How Many Gallons Does A Kia Soul Hold? | Tank Size By Year

Most Kia Soul models hold 14.2 or 14.3 gallons, while early 2010–2013 versions use a smaller 12.7-gallon tank.

If you just need the number for a newer gas-powered Soul, the answer is usually 14.3 gallons. That covers the third-generation U.S. Soul, which started with the 2020 model year and still matches what most buyers run across on dealer lots and used-car listings.

The wrinkle is that Kia didn’t keep the same tank size from day one. Early first-generation cars were smaller at 12.7 gallons. Second-generation gas Souls moved up to 14.2 gallons. Then the 2020 redesign nudged the number to 14.3 gallons. So the right answer changes with the badge year on the car, not just the Soul name on the hatch.

How Many Gallons Does A Kia Soul Hold? By Model Year

For gas-only U.S. Kia Soul models, the clean breakdown goes like this:

• 2010–2013: 12.7 gallons
• 2014–2019: 14.2 gallons
• 2020–2025: 14.3 gallons

That means a used 2012 Soul and a used 2022 Soul can both wear the same boxy shape and still take different amounts of fuel. It also means plenty of short answers floating around online are only half-right. They’re often talking about one year range, not the full run.

Why The Number Is Different

Kia has redesigned the Soul more than once. Each redesign brought changes to the chassis, body dimensions, engines, and packaging. Fuel tank size tends to move with those changes. A larger tank can stretch highway range. A smaller tank can save space or weight. The Soul’s numbers stayed close, but they didn’t stay fixed.

That’s why “the Kia Soul holds 14.3 gallons” is true for many owners and still wrong for others. If you drive an early first-generation car, that answer overshoots your actual capacity by a fair margin. If you drive a 2020 or newer gas Soul, it lands right on the mark.

Kia Soul Tank Capacity Across Generations

First Generation: 2010 To 2013

The earliest U.S. Souls used a 12.7-gallon tank. These cars are easy to spot once you know the shape: they’re a touch shorter than later versions, and their cargo area and cabin measurements differ from the second-generation redesign that arrived for 2014.

For owners, this smaller tank means more frequent fill-ups on long drives. It doesn’t make the car thirsty by itself, but it trims the distance you can cover before the fuel light starts nagging you.

Second Generation: 2014 To 2019

Kia bumped the gas tank to 14.2 gallons for the second generation. That gave the Soul a bit more cruising range and lined up with its bigger footprint. If you’re shopping for a used Soul from the mid-2010s, this is the number you’ll run into most often.

This generation is the sweet spot for plenty of used-car buyers: newer cabin, more room, and a tank that’s big enough to make road trips less stop-and-go than the first run.

Third Generation: 2020 And Newer

When the Soul was redesigned again for 2020, the tank grew one more notch to 14.3 gallons. It’s a tiny jump on paper, just one-tenth of a gallon, but it does settle the current answer for late-model gas Souls. If you own a 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025 gas Soul, this is the figure you’ll usually want.

That also explains why newer listings, spec boxes, and dealership pages often all agree. Most current gas Souls share that same published capacity across trims.

Model Year Or Version	Fuel Tank Capacity	What To Know
2010	12.7 gallons	Launch-year gas Soul in the U.S. uses the smaller first-gen tank.
2011–2013	12.7 gallons	Still first generation, so the tank stays the same.
2014	14.2 gallons	Full redesign year and the first jump to the larger tank.
2015	14.2 gallons	Second-generation carryover with the same fuel capacity.
2016–2019	14.2 gallons	Most gas Souls from the late second-gen run stay here.
2020	14.3 gallons	Third-generation redesign adds a slight bump.
2021–2025	14.3 gallons	Current gas-powered Soul models commonly use this number.
Soul EV	No gasoline tank	Electric versions use a battery pack, not a gas tank.

What The Number Means At The Pump

Tank size tells you more than the bill after a fill-up. It shapes how often you stop, how much margin you have on a long drive, and how much trust you should place in the distance-to-empty display.

A 14.3-gallon Soul can go farther between stops than a 12.7-gallon Soul if both cars return the same mpg. That sounds obvious, yet it matters a lot when you’re cross-shopping used models from different years. Two Souls with similar fuel economy can feel different on the road just because one carries more fuel.

• Smaller tank: more frequent stops, lighter fill-up totals
• Larger tank: fewer stops, bigger fill-up totals
• Same mpg, different tank: range still changes

One more thing: published capacity is the full tank size, not what you’ll always squeeze in at the pump. Most drivers refill before the tank is bone dry. The gauge also keeps a reserve buffer, and pump shutoff can click off a little early. So don’t be surprised if your “empty” fill-up is shy of the posted number.

Kia’s own 2013 Soul specifications list a 12.7-gallon tank, while the 2020 Soul specifications show 14.3 gallons. That jump lines up with what owners see when the generations change.

Tank Size	Range At 25 MPG	Range At 30 MPG
12.7 gallons	About 318 miles	About 381 miles
14.2 gallons	About 355 miles	About 426 miles
14.3 gallons	About 358 miles	About 429 miles

Those numbers are just math from tank size and mpg. Real driving swings with traffic, speed, weather, tire pressure, cargo, and how heavy your right foot gets. City driving will cut that range down. Long, steady highway miles can stretch it.

Make Sure You’re Checking The Right Soul

Gas Soul Vs. Soul EV

This trips people up all the time. A gas Soul uses a fuel tank. A Soul EV does not. If the listing says Soul EV, battery range is the number that matters, not gallons. That sounds basic, but it’s an easy mix-up when you’re scanning used inventory fast and only see “Soul” in the headline.

Trim Level Usually Doesn’t Change It

Within the same gas model year, trim level usually isn’t the thing that changes the tank size. LX, S, GT-Line, EX, and similar gas trims tend to share the same published capacity for that year range. The bigger shift comes from the redesign year, not the badge on the fender.

How To Verify Your Own Kia Soul

If you want the exact answer for your car, start with the model year, not the seller’s memory. Then check the official spec sheet or the owner’s manual for that year. That clears up most confusion in under two minutes.

1. Check the registration, title, or VIN to confirm the model year.
2. Match that year to the right Kia spec page or manual.
3. Make sure the car is gas-powered, not a Soul EV.
4. Use the published tank size as a capacity figure, not a promise that every fill-up will hit that exact amount.

If you’re buying used and the ad looks sloppy, ask the seller for the model year and trim, then compare it against the official numbers. That’s the easiest way to avoid mixing a 2013 capacity with a 2023 listing.

What Most Drivers Will Find

For most late-model owners, the answer is 14.3 gallons. If your Soul is from 2014 to 2019, think 14.2 gallons. If it’s a first-generation 2010 to 2013 model, think 12.7 gallons. And if it’s a Soul EV, gallons don’t enter the picture at all.

Once you tie the number to the model year, the question gets a lot easier. That’s the bit many short answers skip, and it’s the bit that keeps you from getting the wrong figure for your car.