The Kia Soul, a distinctive and versatile wagon, has undergone rigorous testing to assess its safety performance. This article delves into the safety ratings of the Kia Soul, providing a comprehensive analysis based on evaluations conducted for the 2020-2025 models. Understanding these ratings is crucial for anyone considering a Kia Soul, ensuring peace of mind regarding occupant safety and crashworthiness.
Small Overlap Front Test: Driver-Side Evaluation
The driver-side small overlap front test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side impacts a barrier. This test is particularly demanding as it focuses the crash forces on the vehicle’s outer edges, bypassing the main energy-absorbing structures.
The Kia Soul achieved a Good rating in the driver-side small overlap front test. This “Good” rating is the highest possible, indicating excellent protection for the driver in this type of severe frontal crash. Key evaluation criteria and measurements from the test are detailed below:
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and safety cage | G (Good) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Hip/thigh | G (Good) |
| Lower leg/foot | G (Good) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G (Good) |
The technical measurements further highlight the Kia Soul’s robust performance. Occupant compartment intrusion was minimal, with the lower hinge pillar showing a maximum intrusion of 6 cm. Crucially, the steering column showed 0 cm of intrusion, indicating a well-maintained driver space.
Technical Measurements – Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower Occupant Compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max | 6 |
| Footrest | 3 |
| Left toepan | 3 |
| Brake pedal | 1 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 3 |
| Upper Occupant Compartment | |
| Steering column | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 5 |
| Upper dash | 4 |
| Lower instrument panel | 4 |
Driver injury measures were also excellent. The Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) was measured at 254, and there was no hard contact to the head. Neck tension was low at 1.3 kN, and chest compression was minimal at 27 mm. Femur and tibia forces were also well within acceptable limits, indicating a low risk of lower leg injuries.
Driver Injury Measures – Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Driver Injury Measure | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 254 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.3 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 10 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.27 |
| Chest | |
| Maximum compression (mm) | 27 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 2.1 |
| Right | 0.9 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.44 |
| Right | 0.32 |
Small Overlap Front Test: Passenger-Side Evaluation
The passenger-side small overlap front test mirrors the driver-side test but assesses the safety performance for the passenger. This evaluation is equally critical to ensure the safety of all occupants in the vehicle.
The Kia Soul once again earned a Good rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test. This consistent “Good” performance across both driver and passenger sides underscores the vehicle’s robust frontal crash protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and safety cage | G (Good) |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Hip/thigh | G (Good) |
| Lower leg/foot | G (Good) |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G (Good) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Hip/thigh | G (Good) |
| Lower leg/foot | G (Good) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G (Good) |
Similar to the driver-side test, occupant compartment intrusion was well-controlled. The lower hinge pillar showed 6 cm of intrusion, and the upper hinge pillar had 4 cm. Crucially, the center dash intrusion was minimal at only 1 cm.
Technical Measurements – Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower Occupant Compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max | 6 |
| Footrest | 7 |
| Right toepan | 4 |
| Center toepan | 2 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 3 |
| Upper Occupant Compartment | |
| Center dash | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 4 |
| Upper dash | 3 |
| Right lower dash | 4 |
Passenger injury measures were also excellent, with low HIC-15 (115) and no head contact. Neck and chest injury measures were minimal, and femur and tibia forces indicated low injury risks for the passenger. Driver injury measures, also reported in this test, were similarly favorable.
Passenger and Driver Injury Measures – Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Injury Measure | Passenger Measurement | Driver Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Head (HIC-15) | 115 | 134 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Chest Maximum Compression (mm) | 25 | 34 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 1.3 | 0.3 |
| Maximum Tibia Index Left | 0.43 | 0.21 |
| Maximum Tibia Index Right | 0.47 | 0.21 |
Moderate Overlap Front Test: Original Evaluation
The moderate overlap front test involves 40% of the vehicle’s front width impacting a deformable barrier at 40 mph. This test represents a significant portion of real-world frontal collisions.
The Kia Soul achieved a Good rating in the moderate overlap front test. This rating confirms the vehicle’s ability to effectively manage crash forces and protect occupants in a substantial frontal impact scenario.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and safety cage | G (Good) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G (Good) |
| Chest | G (Good) |
| Leg/foot, left | G (Good) |
| Leg/foot, right | G (Good) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G (Good) |
Measurements of occupant compartment intrusion showed controlled deformation. Footwell intrusion was noted, with the footrest intruding 8 cm and the left footwell 15 cm. However, steering column movement was minimal, with only 1 cm upward movement and 1 cm rearward movement, maintaining space for the driver.
Technical Measurements – Moderate Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest | 8 |
| Left | 15 |
| Center | 13 |
| Right | 5 |
| Brake pedal | 7 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left | 1 |
| Right | 0 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward | 1 |
| Rearward | -1 |
| A-pillar rearward movement | 0 |
Driver injury measures were again excellent, with a low HIC-15 of 235 and no hard head contact. Neck and chest injury measures were low, and femur and tibia forces were minimal, indicating good protection for the driver’s lower extremities.
Driver Injury Measures – Moderate Overlap Front Test
| Driver Injury Measure | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head (HIC-15) | 235 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Chest Maximum Compression (mm) | 32 |
| Femur Force – Left (kN) | 0.2 |
| Femur Force – Right (kN) | 1.1 |
| Maximum Tibia Index – Left | 0.38 |
| Maximum Tibia Index – Right | 0.28 |
Side Impact Test: Original Evaluation
The side impact test assesses vehicle safety in a side collision, a particularly dangerous type of accident. This test involves a moving deformable barrier striking the driver’s side of a stationary vehicle.
