Hyundai Staria

One of three first offerings by the Korean’s newly formed principal company, Hyundai Motor Malaysia (HMY), the new Hyundai Staria, upgraded and launched in Malaysia.

A people mover, the Multi-purpose Vehicle (MVP) segment contender comes in two seating configurations (10-seater – 10S, 7-seater – 7S).

Fully imported (CBU – Korea), available via Sime Motors are four variants (Style 10S – MYR 179,888, Prime 10S – MYR 196,888, Prestige 10S – MYR 209,888, Prestige 7S – MYR 267,888).

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) include a vehicle warranty (eight years/160,000 KM warranty) and a free service package (1,000 KM inspection, three times labour).

Exterior colours (Abyss Black Pearl, Creamy White – Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S). Interior colours (Black-Pattern Insert Film: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S – Grey-Brown: Prestige 7S).

The new Staria gets a rounded and tiered dashboard, linked to a high-rising-wide-island centre console (wireless charger).

Soft-/hard-touched (dash, steering wheel, centre console, doors), it sees contrast trimmings (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S: Dark Silver) with two variant-specific designs.

Upholstery (Alcantara: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) is in single-tone (Black-Pattern Insert Film: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S – Grey: Prestige 7S) colour schemes.

Equipped are floating driver/central displays (instrument cluster, infotainment), air-conditioning vents (full width, vertical), centre stack (push button gear selector – Prestige 7S, AC control panel) and an ambient light system (LED – Prestige 7S).

Inclusively, the layout is simple and straight-forward with accessibilities ergonomically arranged (driver-centric, passenger-oriented).

Installed are 4.2-Inch colour TFT LCD Multi-Information Display (MID) with analogue dials (Style 10S) and 10.25-Inch colour TFT LCD fully digital (Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) floating driver displays (instrument cluster).

Features are vehicle telematics, Bluetooth, navigation (Waze/Google Map) and voice recognition.

Comfortable, the interior sees leather (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S) and Nappa leather (Prestige 7S) upholsteries in single-tone (Black: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S – Brown: Prestige 7S) colour schemes.

Variant (10-seater – four rows) Style 10S, the first row gets manual-operated (driver/passenger: multi-way-adjust) bolstered seats. The second row gets a manual-operated (multi-way-adjust, 60:40 split-flat-fold) bolstered bench (three-seater). The third row gets manual-operated (multi-way-adjust, 50:50 split-fold) bolstered seats (two-seater: individual). The fourth row gets a manual-operated (recline-adjust, 60:40 split-fold) bolstered bench (three-seater).

Variants (10-seater – four rows) Prime 10S and Prestige 10S, the first row gets electric-powered (driver: multi-way-adjust, lumbar) and manual-operated (passenger: multi-way-adjust) bolstered seats. The second row gets a manual-operated (multi-way-adjust, 60:40 split-flat-fold) bolstered bench (three-seater). The third row gets manual-operated (multi-way-adjust, 50:50 split-fold) bolstered seats (two-seater: individual). The fourth row gets a manual-operated (recline-adjust, 60:40 split-fold) bolstered bench (three-seater).

Variant Prestige 7S, the first row gets electric-powered (driver/passenger: multi-way-adjust, driver-lumbar, heating/ventilation) bolstered seats. The second row gets electric-powered (Relaxation Seats: multi-way-adjust, lumbar, heating/ventilation, ottoman, armrest-adjust, one-touch recline, third row-walk-in switch access, 50:50 split-flat-fold) two-seater (captain chairs) bolstered seats. The third row gets a manual-operated (recline-adjust, 60:40 split-fold) bolstered bench (three-seater).

Included are headrests (first, second, third, fourth rows), armrests (first row – centre console, second row – centre seat fold-out/individual, third/fourth rows – integrated side panels), sunshades (rear side windows – manual pull-out) and dual glass sunroofs (front, rear section: electric: open/tilt/slide – Prestige 7S).

A large MPV (10S: 2-3-2-3 – 7S: 2-2-3), the cabin offers generous space, providing comfortable seatings with ample interior mobility for the occupants (front, middle, rear).

Sufficient head, shoulder and leg rooms.

Mounted is a two-spoke-round steering wheel, wrapped in single-tone (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S: Black – Grey: Prestige 7S) leather (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) with contrast trims (Dark Silver).

