Hyundai INSTER vs Suzuki e VITARA

The Suzuki e VITARA costs £2,494 more than the Hyundai INSTER. For that premium it adds 77 kW faster peak rapid charging, 35 kW more power and a 2.1s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Hyundai INSTER comes out ahead overall.

The Hyundai INSTER is £2,494 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £160 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Hyundai INSTER comes out roughly £2,494 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 145 miles for the Hyundai INSTER and 162 miles for the Suzuki e VITARA - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Suzuki e VITARA goes roughly 17 miles further between charging stops. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 30 minutes in the Hyundai INSTER and 45 in the Suzuki e VITARA, so the Hyundai INSTER loses less time at each stop. So the Suzuki e VITARA stops less often while the Hyundai INSTER stops for less time - pick on which you would rather do.

The Hyundai INSTER is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 190 mm narrower than the Suzuki e VITARA. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 790 mm of total clearance for the Hyundai INSTER and about 600 mm of total clearance for the Suzuki e VITARA.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 84% battery health for the Hyundai INSTER and 90% for the Suzuki e VITARA. That gives the Suzuki e VITARA a modest edge in retained real-world range. The Suzuki e VITARA's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the Hyundai INSTER's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.