The Hyundai Inster EV, an all-electric compact city car based on the South Korean-market Casper, has secured a four-star safety rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests. While the model demonstrated competent protection across key areas, certain structural shortcomings and performance inconsistencies prevented it from achieving a top score.
Hyundai Inster EV Earns 4-Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating
Adult Occupant Protection: Stable Shell, But Airbag and Door Issues
In the adult occupant protection category, the Inster scored 70%. Euro NCAP noted that the car’s body shell remained stable during the frontal offset crash test, and offered protection ranging from good to marginal. However, the driver’s head was found to “bottom out” the airbag—indicating insufficient cushioning—leading to point deductions.
During the full-width frontal impact, good protection was observed for the head and legs of both front and rear occupants. However, chest protection remained marginal due to the forces exerted on the torso.
The side impact tests presented more critical issues. Though the Inster offered marginal to good protection in side barrier and pole impact scenarios, the driver door unlatched during testing—a serious safety concern that led to a points penalty. Euro NCAP also flagged poor excursion control, meaning the driver’s body moved significantly towards the other side of the cabin during side impact, further reducing the overall score.
Child Occupant Safety: Strong Front Protection, But Mixed Side Results
In the child occupant safety assessment, the Inster earned a score of 81%, offering good to adequate protection to 6-year-old and 10-year-old child dummies during frontal impacts. However, the vehicle lost points in lateral tests, where the 10-year-old dummy’s chest recorded accelerations above safety thresholds, receiving a poor rating.
On the plus side, Euro NCAP commended the Inster’s passenger airbag deactivation system, but noted the absence of an alert system for children left unattended in the rear seats, which has become a key safety consideration in family-focused vehicles.
Vulnerable Road User Protection: Mixed Results, AEB Adequate
The Hyundai Inster scored 70% for its protection of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists. The EV offered good head protection, except on reinforced areas like the A-pillars and windshield beams, which are traditionally difficult zones to mitigate impact.
Pelvis protection was rated as poor, while leg protection was marked good. The Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system was found to perform adequately overall but dropped points for its limited cyclist detection capabilities, particularly in scenarios involving “dooring”—when a vehicle door opens into the path of an oncoming cyclist.
ADAS and Safety Tech of Hyundai Inster EV : Functional But Not Exceptional
In the safety assist category, which evaluates Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), the Inster scored 67%. While the AEB system functioned well in general tests, it performed poorly in junction scenarios, where it failed to effectively respond to vehicles crossing its path.
Final Verdict: A Solid Entry-Level EV With Room for Safety Improvements
The Hyundai Inster’s four-star Euro NCAP rating reflects a well-rounded, affordable electric vehicle that delivers satisfactory protection in most real-world crash scenarios. However, issues such as the driver door unlatching, limited lateral child protection, and poor cyclist safety measures underscore the need for refinements before it can be considered among the safest in its class.
Still, as one of Hyundai’s most budget-friendly electric offerings, the Inster sets a respectable benchmark for entry-level EV safety in Europe.
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