2001 Hyundai Trajet Reviews

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. As the automotive world embraces technology at a rapid rate with autonomous driving, connected cars and electrification, even the biggest names in the business are forced to reinvent themselves. Hyundai, the world’s third largest car brand, has declared that it is no longer simply a car maker but is something more.“ So we are not a normal OEM , “ declared Jose Munoz, global president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. “I think by now you've seen that we are more of a tech company that happens to be also an OEM.”Munoz explained why this is more than simply a rebranding exercise to compete with the likes of Tesla and other emerging brands from China that straddle the world of technology and cars, pointing to Hyundai Group’s expansive portfolio of companies.“Because we control, we own, Boston Dynamics,” he said.“We created a lot of companies related to autonomous driving, like 42Dot, Motional. We have made the best deal ever with Waymo on literally tens of thousands of robotaxis that we're gonna produce in the United States and expand it to the world. And we… with local partners like Momenta in China. We got an exclusive supply from NVIDIA… and we also have a fantastic partnership with the state-of-the-art, the number one company in the world, which is Amazon. Not to mention others like Santander, GM, TBS In India, Mubadala in the Middle East, etc.”The deals he is referring to include the robotics company Boston Dynamics, which Hyundai took ownership of in 2020 and specialises in commercially available robots. While 42Dot and Motional are both autonomous driving software companies owned by Hyundai but based in South Korea and the USA, respectively, and Momenta is a Chinese joint-venture in the same space.Hyundai’s deal with Amazon is described as a ‘broad partnership’ that encompasses a variety of deals including online vehicle sales in select markets as well as the integration of Amazon Alexa into Hyundai vehicles and the car maker’s use of Amazon Web Services.This all comes in addition to Hyundai Group’s diverse business interests that include making its own steel, container ships and logistics businesses that can all help with the production and distribution of its cars.“So our group is not a normal group, so we have a lot of companies,” Munoz added.“We won't get into all the details, but you can see we have more than 50 affiliated companies in all areas of the business. So not only vertically integrated and creating the steel, also the distribution with Glovis, with our own advertising with Innocean. But then we are in many other businesses like robots for the factories. And then as mentioned, sales finance, Rotem in the military and other applications.”All this investment in technology is part of a plan to not only ensure the business is ready for what car buyers are interested in, but also make Hyundai appealing to investors and drive the share price up.“So I think the result is fantastic, and obviously, this is being accompanied by the top rating in the world in terms of the financial performance,” Munoz said.It appears to be working, with Hyundai Motor Company’s share price dramatically increasing over the past three years, despite up and down sales numbers - particularly in Australia.

Hyundai’s Chinese joint-venture has revealed more details on its upcoming Ioniq V coupe as it nears its overseas launch.The new member of the Ioniq family moves the brand in a new design direction, but with the same retro-futuristic vibe found with the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 SUVs which are sold in Australia.The wedge-shaped coupe features a new headlight signature, with thin strip-style LEDs rather than the blocky pixel LED light fittings the Ioniq brand is known for. Interestingly, these styling motifs are also seen on the upcoming Avante (likely to be called the i30 sedan in Australia), suggesting a new design direction for Hyundai.The Ioniq V also features frameless doors, and an interior that's virtually unrecognisable for a Hyundai, with a dramatic and minimalist dash and new octagonal steering wheel. Like the recently launched Elexio, which is also a Chinese-built joint-venture model, the Ioniq V features a multimedia screen spanning both the centre and passenger side.In this case it's a whopping 27 inches and has a 4K resolution. It also features a head-up display sunken into the dash, similar to the one perched atop the dash in the Elexio.The brand also revealed the car’s exterior colour palette, which will include seven colours, from the usual white, silver, grey, and black, to more adventurous shades like gold, green and purple.The company also confirmed it will use an array of local suppliers in China, like sourcing its 800-volt battery from CATL, its self-driving system from Momenta, and various software and hardware components from other Chinese companies.At 4900mm long, 1890mm wide, and 1470mm tall the Ioniq V is similar in size and four-door coupe design to the Polestar 4. Hyundai says its design allows for an 86 per cent usable floor area ratio.Hyundai Australia told CarsGuide the incoming Ioniq V is “under study” for the time being. It is likely it will be significantly more affordable than the outgoing Ioniq 6 (which started from $67,300 before on-roads), which could help the company comply with tough new emissions rules as some of its pricier Korean-sourced models struggle for sales in the face of cheaper options flooding the market from China.The Elexio, Hyundai’s first China-sourced model for Australia (priced from $58,990 before on-roads), has gone on to register 639 units since its recent arrival, nearly tripling the tally of the more expensive Ioniq 5’s year-to-date sales.The next Ioniq model for Australia will no doubt be the Ioniq 3, although it will be sourced from Europe, casting doubt on whether it will be price competitive with Chinese rivals.Hyundai’s renewed push into the Chinese market with its BAIC partner (which has had $1.1 billion USD invested in it) will also spawn a larger and also more dramatically styled SUV to join the Ioniq V at a later date, with 20 new models planned in total.The company has racked up 94,697 units in China so far in 2026, making it a minor but growing player in the world’s second largest market.Expect full specs and more information for the Ioniq V to be revealed closer to its launch later this year in China.

