Hyundai Inster 2026 News

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.

There is good news for car buyers as brands slash the price of EVs to boost demand as competition increases.Hyundai is the latest brand to offer some very generous discounts across its range of quality electric vehicles.The Korean maker has cut prices and deleted on-road costs, with some models now more than $13,000 cheaper.Leading the discounts is the electric version of the popular Kona compact SUV.The Kona EV Standard Range is now $45,990 drive-away, which is about $13,000 cheaper depending on what state you are in.This version uses a circa-48kWh battery to deliver a driving range of up to 370km.The Extended Range version is now $50,990, or about $12,400 cheaper, and lifts the driving range to more than 500km.Better-equipped Premium Extended Range versions and sporty looking N-Line examples are between $11,600 and $12,900 more affordable.Hyundai has also sliced thousands off the recently launched Elexio mid-size SUV.The China-sourced EV, which is related to the strong-selling Kia EV5, is down to $57,990 for the base version and $59,990 for the Elite version that comes with more stuff as standard.The Elexio packs an roughly 88kWh battery that delivers a driving range of up to 562km.Both grades use a single motor to make 160kW/310Nm sent to the front wheels. Hyundai is also getting generous with its pint-sized Inster. The Standard Range version is now about $4300 cheaper at $38,990.The base Inster is well suited to city motoring, and an ideal second car. It is one of the shortest cars on the market and has seating for four.A little 42kWh battery enables a driving range of up 327km. It is extremely light for an EV and its 71kW and 147Nm electric motor makes it feel peppy.The critically acclaimed Ioniq 5 medium SUV has also been given a big price cut.A base Ioniq 5 RWD is now about $10,500 cheaper at $71,990, and the Elite grade now starts at $78,990, which represents a saving of almost $9000.Fully loaded Ioniq 5 N-Line Premium AWD is now $87,990, or almost $11,000 cheaper.The Ioniq 5 was crowned CarsGuide’s 2026 Best SUV Under $130K, with single-motor 168kW/350Nm and dual-motor 239kW/605Nm versions impressing.Driving range varies from 495km for the heavier dual-motor version to 570km in the base RWD example.The catch? You need to be quick as customers must take delivery by the end of the month.Hyundai electric car deals 

A major brand in Australia has picked up its electric vehicle game in 2026. Hyundai has seen its EV numbers boom in Australia as it receives increased supply and orders. Supply (including unsold and pre-built stock) of its SUVs, including the Inster, Kona Electric, Elexio and Ioniq 5 have all risen by at least 50 per cent comparing Q1 to Q2. Supply of the Inster compact SUV is up 204 per cent, while the Kona Electric has risen to 315 per cent.The Elexio and Ioniq also has supply increases of upwards of 55 per cent.This has coincided with substantial boosts to order numbers between January and February and March and April. Inster orders rose by 205 per cent, the Kona Electric up 298 per cent, with the Ioniq 5 up 187 per cent. The Kona Electric had previously lagged significantly behind petrol and hybrid variants of the car on the sales charts, but this latest data shows it is catching up quickly.It's a positive boost for the Korean brand, which has previously been embattled by more affordable electric rivals from the likes of BYD and MG.Hyundai’s Australian Director of Sales David Rodda said confidence in buying EVs has increased substantially in recent times. "Anyone who was previously only considering an EV as a future purchase is now completely confident in making that decision, given the benefits of ownership,” Rodda said."Hyundai Australia has secured a 158% supply increase of EVs for quarter two to meet this unprecedented level of demand.“These vehicles will start to arrive from May due to the fast supply chain out of Korea. We are confident in securing equally strong support from the factory for the rest of the year."This EV sales spike is a welcome boost for Hyundai, following the announcement of the results for the first round of the National Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).The brand incurred more than 84,000 liabilities for the 2025 NVES performance period, which was one of the highest, behind only Nissan, Subaru and Mazda. It is not just EVs which are tracking nicely for Hyundai, with hybrids also gaining increased attention, according to Rodda."Hyundai also grew hybrid orders from 3,049 in February to 3,966 in March, a 30% increase. In fact, 57% of Hyundai Australia's orders in March were for hybrids - that's the biggest percentage ever for us, and the highest in the Australian industry."Hyundai is also planning to bring in new EV models in the coming months, most notably the Staria commercial van and the Ioniq 3 hatch.The latter will be officially revealed globally soon and is confirmed for arrival in Australia, likely as an electric replacement for the gap left by the discontinuation of the previously-popular i30 hatchback.

