Hyundai Inster Winter Road Trip Review: 240 km Nonstop, 2% Left and a 2–75% Fast Charge in 32 Minutes
I drove the Hyundai Inster home from Câmpina with two adults, two kids and luggage at 4–7°C. At 100 km/h on the highway it used under 19 kWh/100 km, and fast charging from 2% was a pleasant surprise.
The second episode with the Hyundai Inster was the drive back: from Câmpina all the way home to Iași, in winter, with the whole family. This time I set myself a bolder goal: drive about 240 km without a single charge, to the charging station in Adjud. I made it, arriving with 2% battery, and what happened at the charger was the best surprise of the day. It's the second test I've done with this exact car, one year apart, and the Inster showed me again that it is much more than a city car.
The start: 99%, 259 km on the display and a full trunk
I left with the battery at 99% and 259 km of estimated range. The route: the DN1 national road to Ploiești, then the highway to Adjud and the E85 the rest of the way home. On board were two adults and two kids, with vacation luggage, a stroller and the climate control set to 22°C the whole way. Outside it was between 4 and 7°C, with rain and wet roads.
The trunk has a double floor. My laptop and chargers went underneath, with the stroller and the rest of the bags on top. According to "Hyundai Motor Europe", the trunk holds 280 liters, 351 liters with the rear seat slid forward and up to 1,059 liters with the seats folded. My car had a fixed rear bench. Versions with the sliding bench give you a bit more room.
On the highway: under 19 kWh/100 km at 100 km/h
To reach Adjud, I drove at 100–110 km/h on cruise control. At Buzău, after 120 km of national road and highway, my average was 16.8 kWh/100 km. After 202 km, the overall figure was 17.5 kWh/100 km. On the highway, with a strong headwind, I averaged 18.5 kWh/100 km at 99 km/h after two hours of driving.
Below 10%, the car showed a reduced-power message, which is normal with a nearly empty battery. I reached the "Plugpoint" station in Adjud with 2%. I only had to wait a minute and a half for a stall to free up.
Charging: 2% to 75% in 32 minutes
This was the surprise. The charging curve is very flat. The Inster held about 80 kW steadily until past 60%. While we had a coffee and a snack, the car went from 2% to 75% in 32 minutes, with 38.49 kWh delivered according to the charger screen. I stopped at 89%, when power had dropped to 19 kW. The official numbers match what I saw: "Hyundai Motor Europe" quotes 10–80% in about 30 minutes on a charger of at least 120 kW and a peak of 85.3 kW for the 49 kWh battery.
The last leg: 173 km home
At 89%, the cluster showed 230 km of range, with 179 km left to go. I took the highway past Bacău, then the E85. In Roman we made a short break and I plugged the car in while we were stopped. I do that at every stop: I don't charge because I have to, but because I'm stopping anyway, so that time is never lost to charging. From the last charge I covered 173 km and got home relaxed, keeping pace with traffic.
What I liked about the Inster
It's quiet, with no strange noises, and headroom is very generous. The windows never fogged up during the whole trip. The car I tested had a heat pump, an app with remote climate start, a route planner, automatic climate control and heated seats. The active grille in the front opens and closes by itself. Hyundai calls it the Active Air Flap and uses it to improve aerodynamics, with an official drag coefficient of 0.309. One practical tip: on the way out, snow covered the front radar a few times and the adaptive cruise control switched off. It's worth wiping it at every stop.
What it means for drivers
The Hyundai Inster is an excellent city car and a good vacation car, as long as you're not in a hurry. The sweet spot on the highway is 100–110 km/h. In winter, with the family and luggage, consumption stayed under 19 kWh/100 km at 100 km/h and under 20 kWh/100 km at 110 km/h. On national roads at legal speeds you get about 16 kWh/100 km. Ideally you charge between 10% and roughly 70%, where the curve is at its best. In my experience, at 100–110 km/h you drive about an hour and a half (120–130 km) between 20–30 minute breaks, which are exactly the breaks you take with kids anyway. Officially, the Inster comes with a 42 or 49 kWh battery and up to 370 km of WLTP range. I think it will also be a great pick on the used market for anyone who wants a small, roomy and well-equipped EV.