Hyundai has affirmed its commitment to launching its first dual-cab ute in Australia, but concedes it might be later to arrive than first expected, with the brand's local CEO saying he'd rather "get it right than fast".From the outset, Hyundai has suggested it has several levers to pull in producing its first ute, with the brand saying it could lean on its US partnership with General Motors, borrow from sister brand Kia and its Tasman, or develop something itself.All signs had pointed to the brand's newly developed EREV technology as the likely powertrain choice, with the brand targeting a potential driving range in excess of 1000kms without needing to plug in from its petrol-electric solution.That remains "option number one", according to Hyundai Australia CEO Don Romano, but the executive says unfavourable exchange rates with the US Dollar has forced it to look closer to home for production."If it's built in the US we have an exchange rate issue we would have to deal with, there are also tariff issues depending on where we would also consider building. So we're going to keep our options open in this area because what we need is a...pickup truck, and it has to be unique," he says. "A lot of the Chinese brands are already bringing in pickup trucks, and I don't think Australia needs another standardised pickup truck, so what will make ours unique? I think it may take longer than we had initially anticipated to get there but I'd rather get it right than fast."Mr Romano says the brand is also considering where to build the ute for export, suggesting the brand is exploring facilities across the Asia-Pacific region to reduce the impact of currency exchange and transport. It is also plotting the impact of a new ute on Australia's tightening NVES, or New Vehicle Emissions Standard."We'll have to leave that hanging in limbo for now until we can better define, one; the impact to NVES, two; the drivetrain, three; the FX and alternative locations," he says."We have plants throughout Asia Pacific – we have plants in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam – and we want to utilise those plants as much as possible to minimise the impact of foreign exchange."So if there's an option there and it takes a little longer, so be it. As long as we get the right ute at the right price."Despite the headwinds, Hyundai insists its first ute is still a go-project, suggesting it still could be in market by 2030."It's definitely going to happen. The timing is really the issue, because if it's built in the US... and if the FX is favourable, it would be sooner. But if it's not, we don't need another ute that's priced too high," Mr Romano says."I'd say we're still looking at between now and 2030. There's a timeframe, but even that isn't a guarantee and it would be subject to us saying 'that's the right ute for Australia', and I haven't got to that point yet that anything we're doing at this stage is a guaranteed right vehicle for Australia."

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular and mainstream in Australia, however many lack a feature that limits their long-distance driving capabilities.And that's a spare wheel. For decades it has been a common-fit item that is extremely handy if you get a puncture out on the open road.What is becoming more popular now, especially in electrified vehicles, is to replace the spare wheel with an inflator kit as this space is usually being taken up by the high-voltage battery.The inflator kits typically include a 12V-powered air compressor and a 'can of goo' which plugs up minor air leaks in the deflating tyre.However, these inflator kits won’t help in every event of a puncture, especially if it’s a more significant one that compromises the tyre sidewall, for example.In these circumstances you’re typically left needing to call a tow truck, which is incredibly painful if you’re away from a town with a tyre repair shop.There aren’t many out there, but here is a rundown of all the new EVs currently available in Australia that have some form of physical spare wheel. The 2027 Chery E5 is the only new EV passenger car in Australia to feature a full-size spare wheel.There is now only one trim level of the E5 (formerly known as the Omoda E5) offered in Australia. It’s priced from $37,990, drive-away.The 2027 GWM Ora 5 has just launched in Australia and it features a space-saver spare wheel across the line-up.At launch two trim levels are on offer, Lux and Ultra, with pricing starting at $33,990, drive-away.The 2027 Hyundai Kona Electric has a space-saver spare wheel available across the line-up.The Kona Electric is offered in five trim levels now and pricing starts at $46,000, before on-road costs.The 2027 Toyota HiLux BEV is the only electric ute currently available in Australia with a spare wheel of any kind. It’s a full-size unit in this case.There are currently three versions of the HiLux BEV offered in Australia, the SR dual-cab chassis, SR dual-cab pick-up and SR5 dual-cab pick-up. Pricing starts at $74,990, before on-road costs.A number of electric commercial vans feature full-size spare wheels as standard.It’s more common for these types of vehicles to feature spare wheels, though they’re not standard in every electric van.A number of companies offer aftermarket spare wheel solutions for many popular EVs, like the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, among others.These kits typically include a space-saver spare wheel, a jack and related tools to get the wheel on and off.As there’s no dedicated spot in the car for this to be stored, this type of kit typically has to go in the boot which sacrifices space for other items.

