2016 Kia Soul vs. 2016 Buick Encore
The fictional Blues Brothers, a musical duo played by the immortal pairing of John Belushi and Dan Akroyd, liked to sing Sam & Dave's hit "Soul Man." Were the Blues Brothers to sing it today, we like to think they would amend the lyrics to "Soul Person"; unfortunatelty for them, the Kia Soul didn’t exist when the original movie was released in 1980 so there's no way they could have predicted this fun hatchback's crossover appeal. Another multi-purpose vehicle, the 2016 Buick Encore, is a popular model and has its charms as well, so let's put the 2016 Kia Soul vs. 2016 Buick Encore on stage and see which is called back by the fans at the end of the performance.
If you like to save money, then you'll be clapping and cheering on the 2016 Kia Soul for hours, as it costs a mere $11,670 with available Friendly Kia VIP pricing, while our competition has the 2016 Buick Encore set at prices that start north of $20,000.
And when it comes to the design of these vehicles, there's no contest. While there is nothing inherently wrong with how the 2016 Encore looks, it's basically a more condensed version of what many small SUVs look like, while the 2016 Soul maintains its distinct boxy shape that is both geometric and utterly unique. Speaking of features where the Soul wins in a landslide, its cargo room is an SUV-like 61.3 cubic feet, an additional 20 percent more room than the 2016 Encore has for shopping bags and luggage.
Read more about the awards, hamsters and specifications of the Kia Soul
| 2016 Kia Soul | Vs. | 2016 Buick Encore |
| $11,670 (Friendly Kia VIP) | Price | $20,896 (The Competition) |
| 164 | Top HP | 153 |
| Yes (seven in a row) | 2016 IIHS Top Safety Pick? | Yes (two in a row) |
| Yes (third consecutive year) | 2016 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award? | No |
| 61.3 | Cargo Room (cubic feet) | 48.4 |
| 101 | Passenger Volume (cubic feet) | 92.8 |
Test Drive a Kia Soul in Tampa Clearwater St. Petersburg FL
Design isn't the only department you'll make sacrifices in with the 2016 Buick Encore, however. The 2016 Soul has a higher top power output in its top-line trim level with 164 HP as opposed to the 2016 Encore's maximum 153 HP. And if something goes wrong to your vehicle in the first several years, the Kia Soul comes with the industry's best warranty coverage: 10 years/100,000-miles for limited powertrain and five years/60,000 miles for bumper-to-bumper, which dwarfs the Encore's coverage of six years/70,000 miles for limited powertrain and four years/50,000 miles for bumper-to-bumper.
Not only does the 2016 Kia Soul have superior fuel economy and cargo room, as well as lengthier warranty coverage, it also is more esteemed by the judges as a small sampling of the praise it has earned includes: U.S. News & World Report's 2016 Best Cars for Families in both the Compact and the Hatchback categories, and being named "Highest Ranked Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle in Initial Quality" by J.D. Power in its 2016 Initial Quality Study*.
It's time to evoke the spirit of the Blues Brothers and become a "Soul Person" with the 2016 Kia Soul at Friendly Kia, 5819 US Highway 19 in New Port Richey, FL. We also serve the Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg area, as well as Trinity, Tarpon Springs and Spring Hill. If you plan on purchasing a new or used car, please take advantage of our trade-in policy and our exclusive partnership with Kelley Blue Book KBB.com's Trade-In Marketplace/Buying Center.
*Disclaimer: The Kia Soul received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among compact MPVs in the J.D. Power 2015-2016 Initial Quality Study. 2016 study based on 80,157 total responses, evaluating 245 models, and measures the opinions of new 2016 vehicle owners after 90 days of ownership, surveyed in February-May 2016. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com
