Kia Soul vs Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Kia Soul
- Total complaints
- 5,452
- Avg per model year
- 341
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 15
- Most complained year
- 2015 (896)
Top problems: Engine, Unknown / Other, Steering
Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen
- Total complaints
- 148
- Avg per model year
- 34
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 9
- Most complained year
- 2015 (59)
Top problems: Air Bags, Electrical System, Unknown / Other
Complaints by model year
| Year | Kia Soul | Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 134 | 9 | ||
| 2018 | 212 | 12 | ||
| 2017 | 270 | 38 | ||
| 2016 | 796 | 51 | ||
| 2015 | 896 | 59 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.