Hyundai gets tough with the Inster Cross electric car, adding off-road style to the compact EV SUV coming for the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and MG MG4 

Hyundai Australia has confirmed the just-revealed high-riding Inster Cross will follow the early 2025 arrival of its city-sized Inster EV SUV line-up.

With an “outdoor-focused design” the pure-electric Inster Cross adds unique bumpers, skid plates, specific 17-inch alloy wheels, embossed black cladding, enhanced side rocker panels and roof racks to the compact Inster package.

A roof basket designed to be compatible with the standard roof racks is an option and one of six available colours - ‘Amazonas Green Matte’ - is only offered on the Inster Cross.

At the same time the Inster Cross will feature a special grey cloth with lime-yellow accents colour and trim combination, including lime-yellow accents on the dash.

Offering up to 360km of range and charging from 10 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes the Inster Cross will remain front-wheel drive as per the Inster it’s based on.

The standard-range Inster will be available in two grades; the entry-level car powered by a 42kWh battery and 71kW single electric motor, while the long-range version jumps to a 49kWh battery pack and peak output of 85kW. Both generate peak torque of 147Nm.

Hyundai says Inster Cross production is scheduled to start in Gwangju, South Korea “later this year” with the local subsidiary noting it “will also join the local model range in the future (with) more details to be provided at a later date”.

Pricing for the Inster and Inster Cross is yet to be finalised, but the former’s Korean starting price translates to $33,700 on a direct conversion.

That would undercut the current pack of budget-focused EVs including the BYD Dolphin ($38,890, before on-road costs), GWM Ora ($35,990, drive-away) and MG MG4 ($39,990 drive-away).