailpipe emissions. As the electrified variant of Kia's long-running Soul lineup, it carries strong brand recognition into an increasingly competitive EV segment.
The 2020 Kia Soul Electric presents an incomplete safety profile, lacking federal crash-test data. This absence means there are no NHTSA star ratings or an independently computed Safety Index score available to assess its crashworthiness. The model year has one recall on record. However, its owner complaint volume is substantial, with 354 total complaints submitted to NHTSA. Within these complaints are allegations of 9 crashes, 6 fires, 6 injuries, and 8 deaths. While these allegations remain unverified within the NHTSA database, the reported fires in an electric vehicle warrant particular attention, given the public's sensitivity to battery-related thermal events. The single recall indicates manufacturer action on a defect, but the high number of owner complaints suggests widespread safety concerns among drivers. The lack of crash-test data, combined with this complaint record, leaves significant gaps in the safety assessment for the 2020 Soul Electric.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAYReviewers generally regard the Soul Electric as a charming and practical urban runabout that leans into its funky, upright styling with confidence. Most praise its comfortable interior packaging, user-friendly technology interface, and composed city driving manners. Some note that its driving dynamics and cabin refinement feel more functional than premium, placing it squarely as a value-oriented choice rather than a segment benchmark.
- NHTSA did not crash-test the 2020 Kia Soul Electric, so there are no federal star ratings available - shoppers cannot use government crash-test scores to benchmark this model's structural safety.
- Owner complaints for this single model year total 354, an elevated figure that includes allegations of 6 fires - a detail worth scrutinizing carefully on any battery-electric vehicle before purchase.
- The reported allegations of 8 deaths and 6 injuries in NHTSA's complaint database are unverified and do not represent confirmed causation, but they signal that a meaningful number of owners experienced serious enough incidents to file federal reports.
- One recall was issued for the 2020 model year - shoppers should verify with a dealer or via NHTSA's VIN lookup tool that any open recall work has been completed on a specific vehicle before buying.
Most-recalled year on record: 2020 Kia Soul Electric with 1 recalls.