- Safety
- 4
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 30
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Kia Rio
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 77
- Complaints citing a crash
- 7
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 23V594000high
Latches/locks/linkages · trunk lid · latch
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Consequence
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.
- 23V652000high
Brake system issue
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Consequence
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2016 Kia Rio.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 11.6%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2016 Kia Rio 4 out of 5 stars overall, below the 5-star median for the 11 comparable 2016 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 11.6% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 Kia Rio, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
27
City
36
Hwy
30
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,050
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 290 g/mi
How this compares
At 30 MPG combined, the 2016 Kia Rio ranks 4th of 17 compact cars EPA rated for 2016 — 2 MPG better than the 28 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little above the middle of its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,050, $250 less than the $2,300 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,250, a $1,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 290 grams per mile — about 4.4 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
77 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 77
- Total
- 7
- Crashes
- 5
- Fires
- 5
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE39
- BRAKES18
- OTHER8
- LIGHTING4
- AIR BAGS4
Notable Issues
77 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 5 reports involve injuries. 7 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Kia Rio, newest first.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation AQ23002
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
- Recall
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Compact Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 1.6L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
27
City
36
Hwy
30
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,050
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation AQ23002
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
- Recall
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.