Hyundai recently revealed the Inster e-SUV, and within months, has revealed a rugged variant called the Inster Cross. We had reported last month that the carmaker is readying a rugged variant, and Hyundai says this addition will help widen the small electric SUV’s appeal.
- Inster Cross shares its powertrain with standard model
- Gets unique bumpers and alloy-wheel design
- Inster EV one of four mainstream EVs lined-up for India
Hyundai Inster: what is it?
The Inster is a small electric SUV based on the ICE-powered Casper and serves as Hyundai’s global contender in the affordable city EV market. It shares most of its underpinnings with the 3.5-metre-long Casper that's, at the moment, sold exclusively in Korea with a petrol powertrain. Hyundai has extended the Casper’s platform by 230mm for the Inster, of which 180mm is added to its wheelbase. This expansion allows for more cabin room and additional space for the underfloor battery pack.
Hyundai Inster Cross: what is different
Over the standard Inster, the Inster Cross gets chunkier bumpers with integrated skid plates, a unique set of 17-inch alloy wheels, a new roof rack as well as a special Amazonas Green matte paint option. Inside, it's offered with a model-specific grey and yellow upholstery.
Hyundai Inster: features and tech
All versions get a pair of 10.25-inch digital displays (one for the instrument panel and another for the touchscreen infotainment). You can use your smartphone as a ‘key’ to unlock and start the car.
The Inster also gets Hyundai’s full suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including a 360-degree parking camera, adaptive cruise control and a blindspot monitoring system, which, when you use the indicator, projects an image of the rear quarter from the camera onto the instrument panel.
Hyundai Inster: battery and powertrain
The Inster EV has two battery and motor configurations. Entry-level cars have a 96hp front-mounted drive unit that delivers a 0-100kph sprint time of 11.7 seconds and a top speed of 140kph. It’s paired with a 42kWh battery pack that has a claimed range of around 300km. The higher-spec ‘long-range’ Inster makes 113hp, has a top speed of 150kph and a 0-100kph time of 10.6 seconds. It gets a larger 49kWh battery that extends its range to around 350km.
Hyundai Inster: India launch plans
The upcoming Creta EV will mark Hyundai’s entry into the mass-market EV segment in India. The Inster EV could follow a little later as a potential rival to the Citroen eC3 and Punch EV. Read more on Hyundai’s future mainstream EV plan for India here.
