Consumption Test with the Hyundai Inster, this is its real autonomy on the road without filters

How much does it consume at a real pace? We put the Hyundai Inster to the test, the best electric car in its segment

Small electric cars are primarily urban. Does that mean they can't be used for travel? I decided to conduct a demanding test with one of the most interesting models in the segment, the Hyundai Inster. I wanted to know the real consumption of this stylish utility vehicle on a normal highway trip as it will be of interest to those considering using it as their only daily car and traveling on weekends or vacations without drama.

The Korean urbanite measures just 3.8 meters and can be chosen with two motor and battery configurations. For this test, I chose the most recommended option which has 85 kW of power (that is, 115 HP) and a 49 kWh battery capacity. I provided detailed information about its qualities in this test.

To the point. With that configuration, the Inster homologates an autonomy of 360 km in combined cycle and 493 km in the city. A very interesting autonomy for its size but the question here is: What happens on the highway, at a real pace? The standardized WLTP tests do not provide a homologated figure for driving solely on the highway, which would be interesting for long trips. Well, that is what I wanted to find out with this test.

The intention was not to seek an efficiency record but to verify what real autonomy and average consumption are obtained on a completely normal highway trip with the car as most people would use it. That is, with all the comforts, at a good pace and with total carefreeness.

Searching for the real autonomy of the Inster at 120 km/h

I repeated the same route we used for the Xpeng G6 test: starting from the chargers at the Jarama circuit in San Sebastián de los Reyes, traveling the A-1 up the Somosierra pass, arriving at the midpoint in Fuentespina just before Aranda de Duero and back to Jarama. That is: all on the highway with the same starting and ending point so that the net elevation is zero.

The journey was made driving at the maximum allowed speed when traffic permitted. The Inster offers Eco, Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes and during the trip I selected the Normal program, the intermediate option. In Eco mode, I might have been more efficient but I wanted to travel with unrestricted performance.

It is also important to note that the air conditioning was always on, which also negatively impacts energy consumption. The test unit, with the Tecno finish, comes with a heat pump as standard. This version also features 17-inch wheels with Nexen N Fera Primus tires. Remember that the tires are also decisive when it comes to achieving good consumption figures.

Having established the conditions, I left the starting point at the Jarama charger, with the battery at 100%, heading towards the Somosierra pass. As soon as I started, the Inster already had to face the toughest part of the route as it involved facing an elevation against more than 900 m.

Most of the time I could go at 120 km/h although in these first kilometers there are some areas limited to 100 km/h, the Somosierra tunnel is limited to 80 km/h, there was a short stretch under construction limited to 60 km/h and I had to slow down a couple of times due to trucks overtaking each other. The normal circumstances of a trip without tricks.

The zero-emission model from Hyundai crowned the pass with an average consumption of 23.2 kWh/100 km after 64 km of travel. It is a notable expense but completely reasonable given the demanding conditions. From this point, the descent of Somosierra began and, therefore, the electrical consumption should also be moderated.

With little traffic ahead, it was easy to maintain the desired speed of 120 km/h and reach the midpoint. In total, 123 km with an average consumption of 18.8 kWh/100 km. A good result for a car in segment A, I admit I expected a higher figure.

The best part is that there was still 53% of the battery remaining, which according to the onboard computer was enough for another 171 km. I could make the return trip without needing to recharge in between if I wanted to. But since I had to eat, I took the time to recharge the car to 100%.

The charging port is at the front and accepts up to 85 kW in DC and that was exactly what I saw: a sustained charging phase at 85 kW, reaching 80% of the battery in less than 15 minutes, until the charging curve began to drop, as is normal in any electric car. The maximum power of the onboard charger may seem low but it makes a lot of sense: it is not a car designed for intensive use on trips and it is assumed that almost all of its recharges will be domestic.

With everything ready, I returned to the road. The weather conditions were not going to affect the battery performance since there were no significant gusts of wind and the outside temperature was always between 19º and 30º. I say this because extreme temperatures affect the autonomy of any electric car and would condition the result.

I liked how well the Hyundai Inster was doing outside of its environment. On a long highway trip it travels comfortably. On the highway, there is some aerodynamic and rolling noise, which is normal in a car of this segment, although it never becomes annoying. It was very stable and planted, with the feel of a large car.

On paper, the Korean's performance shows an acceleration record of 0 to 100 km/h in 10.6 seconds and the maximum speed is limited to 150 km/h. The sensations I perceived are that the push of 115 HP is enough to accelerate and maintain a high speed on the highway. In addition, the regenerative paddles help recover energy on descents.

The return was more pleasant due to the descending stretches at the end, coming down from the Somosierra pass towards Madrid. The consumption decreased as expected and everything was very smooth until I reached the urbanization that gives access to the Jarama circuit, where the chargers are located as the destination.

To enter the urbanization, there are control barriers, I arrived at peak hour and it was congested. Just 700 m from the end of the route, I was stopped for several minutes in the traffic jam. Fortunately, although it extended the travel time, it did not change the final average consumption.

How much does the Hyundai Inster really consume on a trip?

I arrived at the destination with 61% of the battery remaining and an estimated autonomy of 200 km. The average homologated consumption of the Inster with our configuration is 15.1 kWh/100 km in combined cycle. On a highway trip, it should be higher and indeed it was: the 246 km of the journey resulted in a consumption of 17.2 kWh/100 km.

This is very good consumption considering its size and urban focus. Also, don't forget, it has merit because the conditions were not particularly favorable. With Eco driving mode, traveling at lower speeds at times or limiting the use of air conditioning could have improved that record.

How far can I go without charging? The consumption I obtained implies that, with the 49 kWh gross capacity battery (46 kWh net), the Hyundai Inster urbanite is capable of achieving 267 km of real autonomy on the highway without breaking a sweat. Practicing decidedly efficient driving, we could squeeze a few more kilometers.

For those looking for an urban car with the peace of mind to go out on weekends without obsessing over every kilometer, the Inster with the 49 kWh battery seems to me a sensible option. Honestly, for me, the best. It is an electric utility vehicle that can be used for highway trips without the experience being frustrating.

It is not a car designed to devour highways, but it more than meets expectations. The Inster also surprises with how it utilizes space in a small package. It has abundant equipment, the rear seats are adjustable longitudinally by 16 cm, and the trunk has a capacity of up to 351 liters. It is very clever and tremendously practical. What more can you ask for from an electric urbanite?