ElectricHatchbackCity car
Hyundai Inster
Hyundai's small electric city car with a 42 kWh or 49 kWh battery, four seats and a flexible interior.
Names and versions: Inster Cross is a version with rugged styling.
Official range
327–370 kmWLTP
Rapid charging, as claimed
Official range
327–370 kmWLTP
Market or version specificBattery
42 or 49 kWh
Published referenceRapid charging
10–80% in about 30 minutes
Market or version specificEfficiency
14.3–15.1 kWh/100 km
Market or version specificIs the Hyundai Inster worth considering?
Our view. Good range for a car this size: NAF covered 373 km in summer, beating the 360 km WLTP figure, and ADAC measured a frugal 15.9 kWh/100 km. Winter is the weak point, with NAF recording 256 km in temperatures down to −31 °C, and charging at up to 85 kW takes 30–35 minutes from 10–80%.
What independent tests found
- Claims checked
- 2 of 4 hold up
- Winter range
- 71% of official
- Safety
- 4 stars, Euro NCAP 2025
- Evidence
- 6 tests from 3 testers
Range
- NAF NAF / Motor El Prix winter range test 2026, January 2026
256 km vs 360 km WLTP
Cold-weather result · 71% Published referenceHyundai Inster Cross, 49 kWh. −8 to −31 °C, colder with altitude, dry roads, Oslo to the mountains, Norway. 29% below WLTP in exceptionally cold conditions; NAF ended the test at 5% charge when the car lost power.
- NAF NAF / Motor El Prix summer range test 2026, June 2026
373 km vs 360 km WLTP
Beats the claim · 104% Published referenceHyundai Inster Cross, 49 kWh. NAF summer route from Oslo into the mountains, Norway; forecasts along the route of 10 to 24 °C. 4% above WLTP at 12.7 kWh/100 km against the stated 15.1.
Efficiency
- ADAC ADAC Autotest and Ecotest, Hyundai Inster, August 2025
15.9 kWh/100 km vs 14.3 kWh/100 km WLTP
Close · 90% Published referenceHyundai Inster (42 kWh) Select, 71 kW. ADAC Ecotest cycle including motorway; consumption includes charging losses. Close to the WLTP figure; ADAC derives 290 km of range against 327 km WLTP.
Rapid charging
- NAF NAF / Motor El Prix summer charging test 2026, June 2026
35 min 10–80% vs 30 min 10–80% manufacturer claim
Close · 86% Published referenceHyundai Inster Cross, 49 kWh. Summer, car driven warm before charging, 10–80%. Five minutes slower than claimed, with an 83 kW peak against 85 kW stated; NAF's winter 2026 test matched the 30-minute claim.
- ADAC ADAC Autotest charging measurement, Hyundai Inster, August 2025
31 min 10–80% vs 30 min 10–80% manufacturer claim
Holds up · 97% Published referenceHyundai Inster (42 kWh) Select. DC rapid charging, 10–80%. Peak 71 kW and an average of 62.7 kW, adding 31 kWh.
Safety rating
- Euro NCAP Euro NCAP 2025 rating, Hyundai Inster
4 stars
Published referenceHyundai Inster, 85.4 kW. Euro NCAP 2025 protocols; adult occupant 70%, child occupant 81%, vulnerable road users 70%, safety assist 67%. Four stars, published 9 July 2025 and applying to all Insters.
Measured figures are compared only with an official figure in the same unit and test basis; the bar’s tick marks 100% of the claim. Winter results are shown, not judged. How the evidence check works.
How far can it go?
The published reference is 327–370 km. WLTP, Hyundai Germany: 327 km for the 42 kWh Select, up to 370 km for the 49 kWh Prime on 15-inch alloys, 360 km for Inster Cross. Compare it only with figures from the same test cycle.
