Our Long-Term 2024 Kia EV9 Might as Well Be a Minivan
After spending 30,000 miles with Kia’s three-row electric SUV, we can say that the only thing it’s missing is a pair of sliding side doors.
Reviewed By Eric StaffordUpdated: Jul 25, 2025
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Andi Hedrick|Car and Driver
30,000-Mile Update
Minivans haven’t been cool since, well, ever. At least that’s what image-conscious people think. That’s probably why only five automakers sell a mainstream model with sliding doors. At Car and Driver, we’re loud and proud about our love of the hugely practical, albeit historically dorky, machines. Heck, we’ve evaluated a long-term example of every minivan that’s currently on sale, save for the Volkswagen ID.Buzz. The new-age Microbus, of course, is the only EV minivan you can buy in the U.S., but if you’re looking for a battery-powered people mover, Kia’s three-row electric SUV provides minivan-like versatility without the stigma.
We’ve now spent over 30,000 miles with a 2024 Kia EV9 Land AWD, and our staff agrees that it’s a great alternative for folks who just can’t picture themselves in a sliding-door family shuttle. And speaking of doors, the EV9’s are humungous. That can be a PITA when you’re sandwiched into a tight parking spot, but in places where the EV9 can realize its full wingspan, the mid-size SUV’s vast apertures and low load floor make climbing in and out or installing a child seat an effortless affair. That user-friendly accessibility and our example’s six-person capacity have made this long-termer a popular choice among staffers with plans to schlep kids, pals, or the occasional in-laws.
2024 kia ev9 land awdView Photos
Andi Hedrick|Car and Driver
During the Kia’s stay, its logbook has collected lots of positive comments about the comfort and spaciousness across all three rows. However, during a 1500-mile road trip, technical assistant Jacob Kurowicki noted some grousing from his friends who were relegated to the third row and thus deprived of heated seats. Kurowicki’s crew also had to pack light to fit all their luggage behind the third row, as its small frunk wasn’t much help. The situation made a case for a hitch-mounted cargo carrier. We’d definitely avoid a rooftop box, which would severely curtail the EV9’s 280-mile EPA-estimated driving range.
An often overlooked minivan virtue is the ability to transform into a useful cargo hauler when the seats are stowed. Our EV9 has similar capability, with creative director Darin Johnson writing that he fit an 80-inch-long door into the back of the SUV. No one likes a narc, but Darin’s door might be the reason the plastic panels in the third row and cargo area look like they got into a fight with a cougar. The destruction caused deputy video editor Carlos Lago to question the plastic’s durability, but a family car’s cabin is never going to function like a truck bed with a Rhino liner.
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Eric Stafford|Car and Driver
Still, the EV9 is at its best when moving bodies. Its interior-space-maximizing packaging is a byproduct of being an EV, and Kia designer’s went bananas with cubby storage. We fit a whopping 1581 ping-pong balls inside an EV9 GT-Line model’s various bins and compartments, which might be a new record. For comparison, the Honda Odyssey and the ID.Buzz maxed out at 760 and 626 balls, respectively. Neither of those alternatives have reclining first- and second-row seats with pop-out leg rests like our long-term EV9 either. We’ve gushed about those highly adjustable seats before—they’re a fantastic optional feature.
While we do love this SUV’s physical buttons for the heated- and ventilated-seat functions, something many brands are relegating to touchscreens, there was a period when those door-mounted controls didn’t work for the person sitting behind the driver. Thankfully, that issue was fixed after the dealer reconnected a loose connection during a service visit around 24,000 miles.
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Eric Stafford|Car and Driver
Along with the obligatory inspections and a tire rotation, that scheduled check-up also saw the dealer finally replace a missing bump stop for the center-console lid, which had been causing an annoying squeak. The dealer also addressed a recall regarding the mounting bolts for the seats and installed updated software as a result of another recall related to the EV9’s shift control unit.
We didn’t experience any negative effects from either issue, but we did make a startling discovery during our 30,000-mile scheduled service. Although the cabin air filter was replaced at 18,000 miles and wasn’t due for replacement, technical assistant Christi VanSyckle had it done anyway. That proved to be the right call, because rodents had evidently made a nest in the filter. On behalf of everyone who will be driving our long-term EV9 during its last 10,000 miles, thanks, Christi.
Months in Fleet: 15 months Current Mileage: 32,992 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 71 MPGe
Battery Capacity: 100 kWh Observed Driving Range: 240 miles
Service: $335 Normal Wear: $0 Repair:$0
Damage and Destruction: $0
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Specifications
2024 Kia EV9 Land AWD
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $71,395/$76,385
Options: Land Relaxation package (front passenger’s comfort-tilt seat with leg support, second-row power seats with leg support), $2000; Towing package (tow hitch, auto-leveling rear suspension), $1500; Ocean Blue Matte paint, $995; carpeted floor mats, $225; cargo cover, $155; carpeted cargo mat with seatback protection, $115