The winds of change are blowing a gale through the Australian car industry, as new brands and vehicles whizz past old favourites on the sales charts.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries boss Tony Weber said the June result was a paradigm shift for the new vehicle market. “The Australian automotive market has shifted on its axis during the first months of 2026. This year is likely to represent a significant turning point for the Australian automotive industry,” said Weber.BYD is officially a category five storm blowing in the direction of Toyota, Ford, Mazda and others that have dominated the top five selling brands for the past decade.BYD sold 18,881 new cars in June, all of them either electric or plug-in hybrids. This brought its three month total to 34,794 after its much ballyhooed effort to send its own ships packed to the gills with cars to Australia.Toyota had battened down the hatches in June and fortified itself against the fierce onslaught of BYD. It managed 19,124 sales in the past month to hold on to first place.It is understood that Toyota has increased supply going forward and is planning a monster second half of the year.Ford bounced back to third place with 9181 sales. Tesla came roaring up behind the Blue Oval with 8670 sales in June, which is impressive considering it only sells two vehicles.The Tesla Model Y was the best selling vehicle in the country with 8072 examples finding a home in the past month.Stablemates Kia (8005) and Hyundai (7480) held firm in fifth and sixth spots, while Mazda slid down to seventh (7278).Chinese brands finished out the top 10 with GWM (6104), MG (5001) and Chery (4505) muscling out old favourites Mitsubishi (4150), Subaru (2902) and Nissan (2337).A few other Chinese brands are lurking outside the top 10, with Geely 13th with 3507 sales and Chery’s Omoda Jaecoo sub brand 15th after moving 2541 units.Utes still delivered strong results, which is typical for the End of Financial Year period.The Toyota HiLux was the Japanese brand’s best selling model with 5175 sales, and Ford’s Ranger was the second best selling model overall with 5999 sales. BYD’s plug-in hybrid Sark 6 ute was its second best selling model, with 3398 sales.Top 10 selling car brands, June 2026 Top 10 selling vehicles, June 2026  

Hyundai has taken aim at its biggest Chinese rival in Australia, with the brand's local chief sensationally suggesting BYD is dumping cars and losing money, while labelling the auto giant's stratospheric growth unsustainable.That's the word from CEO and President of Hyundai Australia, Don Romano – not just the company's most senior automotive executive, but also CEO of the brand's Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters – who did not hold back when asked if he was surprised at how quickly BYD had been able to shoot up the Australian sales charts."I think if I were to lose money and dump cars, and if my stock price was down 40 per cent, I could do the same," he says."I think there's a big difference between growth at any cost and growth organically, so I'm not surprised. I would be if it was sustainable."We're celebrating our 40th anniversary and we're planning another 40 years, so if they're around in 40 years then hats off to them, but at the rate they're going right now?"It's their strategy, but no, I'm not surprised. I think none of us are. We know what their strategy is, we know why they're doing what they're doing, it isn't the way we would do business, but time will tell."It's a stunning attack from within the industry, with Mr Romano seemingly referring to BYD's results in China, where, in contrast to Australia, sales have been falling. That appears to be putting downward pressure on BYD's stock price, which has fallen 36.39 on the Hong Kong exchange over the past 12 months.In Australia, BYD has been on an industry-reshaping roll, finishing May as the second-best-selling brand in the country, trailing only Toyota. Its year-to-date sales are up around 120 per cent as it emerges as the fastest-growing brand in the country.Mr Romano's comments seem to suggest that at least some of that growth is being fuelled by selling vehicles here below cost.Hyundai sales are up a more modest five per cent across the first five months of 2026, though both brands have sold a similar amount of vehicles, with BYD's approximate 33,000 edging Hyundai's approximate 32,000.BYD in Australia opted not to comment on this story.

