GMC Acadia vs Kia Soul
Two three-row SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the GMC Acadia based on your priorities for this class.
Buy the Kia Soul based on your priorities for this class.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| GMC Acadia | Kia Soul | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance | $734 | — |
| 5-year total cost | $3,670 | — |
| Reliability score | 6 / 10 | — |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 19% | — |
| Cargo space | — | — |
| Starting price (new) | $43,800 | — |
| Best years to buy | — | — |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| GMC Acadia | Kia Soul | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 6 / 10 | — |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 89.6 | 0winner |
| Years to avoid | 2014, 2017, 2019 | None identified |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 71.6% | — |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 51.5% | — |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 38.2% | — |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| GMC Acadia | Kia Soul | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12.4% | —winner |
| Electrical | 13.2% | —winner |
| ADAS | 5.8% | —winner |
| Brakes | 3.4% | —winner |
| Steering | 10.5% | —winner |
| Fuel system | 2.3% | —winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 1.5% | —winner |
| Airbags | 19.3% | —winner |
| Lighting | 3.6% | —winner |
| Seatbelt | 1.6% | —winner |
One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.
// INSURANCE
Which is cheaper to insure?
| GMC Acadia | Kia Soul | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $2,242winner | $2,445 |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
The Acadia costs $734/year to maintain — $161 above the three-row segment average of $573. Major repair probability of 19% is the highest in the three-row class. Reliability score of 6 is below the segment average of 7. Repair frequency of 37% is slightly below the class average of 40%. Above-average cost and the highest major-repair risk in the segment.
How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →