2016 Kia Soul reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2016 Kia Soul — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,131
- 809 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- ENGINE
- 544 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 2
- see below
- Reported harm
- 34 reported crashes · 38 injuries · 59 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#314
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Kia median
+866
median 265 across 138 Kia records
Vs 2014-2018
+834
median 298 complaints in 596 records
Top component share
48%
Engine: 544 complaints
What owners report fails — 2016 Kia Soul
- ENGINE 544
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 116
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 79
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 64
- POWER TRAIN 59
2 recalls on record for the 2016 Kia Soul
- NHTSA 19V120000 · 2019 · ENGINE Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the en
- NHTSA 17V608000 · 2017 · STEERING If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2016 Kia Soul
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2016 Kia Soul units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Kia Soul reliable?
NHTSA has 1,131 consumer complaints on record for the 2016 Kia Soul and 2 recalls. The most-reported problem area is engine (544 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2016 Kia Soul units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Kia Soul?
Owners most often report problems with: engine (544), unknown or other (116), fuel/propulsion system (79), engine and engine cooling (64). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2016 Kia Soul?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.