The Kia Soul received a Good overall rating in the side impact test. However, the pelvis/leg driver injury measure was rated as Acceptable (A), slightly lower than the “Good” rating seen in other areas, but still indicating a good level of protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Structure and safety cage | G (Good) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G (Good) |
| Torso | G (Good) |
| Pelvis/leg | A (Acceptable) |
| Driver head protection | G (Good) |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G (Good) |
| Torso | G (Good) |
| Pelvis/leg | G (Good) |
| Rear passenger head protection | G (Good) |
Intrusion measurements showed a B-pillar movement of -21.5 cm relative to the driver’s seat centerline, indicating that the structural elements effectively resisted intrusion into the occupant space.
Technical Measurements – Side Impact Test
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -21.5 |
Driver injury measures were generally good. Head and neck injury measures were low. Torso protection was good, and while the pelvis/leg rating was “Acceptable,” the technical data shows moderate forces on the pelvis and femur, suggesting a manageable risk of injury in this area. Rear passenger injury measures were all rated “Good,” indicating excellent protection for rear occupants in a side impact.
Driver and Passenger Injury Measures – Side Impact Test
| Injury Measure | Driver Measurement | Passenger Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 161 | 195 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.2 | 0.2 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Torso Maximum Deflection (mm) | 33 | 34 |
| Pelvis Combined Force (kN) | 5.2 | 1.9 |
| Left Femur L-M Force (kN) | 0.7 | 0.8 |
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test evaluates the structural integrity of the roof in a rollover accident. The test measures the strength-to-weight ratio, indicating how much force the roof can withstand relative to the vehicle’s weight.
The Kia Soul achieved a Good rating in roof strength. With a strength-to-weight ratio of 6.24, the Kia Soul’s roof can withstand over 6 times its own weight, demonstrating strong rollover protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Curb weight | 2,860 lbs |
| Peak force | 17,851 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 6.24 |
Head Restraints & Seats Evaluation
Head restraints and seats are crucial for preventing whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions. The evaluation includes both dynamic testing and geometric measurements of the seat and head restraint.
The Kia Soul earned a Good rating for head restraints & seats. Both dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry were rated as “Good”, indicating effective whiplash protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G (Good) |
| Dynamic rating | G (Good) |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G (Good) |
Technical measurements showed a backset of 18 mm and a distance below the top of the head of 5 mm, indicating proper head restraint positioning.
Technical Measurements – Head Restraints & Seats
| Geometry Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Backset (mm) | 18 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 5 |
Headlights Evaluation
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime driving safety. The IIHS evaluates headlight performance based on visibility provided in various driving scenarios and glare produced for oncoming drivers. The Kia Soul has different headlight options depending on the trim level.
The Turbo trim with LED projector headlights received a Good overall rating. These headlights provided good visibility on straightaways and curves and did not exceed glare limits.
Headlight Ratings – Turbo Trim (LED Projector)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | G (Good) |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
However, other trims including S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX, and LX trims, which come with Halogen reflector headlights, received a Poor (P) overall rating. These headlights showed inadequate visibility in most test scenarios, despite having high-beam assist in some trims (excluding LX).
Headlight Ratings – S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX Trims (Halogen Reflector)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | P (Poor) |
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
Headlight Ratings – LX Trim (Halogen Reflector)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | P (Poor) |
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
It’s important to note the significant difference in headlight performance based on trim level when considering the Kia Soul for nighttime driving.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Pedestrian
Front crash prevention systems are evaluated for their ability to avoid or mitigate collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians. The Kia Soul offers optional front crash prevention systems.
With optional Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist with Pedestrian Detection (standard on Turbo trim, optional on others), the Kia Soul earns a Superior rating for both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention. The system avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph vehicle-to-vehicle tests and showed excellent pedestrian detection capabilities, including collision avoidance and significant speed reduction in pedestrian crossing and parallel path scenarios.
Front Crash Prevention Ratings – with Optional Systems
| Evaluation Type | Rating |
|---|---|
| Vehicle-to-Vehicle | Superior |
| Pedestrian (Day) | Superior |
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH) Evaluation
The LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) is evaluated for ease of use and effectiveness.
The Kia Soul received an Acceptable (A) rating for child seat anchors. While the vehicle has LATCH hardware in multiple seating positions, some anchors were noted as being deep in the seat, requiring more force to attach to.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | A (Acceptable) |
Child Seat Anchor Details
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Number of rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware | 2 |
| Additional seating positions with tether anchor only | 1 |
| Lower anchor ease of use | Marginal (too deep in seat) |
| Tether anchor ease of use | Good (easy-to-find location) |
Conclusion
The Kia Soul demonstrates strong safety performance in various crash tests, achieving “Good” ratings in small overlap front (driver and passenger sides), moderate overlap front, side impact (overall), roof strength, and head restraints & seats. The front crash prevention systems also earned a “Superior” rating when equipped with optional features. However, headlight performance varies significantly by trim level, with LED projector headlights on the Turbo trim rated “Good,” while Halogen reflector headlights on other trims are rated “Poor.” The child seat anchors are rated as “Acceptable.”
Overall, the Kia Soul provides a solid level of safety for its occupants, particularly when equipped with the Turbo trim’s headlights and optional front crash prevention systems. Prospective buyers should consider these factors when making their vehicle selection.
