2017 Kia Soul vs 2017 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2017 Kia Soul | 2017 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 270 | 38 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 4 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 101 | 569 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 17 | 3 |
| Fire reports | 14 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 27–28 | 28–29 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 75,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Kia Soul | Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 190 | 5 |
| Electrical System | 19 | 7 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 18 | 5 |
| Power Train | 19 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 16 | 3 |
| Suspension | 4 | 15 |
| Service Brakes | 12 | 2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 41 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 39 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 27 | 0 |
| Oil consumption | 25 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 16 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 9 | 0 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 7 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 7 | 0 |
2017 Kia Soul
2017 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen
Compare all Kia Soul vs Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.