It’s now clear that in 2025, car manufacturers are finally focusing on offering compact and affordable electric vehicles. And the new Hyundai Inster is currently one of the top contenders to consider—also one of the most accessible.
Extremely compact and designed for the city, it comes with flagship-level tech, to the point where it could be seen as a miniature Ioniq 5 in this regard: I’m talking about V2X technology (discover more here), Level 2 semi-autonomous driving ADAS, the optional heat pump, and connected services—all wrapped in a package clearly tailored for urban use.
New Hyundai Inster: our tops & flops
Okay, I shouldn’t be this biased, but let me just say—I’m absolutely in love with this car. At 3.83 meters long, the Hyundai Inster is an extremely compact electric city car, yet it’s spacious and versatile, thanks to a 258 cm wheelbase that offers better interior room than rivals like the Fiat 500 Electric and Renault 5 E-Tech—and even some SUVs. Based on the Korean-market Hyundai Casper, the Inster has been heavily reworked to accommodate an electric powertrain with a skateboard-style battery layout, allowing for a flat floor and features typical of native EVs. The design is distinctive, with pixel-style cues from the Ioniq lineup and large circular LED headlights.
Despite its narrow width, the cabin is smartly designed, with a convenient armrest and useful storage compartments. The rear seats—limited to two—are surprisingly spacious, especially in higher trims with sliding functionality. The 280-liter trunk is practical too, thanks to a dual-level floor. Urban driving is agile and confident, while on open roads the car remains stable, though tire noise is noticeable. The 115 hp motor delivers sufficient acceleration (0–100 km/h in 10.6 seconds), and the suspension setup is tuned for city use—soft overall, though occasionally stiff over potholes.
Efficiency is one of its biggest strengths: real-world consumption ranges from 11.8 to 15 kWh/100 km even with the climate control on, aided by a heat pump (sadly, optional). The estimated urban WLTP range is about 500 km with the 49 kWh battery, and DC fast charging up to 120 kW gets you from 10 to 80% in around 30 minutes—on par with the competition. There’s also a Cross version, which sadly lacks all-wheel drive but adds some SUV-inspired styling touches, unique accessories, and more expressive color options.
What we like:
- A compact car that’s incredibly versatile;
- Very efficient;
- Flagship-level tech;
What we don’t like:
- Heat pump isn’t standard;
- The Cross version feels pointless without AWD;
- A frunk would’ve made it even more practical;
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The most versatile in its category
The Hyundai Inster is one of the most compact electric cars on the market, measuring 383 cm in length, 161 cm in width, and 158 cm in height, with a near-record wheelbase of 258 cm for its category. It sits between the Fiat 500 Electric (363 cm) and the Renault 5 E-Tech (392 cm) but offers significantly more interior space—especially in the rear.
It shares its platform with the Korean-market Hyundai Casper, although the Inster is longer. Hyundai has thoroughly reworked this platform to better suit an electric powertrain, adopting a skateboard-style battery layout. This results in features typical of EV-native platforms, like a completely flat floor and no central tunnel. It’s also worth noting the Inster’s high efficiency, which we’ll address later.
From a design standpoint, the Inster makes a bold statement, like most recent Hyundai models. The pixel motif—borrowed from the Ioniq range—appears prominently above the headlights, across the full rear light bar, and even in the textured plastic of the bumpers. Distinctive touches include large circular LED headlights that instantly set it apart.
Inside, the Inster offers a compact yet well-designed cabin. Seats are manually adjustable, while the steering wheel (literally the same as in the Ioniq models) includes numerous physical buttons for intuitive control, along with a gear selector mounted directly on the steering column. The dashboard features a 10.25-inch digital display for the instrument cluster, alongside a stalk-style shifter similar to other Hyundai models.
Space is well optimized, though the narrow width is noticeable: front passengers sit quite close to the pillars. Still, the layout is thoughtful, with a convenient integrated armrest and two cupholders built into the bench seat.
Unlike many city cars, the Hyundai Inster only has two rear seats—but they offer excellent comfort, thanks to the long wheelbase. In the tested XClass version, the rear seats slide, while in the XTech they are fixed. The rear seating area impresses with ample legroom and, even more so, headroom. However, like most cars in this class, there are no rear USB ports or dedicated climate controls.
The trunk offers 280 liters of cargo capacity—average for the segment—but it’s quite versatile thanks to a tiered parcel shelf and a double underfloor compartment, useful for storing charging cables given the absence of a frunk.
Both 10.25” displays come as standard: one behind the steering wheel and one central touchscreen. The infotainment system is the older version, meaning no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto yet, though it does support Hyundai’s BlueLink connected services. A highlight is the lower central console, raised and close to the driver, with physical buttons for climate controls (including heated seats and steering wheel) and quick-access menu buttons.
The dashboard also includes a convenient anti-slip tray for your smartphone or other items, plus two USB ports—one Type-A and one Type-C.
A urban drive
The Hyundai Inster performs well in city traffic, offering excellent maneuverability and compact dimensions that make parking a breeze. On suburban roads and highways, the car remains fairly stable, though tire noise is slightly noticeable at higher speeds.
It doesn’t deliver breathtaking performance (0–100 km/h takes 10.6 seconds), but it provides exactly what a car like this needs: with 115 hp (which is the version we tested), it has enough punch to handle traffic, merge into roundabouts, and so on. The suspension setup is generally soft and city-focused, although it can feel a bit stiff over potholes—something I noticed more than on speed bumps, where it performs better.
The driver assistance features enable Level 2 semi-autonomous driving, but the driver monitoring system can be annoying, constantly asking for confirmation to ensure your attention is on the road. For that reason, I tend to disable it, along with the speed limit warning, which uses some rather intrusive sounds.
Energy consumption, on the other hand, is excellent: during this first short mixed-route test, I averaged between 11.8 and 12.1 kWh per 100 km, reaching speeds up to 90–95 km/h, and even in the city I stayed below 15 kWh/100 km. That’s truly impressive, especially considering the temperature and the air conditioning running. The heat pump certainly helps here—another reason it’s an option worth considering, though it’s a shame it doesn’t come standard.
In any case, these results are promising when it comes to the estimated urban WLTP range of around 500 km. The car is designed for people who drive short distances daily, meaning that with this level of efficiency and a home or workplace charger, you won’t need to plug in too often. That said, even for weekend trips, the DC fast charging capability of up to 120 kW allows a 10–80% recharge in about 30 minutes, which is in line with the competition.
