2024 EV9 - 2 year lease return completed - AMA
TL;DR
* Vehicle & Terms: 2024 Kia EV9 Wind, 2-yr/20k mile lease via Kia Finance, returned at 24k miles.
* Pre-Inspection: Schedule the free AIM home inspection early. It’s quick, easy, and valid for 90 days—time it to cover your turn-in date.
* Dealer Drop-Off: Most LA-area dealers only accept returns on weekdays and won't show much interest if you aren't getting another car.
* Turn-In Process: Took 10–15 minutes. Rep just took 4–6 photos of the exterior, VIN, and odometer. Accessories (mats, mobile charger, cargo cover) were never checked.
* Settlement: Dealers only handle administrative intake. All end-of-lease fees (mileage overage, tire wear, disposition) are billed directly by Kia Finance later.
Details
Vehicle & Lease Specs
* Model: 2024 Kia EV9 Wind
* Term: 24 Months / 20,000 miles total
* Odometer at Return: 24,000 miles (~4k overage)
* Lessor: Kia Finance
- Complimentary Pre-Return Inspection (AIM)
* Scheduled through Kia about 90 days prior to lease-end. AIM handled all scheduling and came directly to my home.
* The inspection was quick and painless. Only two items were flagged: mileage overage (was at 21k at the time) and tire tread wear exceeding the threshold.
* Pro-tip on timing: The inspection report is valid for 90 days. My report was valid through August 22 for an August 30 lease-end, so plan your inspection window carefully to ensure it covers your target return date.
- Dealer Availability (Los Angeles Area)
* Called around 6 Kia dealerships across the LA area.
* Every dealer strictly limited "lease return only" transactions to weekdays.
* Expect minimal enthusiasm from staff once they realize you aren't buying or leasing another vehicle.
- Turn-In Day Experience
* Total time at the dealership was only 10–15 minutes.
* A representative came out, took 4–6 photos around the exterior, snapped the VIN and odometer, and went back inside.
* They did not check or inventory accessories at all. Pristine floor mats, cargo privacy cover, and the OEM mobile charging cable were completely ignored.
* Offered the AIM inspection report to the rep, but they didn't care to see it.
* Walked away with a signed Odometer Disclosure Statement confirming the return, along with key return.
- Final Takeaways & Billing
* From what i understood, Dealerships simply act as intake lots for Kia Finance; the vehicle goes straight to auction since most EV leases are currently upside down.
* Zero fees were collected at the dealership. The disposition fee, mileage overages, and tire wear charges will be billed directly via the final Kia Finance statement.
I'm a bit worried about tire wear, since I'm about 2500 miles over since the inspection. I was at 6/16 and 5/16 at the time of inspection.
Will keep everyone posted