With growing preference for rugged styling, Hyundai could be looking to provide a similar treatment for Inster EV
As part of its EV portfolio expansion plans, Hyundai has been introducing mass-market products. One of these is the Inster EV, which is based on the Casper compact crossover sold across international markets. Latest spy shots reveal that Inster EV could also get an off-road model.
Hyundai Inster EV off-road version – What to expect?
To achieve a powerful road presence, Inster EV off-road version uses some additional equipment. The test mule can be seen with a large roof rack that can be offered as an optional feature.
It appears to be a heavy-duty unit with broad pillars supporting the top storage section. This roof rack can be useful for campers and long-distance touring. The standard Inster model already has a boot space of 238 litres. With the rear seats folded, the boot space can be increased to 351 litres.
Another change is the use of new wheels with rugged styling. These are entirely different from the low-drag, aerodynamically designed units seen with the standard Inster model. The rugged wheels are likely to have greater strength as well. Depending on the variant, the standard Inster is offered with wheel sizes of 15-inch and 17-inch. The off-road version seems to be using 17-inch wheels.
Side profile seems largely the same as the standard model. Only some additional rubber moulding can be seen on the side cladding. Inster EV has a conventional front door handle, whereas the rear door handles are mounted on the C pillar.
ORVMs of the test mule are body coloured, similar to the standard model. Front and rear sections are heavily camouflaged, making it difficult to identify the changes. Only the lighting elements are visible and these appear to be the same as that of the standard model.
XRT variant possibilities
Hyundai offers the XRT package for several of its SUVs such as Santa Fe, Palisade and Santa Cruz. In the electric segment, the Ioniq 5 XRT will be launched soon. The XRT package focuses primarily on bolder styling, with blacked-out parts.
The black treatment is applied to parts such as the front grille and alloy wheels. Hyundai XRT models also have thick black cladding and XRT badging across exteriors and interiors. Many of these features seem to match the updates seen with the off-road version of Inster EV.
Performance boost?
While the off-road version of Inster will have relatively better off-roading capabilities than the standard model, it is not certain if the former will be getting a performance boost. The standard Inster EV has battery options of 42 kWh and 49 kWh (long-range model). Power output is 97 PS and 115 PS, respectively. Torque of 147 Nm is common for both models. Range is 355 km (WLTP) for the long-range model. When using a 120 kW DC fast charger, 10% to 80% charge can be achieved in around 30 minutes.
