Hyundai Inster vs BYD Dolphin Surf: cool urban EVs go wheel-to-wheel for the crown

Barely 12 months ago, the chances of getting your hands on a small electric car were pretty slim. One or two contenders were around, but more choice at this end of the market – especially where simple, clean EV powertrains designed for urban use make the most sense – will always be welcome.

Two such options have arrived recently: one from a brand that’s in a fantastic run of form, the other from a manufacturer that has burst onto the UK market and introduced a range that grows more comprehensive by the month. Hyundai has been one of the best car makers this decade, with its Ioniq 5 and Kona Electric both winning our New Car Awards Car of the Year crown in the past five years. 

Its latest electric car is significantly smaller than either of those champions, but not when it comes to personality; the Inster is a quirky-looking electric vehicle that stands out even among some very distinctive new rivals.

Here, it faces off against BYD’s Dolphin Surf. The brand’s arrival in the UK market has been largely promising, but so far its cars have never quite hit the highs to top their class. Could its smallest and cheapest contender yet be about to change all of that?

Hyundai Inster

28

The Inster is the smallest member of Hyundai’s EV line-up, arriving just before the firm’s largest EV offering, the Ioniq 9. This little-and-large pairing bring the total number of models to five, giving buyers a very comprehensive range to choose from.

Its size will no doubt make the Inster an ideal choice as the second vehicle in a two-car family, although alongside some of its similarly sized rivals, the prices look a touch high, ranging from £23,505 to £28,755. In 02 trim, as tested here, it costs £26,755.

Tester's notes

There aren’t many cars on sale measuring just 3.8 metres long that offer up so much space inside, and the clever details which allow that to happen start right at the front of the Hyundai Inster’s cabin. 

As with the larger Ioniq 5, the Inster has a column-mounted shifter that allows more space to be freed up between the front seats. Storage space is mounted either on the tall dash area or, in the case of the cup-holders, sitting in an upholstered section integrated between the front seats.

We think the sweet spot in the Inster range is the 02 model, giving the best balance between value and standard equipment. At almost 27 grand, it’s still pricey, but it makes more sense than the Inster Cross. 

In addition to its chunky SUV-inspired looks, this brings a sunroof, a surround-view monitor and extra driver- assistance tech, but costs a full £2,000 more than the 02. At that point, it’s bringing the Inster’s price very near to £29,000, which draws it very close to significantly more substantial cars.

BYD Dolphin Surf

28

BYD has adopted an aquatic theme for most of its car names so far. In other markets, this newcomer is known as the Seagull, but that wasn’t fancied in the UK. Instead, it’s called the Dolphin Surf – and not to be confused with the slightly larger Dolphin compact EV. The Surf is priced very keenly, starting from £18,650, but that buys a model with both a relatively small 30kWh battery and a modest 87bhp power output. The version we’re testing here, with a 43.2kWh pack and 154bhp, costs £23,950.

Tester's notes

Nobody can accuse the Dolphin Surf of being short of driver-assist tech, because adaptive cruise control, emergency lane-keep assist and traffic-sign recognition are all standard. There’s also a driver-monitoring system fitted on all cars – and it’s one of the worst we’ve had the displeasure of using. 

Peering around an approaching corner, a lingering look in one of the mirrors, looking just beyond the bonnet line for an upcoming speed bump; these are just some of the situations that caused the BYD to bark “Keep eyes on road!” at us when on the move.

Even though this is BYD’s cheapest car in the UK, there’s been no skimping on the eye-catching tech. Just as with its larger siblings, the Dolphin Surf gets a rotating touchscreen. At the push of a button (either on the steering wheel or the 10.1-inch display itself), the screen electrically rotates from a landscape to a portrait layout. It may impress your mates for a  moment or two, but beyond that, it’s a bit of a gimmick – especially when the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay systems that most drivers will use only work in landscape mode.

Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.

