Louth Motors: Sub-€20k EV motoring arrives in Ireland

Sub €20k EV motoring has come to Ireland which has welcomly arrived a lot sooner than expected and Dacia and Hyundai are to be commended for this. The expectation was the much lauded competitiveness from the Chinese brands would do this first, so hats off to Dacia and Hyundai for being first to do this with cars having 4 seats in a market that now has over 110 models to choose from and sales up 26% over the same first 6 month period last year. The end of this review will have me picking the one I’d buy but please note that, as I’ll explain, the choices everyone has will dictate where they plumb so what's best for me might not be best for you.

I’ll pick the items to compare that I think are key and because of space I won't dwell too long on the reasons.
Looks wise neither jar but the Hyundai looks the more different and has a lot of the latest Hyundai Ionic design themes. The Spring looks more conventional and compact, again with current Dacia themes. Price next. To afford the Inster you’ll need €2,600 more than the Spring, an increase of 15%. When these are the cars for your budget that's a sizeable difference.

But the Inster gets a 5 year warranty v the 3 years in the Spring. Ranges are 225 km for the Spring and 300km for the Inster. It'll take you 45 mins to recharge the Spring from 20% to 80% as it can only take a max. of 30kW DC with the Inster taking 30 mins to go from the lower 10% to 80% and can take up to 120kW . The Spring uses less electricity than the Inster so km for km it will be cheaper to run the Spring.I can't find much fault with either of these figures because most users buying these will be urban and city dwellers and recharging at home.

Hyundai Inster

Boot space is 308Ll in the Spring which I will say is very good with the Inster having a very useful adjustable boot of between 238L and 351L because it has a rear seat that slides backward and forwards. This is a feature that should be a standard on all hatchbacks. I took my folks away for a two night weekend break and with the seat forward we could fit the folding wheelchair in the boot. Then when we didn't carry it the legroom they got when the seat was pushed backwards was simply huge, bordering on unbelievable. They reckoned they had more space in the back of the Inster than my 2012 E-Class and it certainly looked and felt like it.

Being cars of course performance matters as any “electronhead will” tell you and here the Inster shines with over twice the power giving it a 0-100km/h time of 11.7s to the Spring’s 19s.

The Inster is a well balanced car and has that big car feel about it. The Spring feels smaller, more basic and lighter with the Dacia penchant for the stripping out of non-essentials at play here. The roadholding of the Inster is quite assured whereas the Spring feels less so and a bit vague which is really only exposed away from its natural city home. Noise levels are higher in the Spring with the Inster quite quiet and hushed.The Inster is the better place to be for me.

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In fact I have to say I don't know how Hyundai are doing it for the money and it will be a serious challenge for the expected competitors from China to match. I found the interior of the Inster similar to the Ionic 5 and 6, it’s that good, compared to the budgety feel of the Spring. Materials were better by far in the Inster compared to the immediate noticeability of the Spring’s quality gap. Having said that, I could drive these cars all day everyday in the city and be very happy with either, but if venturing afar I’d be in the Inster.

My conclusion is I’d buy the Hyundai Inster instantly if price isn't an issue and the Inster even if it was - I’d find/finance/beg for the money somehow. That €2,600 gap is more than made up by the superior range, faster charging, better warranty and better standard features. It has refinement, space and comfort which the Spring alas, doesn't.