Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2015 Kia Soul?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2015 Kia Soul?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2015 Kia Soul?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2015 Kia Soul vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

32% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2015 Kia Soul reliable?

Based on MOT data from 2,643 vehicles, the 2015 Kia Soul has a first-time MOT pass rate of 86.6%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2015 Kia Soul?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2015 Kia Soul are: Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (50.1% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (49.3% of vehicles), Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (38.7% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2015 Kia Soul?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

CarHunch

Get Started

Kia Soul (2015)

2,643 real MOT outcomes analysed • 86.6% first-time pass rate

2015 Kia Soul

CarHunch analysed 2,643 real MOT records for the 2015 Kia Soul. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2015 Kia Soul passes its MOT first time at 86.6%, which is a solid 6.6 percentage points above the UK average—but nearly a third of these vehicles have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is a significant buyer concern. Diesel and petrol variants perform almost identically at around 86.5–86.8%, so fuel type won't be a reliability differentiator here.

At 45,290 miles median for a nine-year-old car, these Souls have been driven reasonably but not excessively, yet they're still racking up an average of 9.1 advisories per test, suggesting wear items and minor issues accumulate steadily. Check the full service history and budget for brake work and suspension attention—the high advisory count relative to failures indicates preventative maintenance is catching small problems before they become MOT fails.

The 2015 Kia Soul has a decent first-time pass rate (86.6%), but a higher-than-average share of vehicles have had serious defects recorded — the individual vehicle's history matters a lot here.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

86.6%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

32%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.37

Over 9.3 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

45k

Middle half: 33k–59k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 86.6% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 9.1 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 2,643 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 2,643 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 50.1%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 38.7%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 13.6%

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view · Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2015.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 2,643 Kia Soul cars.

Before you buy a 2015 Kia Soul

Based on MOT data from 2,643 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 32% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (70%)	1,845	86.5%	1.39
Petrol (26%)	689	86.8%	1.34
Electric (4%)	108	87.7%	1.22

Colour Breakdown

Based on 25,023 Kia Soul vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 33.2%

8,297

Black 19%

4,750

White 16.2%

4,047

Red 12.5%

3,136

Blue 9.9%

2,466

Cream 4.2%

1,048

Green 2%

496

Orange 1.2%

291

Brown 0.8%

204

Yellow 0.8%

198

Grey 0.3%

Multi-colour 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2015 Kia Soul vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

45,290

typical

33,074

low mileage

59,287

high mileage

Half of all 2015 Kia Soul vehicles fall between 33,074 and 59,287 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 33,074 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 33,074–59,287 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2015 Kia Souls sit.

⚠ Over 80,037 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2015 Kia Soul — Still on the Road

Almost all 2015 Kia Souls are still on the road.

Strong survival — 2,464 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 96% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2018–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

9.3

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.37

Avg failures per vehicle

9.1

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Kia Soul: All Soul years → Which year to buy? →

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019

Or browse all models: Kia →

Compare with another model

See how the 2015 Kia Soul stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing