2016 Kia Soul MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2016 Kia Soul is rated 26 to 27 mpg combined across 4 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic.

EPA fuel economy

2016 Kia Soul · 4 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

27MPG combined

24 city 31 highway

$2,400 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score6/10

2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic

Best version costs $500 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 28, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,400 to $2,500 a year.

Every 2016 Soul version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic Best EPA listing: Soul	27 mpg	24 / 31	$2,400
1.6L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Soul	26 mpg	24 / 30	$2,500
1.6L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual EPA listing: Soul	26 mpg	24 / 30	$2,500
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · ECO dynamics EPA listing: Soul ECO dynamics	26 mpg	24 / 30	$2,500

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$2,400	$200	$12,000
1.6L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$2,492	$208	$12,462
1.6L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual	$2,492	$208	$12,462
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · ECO dynamics	$2,492	$208	$12,462

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Kia Soul MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 27 to 31 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2025); 31 since 2020.

2016: gas 27 mpg

Show as a table

Kia Soul best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2016	27
2017	28
2018	28
2019	28
2020	31
2021	31
2022	31
2023	31
2024	31
2025	31

How the 2016 Soul compares

2016 subcompact SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2016 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Honda HR-V Best: gas	31 mpg	31 mpg	$2,100
Subaru Crosstrek Best: hybrid	31 mpg	29 mpg	$2,100
Buick Encore Best: gas	30 mpg	30 mpg	$2,150
Chevrolet Trax Best: gas	29 mpg	29 mpg	$2,250
Kia Soul This page Best: gas	27 mpg	27 mpg	$2,400

2016 Soul recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 812 owner complaints for the 2016 Soul.What they cover, and crash test ratings

Questions

Does the 2016 Kia Soul need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2016 Kia Soul version on regular gasoline.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 29, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 28, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.