Abstract The KdV–mKdV equation is investigated in this study. This equation is a useful tool to model many nonlinear phenomena in the fields of fluid dynamics, quantum mechanics, and soliton wave theory. The exact soliton solutions of the KdV–mKdV equation are extracted using three distinct exact methods, namely, the generalized projective Riccati equation method, the modified auxiliary equation method, and the generalized unified method. Many novel soliton solutions, including kink, periodic, bright, dark, and singular dark–bright soliton solutions, are obtained. Rational functions, exponential functions, trigonometric functions, and hyperbolic functions are contained in the acquired nontrivial exact solutions. The graphical simulation of some obtained solutions is depicted using 3D plots, 2D contour plots, density plots, and 2D line plots. For the first time, the KdV–mKdV equation is investigated using the proposed three exact methods, and many novel solutions, such as dark, bright, and dark–bright singular soliton solutions, are determined, which have never been reported in the literature.