Hyundai’s Staria people mover seemed destined to live in the shadow of its segment-dominating cousin, the Kia Carnival.Now though, Hyundai is rolling out a serious overhaul to the Staria van range, including the long-awaited introduction of fuel-sipping hybrid variants.The new Lounge grade we’re looking at seems expressly targeted at Carnival buyers. But in a people-mover segment that's suddenly been re-invigorated by a range of options from new brands, does the Staria have what it takes to stand out?Let’s take a look.First and foremost - pricing. While you can get a hybrid version of the cargo-hauling Staria Load delivery van at an appealing price point compared to some rivals, the people-mover version is only offered in this new top-spec Lounge variant, for now.A higher trim level than ever before, the Lounge moves the Staria into previously unseen levels of luxury, but it comes at a steep price.At $73,740 before on-road costs, the Lounge is nearly a $20,000 jump over the base people mover, making it a tall order not just to justify the leap to hybrid, but also among its core rivals.This is especially true since Kia has rolled out its version of the same hybrid technology to its Carnival, and you can now get into a base Carnival S HEV from just $56,310.Like-for-like when it comes to spec though, you’d be looking at a Carnival GT-Line, which costs $76,840.If you’re keen on what this taller and in some ways more spacious Hyundai offers, it might be worth waiting for more affordable versions. Hyundai will need a wider range of hybrids at more affordable price points imminently as it's facing tough fines under Australia’s recently implemented New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).Standard kit on this new Lounge grade includes refreshed LED headlights with an integrated light bar across the front and unique 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside it scores Nappa leather seat trim, heating, ventilation, and power adjustment for the first two seating rows, near fold-flat relaxation mode for the second row, suede headlining, privacy glass, acoustic lamination for the windscreen, and integrated sunshades for the windows in the rear rows.It’s a lovely place to be, and that’s before we mention the overhauls to the dash design. The pre-update Staria was already ahead of the pack, but the new version takes it to new heights with a fresh sporty steering wheel, a bigger digital dash, the re-introduction of physical buttons for the multimedia and climate controls (previously they were touch-capacitive), a stalk-mounted gear shifter from the brand’s EV range, and an update to the all-new software suite.The Lounge also gets a few extra bits of the interior clad with soft-touch finishes compared to the cargo van, particularly in the door cards, although this comes at the cost of dash topping and overhead storage areas.On the practical side, the Staria Lounge and its high roof and seven-seat layout (2 + 2 + 3) means access to the third row is one of the easiest of its contemporaries. You can just stroll between the second-row captains' chairs and room in all three seating positions is more than generous, with all three rows on rails for adjustability.The boot, as is the case with many van-based people movers, is not long, but it is tall and wide. This can be a challenge with baggage when all three rows are in use, as you’ll need to stack upward, but more room can also be found in the cabin behind the front seats. Some brands offer a shelf accessory for the boot to help with this. Hyundai does not.The Lounge only offers a tailgate rear. It provides nice shelter in the rain, but it's sheer size means there are limits as to where you can open it.One dire cost of the hybrid powertrain is its lack of any kind of tow rating.On the road, the Staria Lounge is unmistakably a van, missing out on the passenger-car feel of its Carnival cousin, but it’s still by far one of the best vans to drive.Visibility is commanding from the front two positions, while the inputs come with all the panache of other Hyundai vehicles. There’s nice organic steering and good feedback from the pedals, making it surprisingly confident on curvy stuff. The suspension, specifically improved for this version of the Staria, improves ride quality all-round, and the front-drive hybrid powertrain (180kW/304Nm) offers both strong electric torque and whisper-quiet operation at commuter speeds.Like other plugless hybrid systems though, the 1.6-litre turbo-charged four-cylinder engine can be noisy under load, at freeway speeds, and when travelling up steeper hills.It’s certainly more refined than any diesel offering though, and significantly more convenient than having to plug in as you do with rivals from China like the GAC M8.Fuel consumption isn’t as low as some hybrid SUVs, rated officially at 6.5L/100km. It’s a huge improvement on the 10.5L/100km of the previous V6 petrol version, but only a little better than the diesel (7.2L/100km), which can also tow. If you’re spending a lot of time on the freeway, the diesel may actually be better. Something to ponder.A boost to ownership costs, the hybrid costs an average of $487.80 per year under the five-year service schedule, which is slightly more affordable than the petrol or diesel.The warranty is seven years or unlimited kilometres, unless used for a commercial purpose, then it reverts to five years or 160,000km.Hyundai is conducting testing for the hybrid version with the hope it will be covered by the Staria’s maximum five-star ANCAP rating. It comes packed with all the expected safety gear at this price.

