From the January 2024 issue of Car and Driver.It took nearly a century for the internal-combustion-engine automobile to make the evolutionary changes that led to the pioneer of spacious, comfortable utility that was the first Dodge Caravan. In barely a decade, EVs have become rather good at transporting a lot of passengers in comfort. Granted, the Kia EV9 is a three-row SUV rather than a fully electric minivan, but few want minivans anymore.
Space is generous for the second row and adult viable for the third, so long as those in the middle don't fully recline the captain's chairs that come with the Light Long Range, Land, and range-topping GT-Line trims. The base rear-wheel-drive EV9 Light has 215 horsepower and a standard 76.1-kWh battery but is also available in a Long Range variant with the bigger pack. This cuts peak output to 201 horses but boosts EPA range from 230 to 304 miles.