- Hyundai Inster - a closer look
- Electric crossover impresses
- Comfortable, well equipped, surprisingly fun to drive
- Lease a Hyundai Inster now with Select Car Leasing
Here’s living proof that compact affordable family cars don’t need to be dull - because we present to you the Hyundai Inster.
The Inster hit the leasing market earlier this year as a four-seat urban SUV-hatchback crossover that comes exclusively with a fully-electric powertrain.
The styling is right out of the ‘funky’ book, there’s a decent EV range between charges in excess of 200 miles, and there’s even a rugged, outdoorsy ‘Cross’ variant with revised bumpers and more rugged side skirts.
But what’s the Inster actually like when you get behind the wheel, and will it tempt you away from other electric hatchbacks crossovers like the Renault 5 E-Tech or Fiat Grande Panda?
Here we grab the keys and find out.
What’s good about a Hyundai Inster lease?
Here’s a quick lowdown.
The Inster is the baby brother to other larger EVs in Hyundai’s range, including the Ioniq 5 and the Kona Electric. It's priced from £23,505.
It’s a four-seater only, with just two places to park your posterior in the back, and designed chiefly for the cut and thrust of urban commuting.
There are two batteries up for grabs. The first is a 42 kWh unit with power of 97 PS and a range of up to 203 miles between charges. It takes a leisurely 11.7 seconds to accelerate from 0-62 mph.
A larger 49 kWh battery (which is, crucially, still available with entry-level models) ups the power to 115 PS while the range increases to 229 miles. Acceleration is improved, too, with the bigger battery allowing the Inster to scurry from 0-62 mph in 10.6 seconds.
When it comes to rapid charging, the Standard Range battery goes at 73 kW DC and the Long Range battery accepts 85 kW DC. You’ll be able to replenish both from 10-80% in around half an hour.
There are two main trims; 01 and 02.
And when we say that 01 is the ‘entry-level’, what we really mean is that the 01 is the most affordable trim yet is somehow still loaded with kit, including twin 10.25-inch screens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera, keyless entry and keyless go, and smart cruise control.
All models also come with a heat pump to help you get the very most of your car’s EV range.
Hyundai Inster - style and design
There’s no getting away from the fact that the Hyundai Inster is a small car.
At 3,825mm in length it’s shorter than the Renault 5 and Fiat Grande Panda while only being a shade lengthier than the bargain-basement Dacia Spring.
Yet when you step inside the cabin, it’s the opposite of cramped, with the Inster’s relatively high roof height, tidy central console, and generally uncluttered layout giving you the impression of being in something much larger.
Doctor Who and his Tardis, eat your heart out.
We leave the driver’s seat in its usual position and take a seat in the back and, again, we’re left scratching our heads at the sense of space.
Yes, there are only two seats back there, but they’re low slung and comfortably-sprung and we’d be perfectly happy to spend a long journey parked there.
A word of explanation here is needed, though. The car that we’re driving is a range-topping ‘02’ model, which means it comes with a sliding rear bench that moves forwards or backwards depending on whether you’re prioritising legroom or boot space.
If you’re going to be ferrying backseat passengers with any sort of regularity, the 02 trim is the one we’d get for the sliding rear bench of seats alone.
The Inster 02’s seats also fold flat - which means you could whack a mattress in there and use it as a tiny camper, too.
The car’s exterior is eye-catching, with interesting lines everywhere you look, protective plastic cladding on the wheel arches, wide-eyed headlights, and style generally borrowed from much more expensive cars further up the Hyundai ladder.
A 280-litre boot (as standard) is small for the class, particularly when you realise the Fiat Grande Panda ups that to 361 litres.
Hyundai Inster - first impressions
We’re driving the Inster in range-topping 02 trim - and also a car fitted with the optional ‘Tech Pack’ (an extra £9 per month on your lease fee) which includes Vehicle to load (V2L) capabilities and the ‘Digital Key 2 Touch’ system, which lets you use your phone or Apple watch to lock, unlock and start the car.
So, we’re in a car with the 49 kWh battery (you get it as standard with the 02 trim) and the increased power output of 115 PS and 147 Nm of torque.
First impressions really are very good.
There’s a chunky heft to the steering wheel, the interior feels plush and accommodating, the ambient lighting means the cubby hole underneath the dash is pleasantly illuminated, and there are soft-touch materials which bely the Inster’s low £23,495 asking price.
There are also paddles behind the wheel for you to adjust the level of regenerative braking.
Our car also gets 17-inch alloys, front parking sensors, LED projection headlamps, privacy glass, roof rails, 64-colour ambient lighting, and heated seats in the front - all of which you don’t get in the 01 car.
One thing that immediately stands out is the abundance of buttons on the steering wheel and the centre console, that grant you instant access to a full range of functions, from the heated seats and air conditioning to the radio.
In a world full of cars with settings buried in infotainment menus, the Inster is something of a breath of fresh air.
Hyundai Inster - how does it drive?
The Inster is a compact car that sits on a relatively long wheelbase.
The Inster handles with precision and speed with little in the way of body roll and also in a manner that might put a lot of other hatchbacks to shame. It’s not sporty (even though there’s a ‘Sport’ button which sharpens up the steering and engine responsiveness) but it’s still lots of fun.
The official stats tell us the Inster will accelerate from 0-62 mph in 10.6 seconds but it felt more sprightly than that, particularly in that initial drag from 0-30 mph.
A meander through a street course littered with speed bumps proved that the suspension set-up of the Inster is pliant enough to roll through road imperfections and the turning circle was tight enough for tricky urban manoeuvres.
All in all, everything just felt easy, stress-free, and pretty enjoyable - and isn’t that precisely what you want from a family car, particularly if you’re just dipping your toe into the world of EVs for the first time?
Hyundai Inster - main rivals
Leasing alternatives to the Hyundai Inster are a mix of both hatchbacks and crossovers.
Chief among competitors is the Renault 5, an award-winning electric hatchback that’s cheaper (at the time of writing) to lease than the Inster, offers a more engaging drive, and also has longer legs, with the 52 kWh battery variants capable of travelling up to 252 miles between charges.
The Citroen e-C3 is worth a look, as it’s similarly priced and will again be best suited to families on a budget. The e-C3’s exterior is, however, more ‘vanilla’ than the Inster’s looks and Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ suspension is geared towards a cosseting ride rather than any sense of fun in the twisties.
The other fly in the Inster’s ointment is the Fiat Grande Panda, another sharply-styled crossover with lots going for it and which can also be leased with a hybrid powertrain.
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