Hyundai’s new budget electric hatchback has been fully unveiled in Europe, as it gears up to tackle its Chinese rivals Down Under next year. The Ioniq 3 will be Korea’s answer to many of the budget favourites of the EV segment in Australia like the BYD Dolphin (from $29,990, before on-road costs) and MG4 (from $39,990 drive-away).It sizes up between the BYD Atto 1 compact SUV and the Dolphin hatch, measuring at 4155mm long, 1800mm wide, 1505mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2680mm. Expect the Ioniq 3 to be priced above its Chinese competition when it lands here in the first half of 2027. It will be built in Hyundai’s Turkiye factory, so it is likely to inherit hefty export costs and will potentially be pitched as a more premium choice in the EV hatchback space. It will provide the brand with another EV in Australia as it looks to overturn potential emissions fines under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).It will arguably serve as a replacement to the petrol-powered i30 hatch that was axed in Australia last year despite being one of the most successful vehicles in the segment.This is because it wasn’t financially viable to continue importing the hatch from Europe. The wider i30 range continues on in sedan form, sourced from South Korea.The Ioniq 3 will be powered by a single electric motor in two states of tune, producing either 99kW or 108kW both with 250Nm of torque.It is expected to be available with a 42kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, providing 335km of range or a 61kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) unit with up to 500km, both according to estimated WLTP figures. A DC fast charger takes roughly half an hour to charge the car from 10 to 80 per cent, with vehicle-to-load capacity also standard on all models. The car’s interior features either a 12.9-inch or 14.6-inch central touchscreen, along with a narrow pop-out digital driver display. It will be available with either 16-, 17- or 18-inch wheels. We can expect more information on the Ioniq 3 later this year as it nears its launch in Europe. The brand had only previously revealed the sportier ‘N-Line’ variant of the Ioniq 3, with this more mainstream version now showing what the more price competitive version of the car will look like.Hyundai also recently revealed what could be this car's hybrid stablemate in the form of the next-generation Avante, known as the i30 sedan locally. It is expected to be hybrid-only by the time it arrives in Australia.

The striking next-generation of an Australian favourite has just been revealed in its South Korean home market, and it might not be too far away from landing here.Hyundai’s Avante sedan, known as the i30 sedan in Australia, will soon enter its eighth generation with a sharp new design.For now, there is no official news on the new-generation i30’s future Down Under, with the local branch tight-lipped for the time being.Given the Avante is expected to launch in South Korea in the coming months, it is fairly certain it will arrive in Australia as the new i30 in the first half of next year given the current version of the car sold in Australia is also built in South Korea. The current generation is available in Australia with petrol and hybrid options, but it may follow in the footsteps of other recent Hyundai launches in going predominantly hybrid or hybrid-only.Hyundai is facing emissions fines on its internal combustion offerings under the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). This coupled with the brand’s growing trend to introduce hybrid options across its line-up could mean it will only offer the hybrid version of the new i30 when it gets here.It would also follow the strategy of its Kia sister brand, which offers the next-generation Kia Seltos small SUV only with a hybrid set-up, despite a petrol model being available elsewhere. The Avante will be available globally with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 111kW and a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor set-up, producing 117kW.The future of the 1.6-litre turbo dual-clutch N-Line model and the full performance 2.0-litre turbo i30 N is yet to be determined.The new-generation sedan will feature a bold and futuristic exterior with a boxy design, along with sharp creases on the body. There is a bar-style front light design, with separate horizontal and vertical strips, giving the car sleek poise. On the inside, there is a larger central touchscreen display and a raised digital driver display.The i30 lineup has undergone a serious overhaul over the past few years Down Under.South Korean production of the hatchback ended in 2023, requiring Hyundai to source it from Europe, but that proved too costly, seeing the model, apart from the high-performance 'N' grade pulled from sale last year. This was despite the hatch proving more popular than the sedan when the pair were on sale together, and one of the most popular hatchbacks on sale in Australia generally.The i30 remains one of Hyundai's better selling models in Australia despite a more than 30 per cent decline in 2026 so far.

