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By Jonathan Crouch

Hyundai brings a splash of fun and versatility to the small EV market with this car, the Inster. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 53

Choosing a really cheap small EV doesn't necessarily mean you have to choose a really boring one. Or so Hyundai thinks anyway. For proof, check out this car, the Inster. It's supposed to be fun. It's certainly practical. And if you're shopping in this segment, it might just be what you're looking for.

Backgroundword count: 183

At last, after years of waiting, the major makers are beginning to address the most affordable end of the EV market. Stung into action by the Dacia Spring and the Citroen e-C3, Hyundai has brought us this, the Inster. In case you're wondering, the name isn't short for 'Instagram'. Instead, the Korean maker claims it's a mix of the words 'intimate' and 'innovative'. You might think it more logical for the brand to have once more used its familiar IONIQ tag (IONIQ 2?). But apparently that nameplate's reserved for Hyundais with the group's advanced 800V EV platform - and there's nothing like that here. What this car actually should be called is the 'Casper' because a petrol-powered Korean market Hyundai of that name is what the Inster is based on, though for this EV variant, an extra 180mm of length has been inserted into the wheelbase. Which as we'll see is significant because the very young and very old customers being targeted here are getting a small EV more internally versatile than any of its rivals. Sounds interesting. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 233

When you choose really budget priced small EV, the main thing you tend to have to compromise on is EV range. So it's a pleasant surprise to find that the mainstream 42kWh Inster claims a 203 mileage figure. For segment perspective, a Citroen e-C3 (44kWh) claims 199 miles but a Dacia Spring (26.8kWh) just 137 miles. A 'Long Range' Inster variant is also offered, but because its 49kWh battery is hardly any larger than that of the standard model, it doesn't go much further (229 miles). So the main reason you'd choose the 'Long Range' version is instead that it swaps out the standard model's fairly lethargic 97PS electric motor for a supposedly perkier 115PS unit which makes 62mph in 10.6s (as opposed to 11.7s). In reality, you probably won't actually notice much performance difference between the two variants because the torque figure (147Nm) is the same either way. Top speed is 87mph for the standard car or 93mph for the 'Long Range'. And both get a standard heat pump, which draws heat from the ambient air so that in cold weather, the climate system draws less on battery power. Expect the tall, glassy body to make urban manoeuvring easy. And there's the usual wide range of Hyundai standard camera safety features. Add up what you get and the price premium over the equivalent Citroen and Dacia EV models isn't difficult to justify.

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