Hyundai Staria Luxury stands out in more ways than one
DESPITE the market’s obsession with SUVS, the luxury van segment is enjoying a resurgence, and the Hyundai Staria is at the forefront of this.
With monthly sales averaging 140 units, the Staria has been neck and neck with Volkswagen’s Caravelle and Kombi bus range.
Hyundai’s bus range is priced from R818 900 for the Executive to R1137900 for the Luxury model, and there is also a handy five-seat Multicab model that Hyundai pitches as a more practical alternative to double-cab bakkies, at R764 900.
We spent a week with the Hyundai Staria Luxury, and while its price tag might seem a bit steep, this version is luxurious and it undercuts the Caravelle and Mercedes-benz’s V-class, as well as most of the Vito range.
But none of its rivals stands out in a crowd like this South Korean protagonist. Vans are usually boring to look at, but the Staria, which Hyundai admits was designed to resemble a spaceship, is striking.
That’s not the only thing that stands out about the Staria. Its on-road refinement is top-notch. Most vans can get creaky over uneven surfaces but the Hyundai has a build integrity that almost eliminates the phenomenon.
Engine noise is also well suppressed and the vehicle provides a quiet and refined experience at freeway speeds, and a comfortable ride too.
All variants are powered by a 2.2litre turbopetrol engine that produces 130kw and 430Nm, and although it has a considerable tare of 2285kg to
shift around, the torquey motor provides relatively effortless performance. As for fuel economy, our car managed 7 litres per 100km on a freeway trip, but after resetting for some urban driving, it proved somewhat thirsty, creeping up to the 12 litre/100km mark.
This is a huge vehicle, so manoeuvring
it into parking spaces can take a bit of effort. The interior is suitably vast. Whereas most rivals offer seating for seven or eight occupants, the Staria can accommodate nine, although the base Executive model is available as an 11-seater.
The Luxury nine-seat configuration in our test car had a four-row (2+2+2+3) format, allowing occupants to walk through the cabin without having to fold any seats back. However, with all four rows in place, legroom is fairly tight and there is no boot space to speak of, although the seats are all on rails, so you can adjust them. The fourth-row bench can also fold flat for additional luggage space.
Oh, and the second-row seats, which are heated and ventilated, can swivel to allow their occupants to face the third-row chairs, which don’t have ventilation and heating.
There are USB ports in all four rows. Entering the Staria Luxury model is a somewhat theatrical experience. The dual-sliding doors are electrically operated and can be activated by touching door handles when the key is within range. If the Staria looks like the Starship Enterprise on the outside, that feeling is replicated in the cockpit where you’re separated from the front passenger by a huge storage box.
The Staria Luxury has an ambient lighting system. Other features include a 12-speaker Bose sound system, surround-view monitor and dual sunroof. The cockpit includes a touch-screen infotainment system and a digital instrument cluster.
Overall, the Hyundai Staria Luxury flagship model is one of the most desirable vans money can buy.