This month we farewell our Hyundai Inster after several months. Are we glad to see it go or is this a pleasantly charming little city car?Before we continue, it’s worth noting that we did get the Extended Range variant back after it had been crashed into shortly after our second month of testing began. Read our second chapter for more on how it compared to the Standard Range, but we managed to finish our testing with this version of the car which, at least on paper, seems to be the pick of the range.As mentioned in the previous chapter though, the Standard Range version (which is $3500 cheaper than the $42,500 Extended Range we have) is completely fine, and in some ways superior.Having recently driven many of this car’s more price-savvy rivals from China, I noticed how nice and relatively unobtrusive the Inster is to drive.While some more affordable cars, even a size up from the Inster, are full of invasive driver aids, annoying ergonomic features or controls, and sub-standard software, the Inster is refreshingly easy to get along with, and does a bunch of the no-brainer EV driving stuff really well.For example, there are four levels of adjustable regenerative braking, from barely noticeable, to full single pedal mode, and these are nicely tuned so that they feel natural, whatever level of electric motor feedback you might be comfortable with.I’ve already mentioned the nice steering and ride in previous chapters, which makes this car feel a cut above its size bracket let alone its price bracket.The active safety features which helped the Inster earn a four-star ANCAP safety rating (harder than you might think for a car this small) are relatively unobtrusive, or at the very least, easy to turn off.The lane keeping aid, which at times can be a bit heavy handed, can simply be turned down by holding a button on the steering wheel for a few seconds, rather than having to dig through menus on the touchscreen. The rest of the safety kit is relatively tame, saving you menu-diving time on start-up.Then there’s the cabin practicality on offer. The Inster is a car seemingly very aware of its limited footprint. To that end, while you don’t get a centre console box, there are bag hooks hidden everywhere, like on the passenger side of the dash and there are fold-out hooks hidden at the edge of the armrest. Clever.I mentioned in the first chapter how surprisingly spacious the cabin feels in both rows of seating, but one trick this car has is a second row on rails.This means you can roll the seating row forward to either reduce or entirely remove legroom and expand the boot capacity massively.It’s a rare feature on most city cars delivered to Australia, but much more common on Asian-market models, like Kei cars from Japan.It means you can have kids or pets in the second row which don’t need as much space, while maximising boot space, or passenger room when you’re not carrying as much stuff. This makes it versatile, but as you might imagine the airport run isn't it's strong suit.Upsettingly though, there’s no frunk. While it might seem gimmicky, frunks can actually be a useful place to put charging cables when the under-floor storage is hard to access because you’re carrying luggage.I took the Inster for a spirited drive before I returned it to really test out its driving chops, and walked away impressed.The amount of grip on offer and the solid feeling of the suspension is backed up with a good amount of agility in corners. It combines nicely with a bit of drivetrain punch in Sport mode to make for a fun little car to really push, even if the Hyundai N-style carbon-fibre-look digital dash overhaul is a bit ill-fitting.It took a significant amount of work to get the tyres to eke out a squeal, to my surprise, and the suspension travel is limited enough that much of the uncomfortable feeling when the battery starts to ‘float’ the whole body of the car on undulating roads isn’t present.Sure, it’s not objectively fast, but probably quicker than you expect, and it’s always better to drive a slow car at 110 per cent than a fast car at 10 per cent.Efficiency wise, the Inster did pretty well. The final number I pulled from the car after around 1500km behind the wheel was 13.8kWh/100km. It’s lower than many of its larger rivals, which do between 14.5 and 17kWh/100km.As for charging, it can be annoying that the port is on the front of the car, because it means you need to go nose in to some spots. At least it’s on the kerb side for when you're using outdoor roadside chargers.The maximum charging speed is quoted at 120kW, but I’ve never seen it go faster than roughly 70kW, even on stacks capable of 150kW. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t need it. The battery is so small it still charges in half an hour or less.Ownership looks like a decent story, too. Not only will this car cost a lot less in charging compared to a fuel alternative, but the Inster only requires a service every two years or a whopping 30,000km.Unfortunately, Hyundai charges $655 per visit. A head-scratcher given a combustion alternative like the Yaris Cross with so many more expendable fluids and moving parts is more affordable to look after.