Against other electric cars in the file, on a 0–1000 km scale
- Hyundai Inster 327–370 km
- Audi Q4 e-tron 375–563 km
- Audi Q6 e-tron 598–641 km
- BMW i4 386–600 km
- BMW iX1 434–516 km
- BYD Atto 2 312–430 km
- BYD Atto 3 Up to 420 km
- BYD Dolphin Surf 220–322 km
- BYD Seal 460–570 km
- BYD Sealion 7 456–502 km
- Cadillac Lyriq 285–326 miles
- Chevrolet Equinox EV 288–319 miles
- Citroën ë-C3 Up to 202 miles
- Ford Mustang Mach-E 240–320 miles
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 Up to 570 km
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 521–680 km
- Hyundai Kona Electric 380–510 km
- Kia EV3 Up to 605 km
- Kia EV5 505–530 km
- Kia EV6 Up to 582 km
- Kia EV9 Up to 563 km
- Leapmotor C10 420–510 km
- Lucid Air 372–512 miles
- Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric Up to 792 km
- MG MG4 EV Up to 545 km
- Nissan Leaf 451–623 km
- Peugeot E-3008 Up to 435 miles
- Polestar 2 568–659 km
- Polestar 4 590–620 km
- Renault 5 E-Tech Up to 430 km
- Renault Scenic E-Tech Up to 642 km
- Rivian R1S 258–410 miles
- Škoda Elroq 408–577 km
- Škoda Enyaq 428–584 km
- Tesla Model 3 Up to 750 km
- Tesla Model Y Up to 622 km
- Toyota bZ4X 444–569 km
- Volkswagen ID.3 Up to 630 km
- Volkswagen ID.4 Up to 574 km
- Volkswagen ID.7 Up to 709 km
- Volvo EX30 337–475 km
- Xiaomi SU7 720–902 km
Speed, temperature, wind, elevation, tyres, load and cabin heating or cooling all change real-world range. How EPA, WLTP and CLTC differ.
How quickly does it charge?
The highest published DC figure is 10–80% in about 30 minutes. Hyundai Germany claims about 30 minutes at a DC charger of at least 350 kW; no peak power is given on the page. ADAC quotes Hyundai's figures as 85 kW for the 49 kWh battery and 73 kW for the 42 kWh battery.. A peak rate is reached briefly; the average across a session is lower.
Home charging time depends on the energy added, the car’s AC limit, the charger and the supply. Estimate a session with this car’s battery.
What to check before buying
- Who is it for?
- Town and suburban drivers who want a small, easy-to-park electric car that can still manage occasional longer trips.
- What needs checking?
- It has only four seats. Euro NCAP gave four stars, with 70% for adult occupant protection. Charging took 30–35 minutes from 10–80% in tests, and range falls sharply in severe cold. The Inster is not sold in the US, so there is no NHTSA recall record; UK DVSA records were not checked.
- What is the evidence?
- Official figures from Hyundai Germany and the UK, NAF winter and summer range and charging tests, the ADAC Autotest and Ecotest, and Euro NCAP.
Evidence record
4 figures, each linked to where it starts. A published value is not automatically the right value for every trim or country.
| Figure | Value | Condition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official range | 327–370 km | Market or version specific WLTP, Hyundai Germany: 327 km for the 42 kWh Select, up to 370 km for the 49 kWh Prime on 15-inch alloys, 360 km for Inster Cross. | Official manufacturer overview (Germany) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Battery | 42 or 49 kWh | Published reference Hyundai Germany and UK list 42 kWh and 49 kWh batteries. Usable capacity is not stated. | Official manufacturer overview (Germany) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Rapid charging | 10–80% in about 30 minutes | Market or version specific Hyundai Germany claims about 30 minutes at a DC charger of at least 350 kW; no peak power is given on the page. ADAC quotes Hyundai's figures as 85 kW for the 49 kWh battery and 73 kW for the 42 kWh battery. | Official manufacturer overview (Germany) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Efficiency | 14.3–15.1 kWh/100 km | Market or version specific WLTP combined, Hyundai Germany: 14.3 kWh/100 km for the 42 kWh Select, 14.9 for the 49 kWh Prime on 15-inch alloys, 15.1 for Inster Cross and Lounge. | Official manufacturer overview (Germany) Checked 18 October 2026 |