In the lead-up to the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show opening this week, Hyundai Motor Co. unveiled its Insteroid design concept car based on the hot-selling Inster EV (electric vehicle) that merges gaming influences with extensive customization. The concept will be showcased at the show after its launch event for media and content creators at the Peaches D8NE cultural and retail space in Seoul’s Seongsu neighborhood, which ended with a private “Night Garage Party.”

The electric sub-compact urban SUV, launched last year and a top-three finalist for the 2025 World Car of the Year award, is the foundation for the radical project. Crafted in secrecy by Hyundai Motor’s European design team, the “true concept car” fuses the essence of the off-road-inspired Cross derivative shown at Inster’s debut in 2024 with dynamic “steroid” energy, reflecting “its spirited nature and muscular look.”

“Insteroid is a celebration of pure fun—a journey where we explored new ways to ignite emotion and imagination in every detail,” said Simon Loasby, Senior Vice President and Head of the Hyundai Design Center. “It’s not just about how it looks, but also how it sounds and how it makes you feel. From its bold visual language to the immersive sound experience, it’s a concept that invites everyone to dream a little louder and smile a little longer.”

Hyundai Motor unveiled the all-electric Inster at the 2024 Busan International Mobility Show. The A-segment subcompact EV builds on the design of the Korea-only gasoline-fueled Casper introduced in 2021, with an extended body and wheelbase and a more rugged-looking compact SUV body. The car is 3825 mm (150.6 in) long, 1610 mm (63.4 in) wide, and 1575 mm (62.0 in) tall on a 2580-mm (101.6-in) wheelbase.

The production car offers battery packs in standard 266-V 42 kW·h or optional long-range 310-V 49 kW·h. The standard WLTP range is expected to exceed 300 km (186 mi). For a claimed best in its segment, the long-range model with 15-in wheels gets a projected WLTP range of 355 km (220 mi) from an estimated WLTP energy consumption of 15.3 kW·h/100 km.

A single motor powers the car in 71.1 kW (standard range) or 84.5 kW (long range) versions, both offering 147 N·m (108 lb·ft), with 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in 11.7 s or 10.6 s and a maximum speed of 140 or 150 km/h (87 or 93 mph), respectively.

The gamified design concept is amped up with extreme sporty styling and eco-conscious materials. The gaming-inspired design updates include an extended, widened body, “track-optimized” wheels, and a prominent wing spoiler, diffuser, and wheel arch air vents aimed at delivering advanced aerodynamics.

“Insteroid represents a modern take on the idea of a dream car,” said Eduardo Ramírez, Chief Designer at Hyundai Design Europe. “It is designed to inspire and create enthusiasm. This project allowed us to fully embrace unrestrained creativity, drawing inspiration from video games to create an emotional and engaging vision of Hyundai’s brand.”

Inside is a stripped-down cockpit layout with bucket seats, a roll cage, and a special instrument cluster, creating an immersive driving experience. Elements are adjustable, reflecting the user-centered spirit of a garage-built machine, says the brand. The Insteroid aims to transform the driving experience with its Drift Mode, promising competitive thrills paired with light-hearted driving enjoyment.

Adding to its multisensory experience, Insteroid produces a unique sound signature. Details, such as the integrated Beat House sound system developed with Silberform Dynamics and Message Grid, enable personalized interactions to enhance driver engagement. Throughout the design, the Boost icon represents multiple unique personas, reinforcing “the emotional connection” between car and driver.

The concept’s exterior, finished in a soft white shade, is punctuated by bold orange detailing. The design is carried through to a reflective race suit for the driver with prominent Insteroid lettering.

Lightweight vehicle lattice structures are integrated to optimize performance and reduce overall weight. The Insteroid embodies Hyundai Motor’s commitment to sustainability by pioneering innovative approaches to eco-conscious materials, with the interior showcasing a 3D knit fabric made from recycled yarns, using a single-piece, made-to-measure process.

Serving as a halo model for the Inster lineup, Insteroid is set to hit the road for major auto events in key markets such as Korea and Europe to boost consumer interest in Inster. Initially introduced in Korea and Europe, Hyundai Motor will further expand the rollout in 2025 to select markets across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Central and South America regions.

The concept’s launch-event exhibition space featured Inster and the outdoor-focused Inster Cross and a dedicated space allowing visitors to experience a variety of games featuring the Insteroid.

One of the games developed by Hyundai Motor is a time-attack-style challenge where players collect “steroid” items in Inster, enabling the car to evolve into Insteroid. This game is set to be unveiled to the public in April via a URL, eliminating the need for app downloads. Additionally, Hyundai Motor revealed the Insteroid Kart, which will be released later as a tool in Nexon’s “Kartrider Rush+.”

Hyundai Motor is expanding its content marketing initiatives into gaming to strengthen brand engagement with Gen Z and Alpha audiences. The Insteroid and Nexon collaborations build on the previous launches of “Hyundai Future Adventure” on the Roblox platform and “Timeless Seoul” on Navier Z’s Zepeto platform.

In Seoul, Hyundai Motor also announced a collaboration with Gameloft and its racing game “Asphalt Legends Unite,” launching its high-performance models on digital racing tracks. The game, available across multiple platforms, including consoles, PC, and mobile, is an award-winning title that enjoys widespread global popularity.

“Last year, we launched content-driven marketing through the short film ‘Night Fishing,’ focusing on storytelling as a way to breakthrough the decline of traditional advertising,” said Sungwon Jee, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai Motor Co. “This year, we are expanding our brand storytelling into gaming through our partnership with Asphalt Legends Unite to connect younger generations in a space they love.”

Starting April 2, with the release of Asphalt Legends Unite Update 43, players can drive the Ioniq 5 N high-performance EV and the N Vision 74 high-performance hydrogen fuel cell-hybrid concept car. From April 3 to 30, Hyundai Motor will host a four-week in-game event featuring both vehicles.

In each event, the fastest player will be honored as a winner, and a total of three winners will be invited to South Korea to explore landmarks in Seoul and brand spaces. They will have the opportunity to test drive the Ioniq 5 N and visit the N Festival 2025, the biggest one-make race in Korea.