, though the EV's wheelbase is almost eight inches longer. We had the opportunity to drive a Korean-spec EV9 from Seoul to the east coast of the peninsula and back. After this first experience with Kia's family-size EV, we anticipate it will be as successful as its gasoline-powered sibling.Of course, specs are vitality important here, so let's jump in. The EV9 will be offered in three guises. The entry-level standard battery has a capacity of 76.
Despite what initially seems to be a lack of physical switchgear, there are indeed some shortcut buttons embedded in the woodgrain dash trim. You need to give those embedded buttons a serious push, but you get confirmation with a solid haptic tap back. We're also pleased that there are levers for the temperature and fan controls just below and a volume roller dial in between.
The front seats are firmly cushioned, and after an hour we began to feel some hard points. The synthetic upholstery looks and feels as downmarket as what you'd get in a rental-spec sedan. We're hopeful that the U.S.-bound models will have other options and perhaps a textile covering similar to some of the interior trim elements.
The twin third-row seats have enough headroom to accommodate adults, but second-row passengers will need to slide forward to give back-benchers enough legroom. Fortunately, there's ample legroom for both rows in this configuration. Behind the third row, the cargo area can hold up to 20 cubic feet, which nearly equals the Telluride's capacity. With both rows stowed, cargo space expands to 82 cubic feet.