We are set for a small car showdown in 2025. After a decade of bloated SUVs and crossovers, the car industry is finally getting around to giving us some interesting and affordable EVs.
Following on from the likes of the Mini EV, we are getting set for the return of the stylish Renault 5 in electric guise, along with Citroën’s e-C3 and a new Fiat Grande Panda. And by Christmas we will also see this new Hyundai Inster land in Irish showrooms. Hatchbacks are back.
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Hats off to Hyundai’s design department. True, they have cursed us with a fleet of bland crossovers over the past three decades, but with their electric cars they’ve bravely tried to break that trend. First up was the modern-looking Ioniq 5, followed by the more divisive Ioniq 6.
Now comes the quirky looking Inster. For quirky, some will read “cute”, others “odd”. Regardless, it’s got personality and that’s something that’s been in short supply these last few years.
When it comes to smaller cars, designers frequently follow the “cute” route. Hence the doe-eyed running lights on the front of the Inster. And they’ve crafted a few rough-and-tumble traits into the styling with the wider rear pillar and bulked out wheel arches.
It’s fun, even if it can’t come close to the character and charm of the new Renault 5.
But, this EV has a lot more going for it than its looks. At a time when rivals have struggled to marry big battery packs to small cars without sacrificing interior space, Hyundai has pulled off a bit of a master stroke.
At a recent European car of the year test event, up against myriad new arrivals, the Inster wasn’t top of anyone’s test list. Perhaps that’s why it was such a pleasant surprise and became one of the most-talked-about cars so far this year.
The big story of Inster is the interior. As you would expect, the front seat occupants have ample legroom and the usual array of 10.25-inch touchscreen controls. So far, so regular modern EV. However, in the back, you really do have legroom and headroom for two adults.
That’s thanks in part to putting the two rear seats on sliders. It means you can either increase the rear-seat legroom or the bootspace (from 280 litres to 351 litres). That’s certainly not new to the car market, but in Inster it’s delivered to full effect. To appreciate the space inside this supposedly small car, simply pop down the rear seats – plus the front passenger seat – and you are ready for that visit to Ikea.
In fact, even the driver seat folds flat, so you could turn the Inster into overnight accommodation if needs be. And while the boot space can seem small at first, there is a deep well under the boot floor for extra stowage space.
The good news with this car continues on the road. Having managed to deliver cabin space to make the new Renault 5 seem incredibly compromised, you might expect sacrifices to have been made in terms of the battery pack under the floor. However, Hyundai is still offering the Inster with a choice of standard-range 42kWh or long-range 49kWh packs. That’s similar to the 40kWh and 52kWh offerings on the Renault.
In terms of range, the Inster claims more than 300km from the 42kWh pack and 355km from the 49kWh one.
Where the Inster does differ from its French rival is in power output, with Hyundai opting for a 71kW (96hp) electric motor on the standard version and a 84.5kW (113hp) motor on the long-range one.
So racy performance is not part of the Inster package. But that doesn’t mean it’s not nippy. In an era where EVs are regularly big heavy crossovers, this Inster feels remarkably nimble and agile.
Given its urban natural habitat, the Inster’s steering feel is light, as is the throttle response. Take it out on rural roads and it’s still an easy drive. Push it at speed into a bend and like any regular hatchback, the tendency is to understeer, but that’s met with a reassuring intervention of stability control. All in, the Inster is surprisingly good, particularly considering its short wheelbase.
After five years and a fleet of bland lookalike crossovers, it’s wonderful to see the focus for electric car makers shifting to small hatchbacks.
This is the battleground for mainstream European motorists, if not quite the hot favourite for Irish buyers. It’s also the pipeline of smaller, more relatively affordable EVs that has car executives talking about a tipping point for the electric car market.
By “relatively affordable”, that means in the region of €30,000 – give or take €5,000. In an age where a Toyota Yaris or VW Polo will set you back more than €25,000 and a Corolla €33,000, while a VW Golf is more than €35,000, that’s what qualifies as “affordable” in the world of new cars these days.
The biggest gripes you hear about EVs remain price and range. Here you have a smart-looking and spacious hatchback delivering more than 350km in range at a price point that could start as low as €25,000 for the long-range version.
True, the Inster doesn’t have the same retro lure or smart design touches as the Renault 5, but it has greater practicality and may even boast a lower price.
The fact it’s even mentioned in the same sentence as one of the most-talked-about new arrivals in years is significant enough. It’s an extra treat for a new car market desperately in need of an antidote to the mind-numbing blandness of countless costly crossover EVs.
So a warm welcome to the Inster and its ilk, affordable EVs that could revive the fortunes of new electric cars.
