Photo: TuRbO_J from Adelaide, Australia / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
2016 Kia Soul: common problems and reliability
One of the worst Soul years.
One of the Kia Soul years to avoid. All Soul years
1,638 owner complaints, most about engine. 5 recalls.
Should I buy a 2016 Soul?The 2016 Kia Soul has 1638 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are engine and engine and engine cooling. Owners most often flag catastrophic engine failure (knocking, stalling, seizure) often preceded by excessive oil consumption: very frequent across 2010-2020 models. linked to recalls and extended warranty programs.
Safety record for the 2016 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2016 Kia Soul vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Soul years only. How we score it
Is 2016 a good year for the Soul?
Across the 16 Soul model years we track, complaint volume runs from 51 (2023) to 1,808 (2015). With 1,638 complaints, the 2016 Soul sits above the model's median of 290.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2016 Soul
engine
Campaign 19V120000Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
steering
Campaign 17V608000Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Campaign 20V389000Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV) vehicles. The parking mechanism may become damaged if the driver moves the gear shift lever into Park 'P' before the vehicle comes to a complete stop. If the parking mechanism is damaged, unintended vehicle movement may occur when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied.
electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Campaign 23V218000Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.
Show 1 more recall
power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Campaign 23V724000Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.
What owners say across generations
Mixed to negative sentiment, heavily dependent on model year and engine.
- Catastrophic engine failure (knocking, stalling, seizure) often preceded by excessive oil consumption
Very frequent across 2010-2020 models. Linked to recalls and extended warranty programs.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Soul. See the full Soul owner picture and every model year.
Typical used price
Used Soul listings typically run $13,383–$20,275 across 2015 to 2025 model years.
Other Soul model years
Compare every Soul year side by side to see how 2016 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Soul against its rivals
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