Features are multi-switches (Bluetooth, media, voice recognition, vehicle telematics), column adjustments (tilt, telescopic) and paddle shifters (Prestige 7S).

Drive is aided by a Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) system.

Practical storage spaces. E.g., glove box, partitioned/caverned/under-stowage centre console compartments and seat back/side door pockets.

Provided are six (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S) and eight (Prestige 7S) cup holders (first/second/third/fourth rows) and four bottle holders (one – side doors).

Equipped are eight (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S) and six (Prestige 7S) USB ports (first/second/third/fourth rows), one 12 V sockets (first row) and one wireless charger (first row – Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S).

Accessing the boot’s Smart Power Tailgate (Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) feature (handsfree – remote/key fob, sensor, height-speed-adjust), opens to 430-Litres (rear seats up) and 1,024-Litres (rear seats down) of load capacities.

Weighing in at 2,246 KG (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S) and 2,270 KG (Prestige 7S), the new Staria stands at 5,253 MM long, 1,997 MM wide, 1,990 MM tall and with a wheelbase spanning 3,273 MM.

Uniquely futuristic, it exudes a long and seamlessly jointed exterior, parading Hyundai’s ‘One Curve’ design aesthetic. 

The front-end sees a flat bonnet (DRL light strip: separated – Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S/single – Prestige 7S), smooth quarter panels (mildly raised fenders) and a rectangular bumper (grille: mesh inserts – vented: lower-central – Hyundai emblem).

Accentuations, body trims (Black: grille, vent, window surrounds, side mirror arms – Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S/Brass Chrome: bumper lip, grille, light surrounds, side mirrors, door handles – Prestige 7S) and Hyundai emblem (Dark Silver: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S – Brass Chrome: Prestige 7S).

Squarely curvy, it continues Hyundai’s ‘One Curve’ design aesthetic, emphasised by clean cut and seamlessly formed surfaces.

The rear-end sees a straight cut roofline (roof-edge spoiler), smooth quarter panels (mildly raised fenders), an upright tailgate (Hyundai emblem, Staria script) and a covered bumper (hidden exhaust).

Accentuations, body trims (Black: bumper, window surrounds roof-edge spoiler – Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S/Brass Chrome: bumper lip, tail lamp housings, door handles – Prestige 7S) and Hyundai/Staria emblem/script (Dark Silver: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S – Brass Chrome: Prestige 7S).

Grille-integrated, the Tetris-esque headlamps are housed square, large and vertical. Installed are full LED units (Pixel Projector Lens).

Features are automatic On/Off, welcome/leaving lights, High Beam Assist (HBA – Prestige 7S), light strip (separated: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S – single: Prestige 7S) Daytime Running Lights (DRL – LED) and sequential turn signals (LED).

Boxed-up, the Tetris-esque tail lamps are framed vertically elongated and 3D (‘Parametric Pixel’). Installed are LED combination units.

Features are automatic On/Off, welcome/leaving lights, sequential turn signals (LED) and ‘Parametric Cube’ graphics. Included is a high-mounted stop light (spoiler-integrated).

The dual-tone (Black-body-colour: Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S – Black-Brass Chrome: Prestige 7S) side mirrors are electric-powered (auto-fold, adjust).

Features are turn signals (LED) and blind-spot indicators (Blind-Spot Collision Warning: BSCW – Prestige 7S).

Variants Style 10S and Prime 10S rides on a set of 17-Inch six-twin-spoke (single-tone – Silver) alloy rims, wrapped in 215/65 R17 (front, rear) Kumho PorTran KC53 tyres.

Variant Prestige 10S cruises on a set of 18-Inch six-star-spoke (single-tone – Dark Silver) alloy rims, wrapped in 235/55 R18 (front, rear) Kumho PorTran KC53 tyres. 

Variants Prestige 7S rolls on a set of 18-Inch six-geometric-star-spoke (dual-tone – Dark Silver) alloy rims, wrapped in 235/55 R18 (front, rear) Kumho PorTran KC53 tyres.