Head-to-head

28

On the road

For such small cars, this pair ride with remarkable compliance, easily making them feel grown up enough to live with every day. The BYD’s tiny turning circle makes it great to drive in town, but its steering response and feedback have plenty of room for improvement. The Hyundai’s natural-feeling steering makes it more fun to drive than the BYD, but the Dolphin Surf is quieter at motorway speeds.

Tech highlights

When it comes to battery capacity, the Inster steals a march on its rival with a 49kWh unit – 5.8kWh more than the BYD. However, the Dolphin Surf’s electric motor delivers more performance. Figures of 154bhp and 220Nm beat the Hyundai by a significant 41bhp and 73Nm, so even though the BYD is the heavier car, it still accelerates from 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds, 1.5 seconds quicker than the Inster.

Price and running

In our hands, the Dolphin Surf proved to be the more efficient of this pair – if only just – achieving 3.9 miles/kWh to the Inster’s 3.8 miles/kWh figure. Thanks to its larger battery, the Hyundai can travel further on a single charge, though; when we tested both models until they ran out of charge, the Hyundai covered 184 miles before it reached zero, while the BYD managed just 168 miles.

Practicality

The Inster lets drivers choose between vast interior space or a decent boot, thanks to a sliding rear bench. With that in its rearmost position, knee and head room are superb, but the boot is a modest 238 litres. With the bench moved forward, there’s 351 litres, but knee room drops behind the BYD and its 308-litre boot. Given that the Hyundai is smaller than its rival on the outside, its packaging is very impressive.

Safety

Blind-spot monitoring is only offered on the top-spec Inster Cross, but other versions get lane-keep and lane-follow assist as standard. The on-board safety tech contributed to the Hyundai’s four-star rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2025. The body hasn’t evaluated the Dolphin Surf yet, but every BYD tested by NCAP so far has got a maximum five-star rating, which bodes well for the brand’s smallest car.

Ownership

Hyundai finished 20th out of 31 in our 2025 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey for brands – not outstanding, but largely consistent with what the Korean firm achieved in 2024. BYD’s first showing in our survey wasn’t a strong one; it beat only MG on the way to 30th place. At least both marques here provide strong warranties, with Hyundai owners getting five years’ cover and BYD drivers six years’.

Verdict

Winner: BYD Dolphin Surf

28

Most of what BYD has offered in the UK so far has been competent yet fairly unremarkable, but the Dolphin Surf is its best offering yet. In a segment where value really matters, BYD has delivered a competitively priced, well equipped small EV, that blends plenty of performance, interior space and maturity for its asking price. 

Character and fun aren’t high on its list of qualities, but that won’t bother value-focused buyers. An efficient powertrain and a long warranty hold more appeal for those choosing a car with their head. That value gives the BYD the edge over the Hyundai in this contest.

Buy a new BYD Dolphin Surf now

Runner-up: Hyundai Inster

28

If we take price out of the equation, then the Hyundai Inster is the superior package in this contest. More spacious, better to drive and boasting a fantastic range for a car of this size, there’s a huge amount to appreciate. 

However, it’s not enough to overcome the difference in price between these two models, and value for money plays a big part in the overall result at the smaller, more affordable end of the market. The Inster is a more desirable, characterful product than the BYD Dolphin Surf, so those who can stretch the budget will be getting hold of a cracking small car.

Buy a new Hyundai Inster now

Prices and specs

What we would choose

28

Hyundai Inster

Buyers can add the Tech Pack (£500) that includes a three-pin plug socket for powering accessories, plus a digital key which lets users lock and unlock the car with their smartphone. A £500 black contrast roof is an option.

BYD Dolphin Surf

There aren’t any options for Surf buyers; gaining more kit means spending more cash on a higher trim level. There are only four colours available, but at least the retina-burning luminous ‘Lime Green’ is fairly cheerful.

Looking for your next car? You can now search our nationwide dealer network for a choice of great cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from...