What a month! The war in the Middle East has created serious panic for commuters stung by soaring fuel prices.A way out of that spiral is getting into an electric vehicle (EV), and there are still several models available at heavily-discounted prices to make the transition from internal combustion engines easier.Here are a handful of electric bargains we found online at a minimum of 30 per cent off retail, with odometers capped at 10,000km for that fresh-car feel. Many had barely breached 2500km.To be sure, there must have been at least three examples at the lower prices advertised to make this list at the time of publishing. Most are dealer demonstrators, and all will bring savings if you depend on your vehicle on a daily basis, since the bulk of their early depreciation has already occurred.Kia Niro EVThe second-gen Niro launched in 2022 from an eye-watering $65K, putting punters off from what was a pleasant, competent and likeable mid-sized crossover EV. Sales stalled, and Kia discontinued it. But there are still a handful of MY23 demos at under $40K. That’s over 40 per cent off retail!New price: $65,300 before ORCSeen for: $36,000 drive-away (MY23, demo)Hyundai InsterCharming, chuckable and ideal for urban commutes, the Inster can be had for over 33 per cent off retail if you’re willing to snap up one of the demos doted around the country.New price: $43,500 drive-awaySeen for: $28,990 drive-away (MY25, demo)Renault Kangoo E-TechAbout a half-dozen demo examples of Renault’s terrific little Kangoo E-Tech from 2023 are still available for under $40K, representing another 40 per cent saving. The little French van is also indecently fun. What a bargain!New price: $66,500 before ORCSeen for: $38,000 drive-away (MY23, demo)Hyundai Kona ElectricSpacious, agile and refined, the electric version of the Kona small SUV punches above its weight, as reflected by its current mid-fifties price point. Which means that a 30 per cent saving with just 3000km on the odo make this a no-brainer buy.New price: $54,000 before ORCSeen for: $38,000 (MY24 demo)Audi Q4 45 e-tronOne of our favourite premium EV SUVs, the Q4 e-tron combines high couture with sophisticated engineering, for an on-brand luxury experience that will have you seeking the long way home.New price: $93,000 drive-awaySeen for: $66,000 drive-away (MY25, demo)Ford Mustang Mach-E SelectThe Mustang Mach-E is an enigma. Disregard the baggage associated with the pony-car image and instead revel in a sporty, dynamic and surprisingly practical family car with ample range. Yes, it’s the pre-facelift model, but the savings are worth it.New price: $73,400 drive-awaySeen for: $50,000 drive-away (MY23, demo)Jeep AvengerArguably the most athletic Jeep in history, the Avenger is a sweet-driving, decently packaged and well-presented city-sized SUV with relatively minor off-road capabilities. Built in Poland, it’s related to the Peugeot 2008 EV.New price: $53,990 before ORCSeen for: $37,000 drive-away (MY24, demo)Subaru Solterra TouringSubaru’s version of the Toyota bZ4X has really struggled to secure buyers, with the up-spec Touring launching at nearly $84K before quickly being reduced to $77K. Though facelifted and improved, there are loaded demos advertised in the low-fifties drive-away, offering a lot of EV for the money.New price: $76,990 before ORCSeen for: $53,000 drive-away (MY24, demo)Fiat 500eItalians know how to make a chic urban runabout and Fiat’s stylish 500e is no exception. Rapid yet refined, its small battery is quick to charge, still provides over 311km of WLTP range and the handling is a lot of fun.New price: $52,500 before ORCSeen for: $36,000 drive-away (MY23, demo)

Kia is frantically working on a pair of small electric vehicles (EVs) that could reshape the bottom end of the new-car market by bringing near-price parity with internal combustion engine alternatives. The big news is that both the EV2 small crossover expected to debut sometime next year and its EV1 city-car sibling due a little later on are under serious consideration for Australia. This is despite being readied for production out of Slovakia, due to EV tax concessions as well as vast economies of scale that should help contain prices if or when they land here.