Hyundai Unveils Outdoor-Focused Inster Cross, It's Still a City Dweller in Disguise

The recently launched Inster EV is a cute little crossover that will soon get an outdoor-focused variant as the Inster Cross. Although it looks prepared to tackle the trails, make no mistake, this is just a visually-peppered variant of the regular Inster.

Earlier this year, Hyundai launched an electric variant of its Casper supermini that it sold in South Korea. To make it more attractive to the overseas markets, Hyundai changed its name to Inster and brought it to Europe exclusively as an EV. The electric Inster is actually larger than the ICE Casper to make more room between the wheels for the battery pack. This put the Inster in between the European market segments, competing with A- and B-segment models.

However, when Hyundai announced the UK prices, potential customers were shocked to see that the Inster EV was closer in price to the C-segment models. The small all-electric crossover kicks off at £23,495, equivalent to almost $31k across the Pond. That is more expensive than the all-new Citroen e-C3, which starts at £21,427, while offering more comfort and cabin space.

Hyundai undoubtedly did its homework before coming up with these prices, and it considers the blend of high-tech features and its polarizing design worth paying more. The Korean carmaker is now doubling down on the design card, offering a rugged-looking variant as the Inster Cross. The outdoor-oriented trim will start production later this year disguised as a proper off-roader.

The difference is at a visual level only, as there are no technical changes to make the Inster Cross more capable than its lesser sibling. Specific design elements inside and outside convey a sense of ruggedness. These include wide, rectangular front and rear bumpers to highlight its adventurous character, as well as embossed black claddings. The front and rear skid plates, coupled with the side rocker panels, provide extra protection when driving over rough terrain.

Roof racks are standard, with a roof basket offered at an additional cost, allowing the Inster Cross to transport more gear for outdoor sports and camping trips. An exclusive paint color called Amazonas Green Matte is available to order, in addition to the five paint colors already available on the regular Inster trims. The cabin can also be ordered in a special color and trim combination: grey cloth with lime-yellow accents. This will be complemented by lime-yellow accents on the dashboard.

Those expecting a higher ground clearance or other improvements to make it more suitable for driving outside public roads might be disappointed. However, most crossovers are built like that nowadays, as customers love the look, but very few actually consider driving off-road. In the case of the Inster Cross, customers will likely prefer the versatility offered by the flat-folding front seats and the slide-recline rear seats.