Hyundai continues to play the fun card in the sometimes overly serious world of electric vehicles. With the Insteroid, the South Korean manufacturer is completely revisiting its compact SUV Inster, injecting it with a good dose of gaming culture and outrageous design. A first official teaser was published this week, ahead of a presentation scheduled for April 4, at the Seoul Mobility Show.
An SUV on steroids and pixels
The very name of the concept sets the tone: Insteroid is a contraction of "Inster" and "Steroid", which suggests a muscular and exuberant version of the small urban SUV. And indeed, it is difficult to recognize the original base as the bodywork has been so transformed. Among the most spectacular elements, we note oversized wheel arches, directly inspired by rallying, 21-inch rims with spherical patterns, an air intake on the roof, a huge diffuser at the rear and especially an oversized spoiler at double panel.
The interior follows the same logic as the exterior: everything is exaggerated. The first images suggest a passenger compartment emptied of its rear seats, replaced by a tubular structure, like a roll bar. Video game elements invite themselves to on board: orange seatbelts, "Boost" buttons, different driving modes, and an interface inspired by arcade games.
A Pac-Man-style ghost logo even appears on the sides of the vehicle. Hyundai makes no secret of its intention to blur the lines between real and virtual: the concept is presented as an "exhilarating glitch in the automotive matrix, merging the aesthetic codes of video games with real-world engineering." Just that.
The project is reminiscent of other recent electric concepts from the manufacturer, such as the RN22e or the Ioniq 5 N, both designed as rolling laboratories for sports technologies. It remains to be seen whether the Insteroid will adopt certain technical elements, such as a dual motor offering performance worthy of current sports cars. No figures have yet been released, but there is hope.
Behind this extravagant concept, Hyundai is continuing its strategy aimed at make electric vehicles more attractive, particularly to a young audience keen on digital culture. The manufacturer clearly assumes its playful approach, without seeking to camouflage the "technological showcase" side of the project. The Insteroid will not be mass-produced, but it could inspire sportier versions of the Inster model, already available in Europe and Korea with a range of up to 370 km WLTP.
The Insteroid is also part of a broader trend among Asian manufacturers: breaking the traditional codes of the electric car by focusing on spectacular designs, references to pop culture, and uninhibited communication. With its air of a car escaped from a virtual circuit, the Insteroid leaves no one indifferent. The answer will be revealed at the beginning of April on the Hyundai stand.
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