Hyundai’s Inster is a pint-size, cute little electric city car, which makes the Insteroid concept derived from it all the more surprising.
Revealed in Seoul ahead of the South Korean capital’s motor show, the Insteroid takes the perky Inster and gives it a heaping helping of visual aggression and quirky details inspired by games like Pacman and Need for Speed.
Hyundai says the Insteroid was “crafted in secrecy” by its European design team. And yes, the name is a portmanteau of Inster and Steroid.
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It doesn’t preview a production vehicle, with Hyundai calling it a “design study” that “aims to spark further interest in the Inster production model already on sale”.
It’s also intended to “redefine what a sporty EV can be”, and is aimed squarely at a young audience.
There’s a widened body, “track-optimised” 21-inch wheels inside vented wheel-arches, and a huge spoiler and diffuser at the rear.
The exterior is finished in white, with bold orange highlights. If you’re wondering what the ’23’ means, it’s the number of times the cartoon ghost called Boost appears throughout the car – get searching!
The cabin has been stripped back, and fitted with bucket seats and a roll cage. There’s also extensive use of 3D knit fabric made from recycled yarns.
The “floating” digital instrument cluster is like no other we’ve seen, with cartoonish, video game-inspired graphics.
Hyundai promises an “immersive, multi-sensory driving experience”, which includes a “unique sound signature” – in short, there’s lots of quirky sounds and bright lights.
There’s a drift mode controlled via an enormous lever between the two front seats, as well as “playful details such as the integrated Beat House sound system and Message Grid”.
It might look like a pumped-up Inster, but the Insteroid actually rides a shortened E-GMP platform and shares its dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with the Ioniq 5 N. The wheelbase is still longer than that of the regular Inster, however.
Despite the N underpinnings, Hyundai says its N performance division wasn’t involved in the development of the Insteroid.
“Insteroid is a celebration of pure fun – a journey where we explored new ways to ignite emotion and imagination in every detail,” said Simon Loasby, senior vice president and head of Hyundai Design Center.
“It’s not just about how it looks, but also how it sounds and how makes you feel. From its bold visual language to the immersive sound experience, it’s a concept that invites everyone to dream a little louder and smile a little longer.”
At the reveal, Hyundai even included arcade games developed by Hyundai, including a time attack-style challenge in which players have to collect ‘steroid’ items – the opposite of what a professional athlete should be doing – in an Inster to allow it to transform into an Insteroid.
Hyundai says it has been growing its partnerships in the gaming industry, including with platforms like Roblox, as a means to connect with younger audiences.
This isn’t the first time Hyundai has built a wilder concept derived from – or at least resembling – the Inster.
Last year, it revealed the RN24 ‘rolling lab’ concept that resembled a stripped-out Inster, but riding on a longer wheelbase and also using the Ioniq 5 N’s 84kWh battery and dual electric motor setup.
Launched last year in Korea and Europe, the Inster is due to arrive in Australia during the second quarter of 2025. It’ll also launch in various Asia-Pacific, Middle Eastern, and Central and South American markets this year.
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Regular Hyundai Inster
The 3.8m-long electric city car will be available with a choice of 42kWh and 49kWh batteries, and 71.1kW/147Nm and 84.5kW/147Nm electric motors.
Claimed WLTP range is 327km in Standard Range guise and 360km in Extended Range guise.
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