The Toughened-Up Hyundai Inster Cross Will Set You Back £28,745

When the Hyundai Inster was revealed last year, we all went “Awwww! It’s so cute!” Then, when the beefed-up Inster cross version was revealed later in the month, we all went “Awwww! It’s trying to look tough with its plastic cladding and chunky wheels, but it’s still so cute!”

This, really, is a bit like a Labrador puppy doing a little growl and baring its still-developing teeth – it’s not fooling anyone. No amount of chunky plastic cladding, underbody protection, upsized 17-inch alloys or roof racks can distract from the fact that, really, the Inster is still one of the cutest, friendliest cars on sale. Now, we know how much all that extra toughness will cost: £28,745.

We suspect that, despite these images showing the Inster Cross atop a barren, rocky mountain, it probably won’t be the first choice of vehicle for adventures miles off the beaten track.

The Cross is only available with the bigger-batteried, more powerful version of the Inster’s two powertrains: a 49kWh battery that provides power to a 113bhp motor which in turn drives the front wheels. The resulting performance numbers are unsurprisingly leisurely: 0-62mph in 10.6 seconds and a 93mph top speed.

Hyundai reckons on a quoted range figure of 223 miles – six fewer than the non-Cross Inster, which is likely a result of fitting bigger wheels and sticking a roof rack on the top.

Besides the obvious visual changes, there’s a new Cross-exclusive paint colour available – matte Amazonas Green – and flashes of lime yellow on the interior. Paint colours, incidentally, are the only optional extras, with the two matte colours – Amazonas Green and Aero Silver – adding an extra £800 to the base price.

The Cross is now on sale in the UK, its position as the range-topper adding an extra £2000 to the price of the Inster 02, the posher of the two non-Cross models. The basic car with the smaller battery and less powerful 96bhp motor, meanwhile, starts at £23,495.