The new Staria is installed with the Hyundai SmartSense suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

Grouped are High Beam Assist (HBA – Prestige 7S), Forward Collision-avoidance Assist (FCA – Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA – Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) & Lane Following Assist (LFA – Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), Driver Attention Warning (DAW – Prestige 7S), Leading Vehicle Departure (LVD – Prestige 7S), Alert Function (Prestige 7S), Blind-Spot Collision-Warning (BSCW – Prestige 7S), Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM – Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA – Prestige 7S), Safe Exit Assist (SEA), Surround View Monitor (SVM – Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) and Rear View Monitor (RVM – Style 10S).

Other systems include, Normal Cruise Control (NCC - Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Multi Collision Brake (MCB), Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold.

Passive safety includes six airbags (driver-passenger, front-rear sides, front-rear curtains), seat belts (reminders, pre-tensioners, anchors), ISOFIX (two – second row-outer-seat), parking sensors (four – front, rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), side mirrors (BSCW – Prestige 7S), interior rear-view mirror (day/night: Style 10S, Prime 10S – Electro Chromatic: Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), impact beams, door ajar warning, electric doors (power sliding rear – Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent) and anti-theft system (security alarm, immobiliser).

Four drive modes available via the Drive Mode Select (DMS – SMART, NORMAL, ECO, SPORT).

Installed is an 8.0-Inch HD touchscreen floating central display (infotainment). 

Features are AM/FM radio, AUX-in, USB, Bluetooth, smartphone integration, navigation (Waze/Google Map), voice recognition and vehicle telematics.

Entertainment is channelled via a standard system (six speakers – Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S) and a BOSE premium audio system (12 speakers – Prestige 7S).

The new Staria comes with an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrain.

Nestled (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) is a 2.2-Litre inline four-cylinder 16-valve turbocharged common-rail direct injection (CRDi) DOHC diesel engine (175 HP, 430 NM).

Mated to the setup is an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Power is transmitted to the front (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S) wheels, via a Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) system.

Fuel tank capacity is at 75-Litres (Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S).

The new Staria features these conveniences.

E.g., Smart Keyless Entry (engine Start/Stop button, remote engine start: Smart Key), Smart Power Tailgate (handsfree: remote/key fob, sensor, height-speed-adjust – Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), manual climate control (rear air vents - Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S) and single-zone automatic climate control (rear air vents - Prestige 7S) systems, electric-powered (first/second/third rows – multi-way-adjust, heating/ventilation, lumbar, Relaxation Seats) bolstered seats (Prestige 7S), headrests (front, rear), headrests (first, second, third, fourth rows), armrests (first row – centre console, second row – centre seat fold-out/individual, third/fourth rows – integrated side panels), sunshades (rear side windows – manual pull-out), dual glass sunroofs (front, rear section: electric: open/tilt/slide – Prestige 7S), partitioned/caverned/under-stowage centre console compartments, steering wheel (multi-function, column adjustments, paddle shifters, MDPS), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold, interior illumination (cabin/boot/ambient), parking sensors (four – front, rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), side mirrors (BSCW – Prestige 7S), interior rear-view mirror (day/night: Style 10S, Prime 10S – Electro Chromatic: Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), door ajar warning, electric doors (power sliding rear – Prime 10S, Prestige 10S, Prestige 7S), automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), automatic headlamps (On/Off/high beam/welcome lights), charging ports (USB, power sockets, wireless charger) and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Installed is a manual climate control (rear air vents - Style 10S, Prime 10S, Prestige 10S) and single-zone automatic climate control (rear air vents - Prestige 7S) systems. 

A suitable daily driver, the ride comfortability feels flexible and firm at the same time, providing great power with agile handling.

Suspension fitted is a setup of Macpherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear). Inside and out, performance- and comfort-wise, the ride quality is satisfactory.

Good sound insulation with the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects accounted for. The cabin is well-designed, enhancing the in-car ambience.

Part of the aero-acoustics measures taken is the installation of the double-laminated soundproof glass (side windows).

Overall, the cabin can suppress unwanted noises well and make them barely noticeable, even when cruising through bumpy asphalts or at high speeds. 

The new Hyundai Staria is built with a futuristically elegant appeal, offering appearance, space and practicality.

Smooth and seamlessly sculpted, its exterior is well-designed with roundly unison lines donating to a powerful overall character. 

Inside and out, the quality of the equipment installed is impressive with clean and minimalistic detailing.

Ultimately, the new Staria bargains more than just good looks, as it also offers plenty of other amenities at the price it comes with.