Car of the Year Awards 2025: Best small electric car for the city
This class embraces nimble city cars and family hatchbacks, as long as they are no more than 4.5 metres long...
Hyundai Inster Long Range 02
A small car has always made more sense than anything else for driving around in the city, but the Hyundai Inster takes the concept of a tiny urban warrior to a whole new level.
It has a comfy ride, while its small dimensions and well-weighted steering give the driver confidence when threading down narrow roads. True, it isn’t as composed in corners as the Renault 5, but the Inster doesn’t feel out of its depth on faster roads – unlike the cheaper Dacia Spring.
You can choose from two battery sizes, but the larger, 46kWh (usable capacity) option is our pick. This gives an official range of up to 229 miles, or 223 miles in our preferred range-topping 02 trim, which rides on larger, 17in wheels. Not only is this figure really impressive, but the big battery also brings a slightly more powerful (115bhp) motor.
This provides plenty of zip around town and helps you to nip into gaps in traffic better than the Spring and Leapmotor T03. With large windows and a raised seating position, allround visibility is impressive, plus you get front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera to make the Inster one of the easiest cars to park.
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