REVIEW: Hyundai Staria Luxury stands out in more ways than one

Review: Hyundai Staria R2.2 Luxury 9-seater

Johannesburg - Despite the market’s general obsession with SUVs, the luxury van segment is enjoying something of a resurgence, and the Hyundai Staria is right at the forefront of this.

With monthly sales averaging around 140 units of late, the Staria has been fighting neck and neck with Volkswagen’s Caravelle and Kombi bus range.

Hyundai’s bus range is priced from R818 900 for the Executive to R1 137 900 for the Luxury model (in October 2022), 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. Basically, there’s a Staria for every want or need.

We recently spent a week with the range-topping Hyundai Staria Luxury, and while its price tag might seem a bit steep, this version is luxurious and it comfortably undercuts the Caravelle and Merc’s V-Class, as well as most of the Vito range.

But none of its rivals stand out in a crowd like this South Korean protagonist. Vans, with their practical designs that maximise interior volume, are usually boring to look at, but the Staria, which Hyundai admits was designed to resemble a spaceship, is striking by comparison. Even though it has becoming a fairly common sight on our roads, it’s something of a head-turner.

But that’s not the only thing that stands out about the Staria. Its on-road refinement is top notch. Most vans, owing to their commercial vehicle origins, can get a little creaky over uneven surfaces but the Hyundai has a build integrity that almost eliminates the phenomenon.

Engine noise is also well suppressed and, overall, the vehicle provides a quiet and refined experience at freeway speeds, and the ride quality is comfortable too.

All variants are powered by a 2.2-litre 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 that should satisfy most owners. As for fuel economy, our car managed a relatively impressive 7.0 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 in the urban confines can take a bit of effort. Now that we’re talking size…

How practical is the Hyundai Staria?

The vehicle’s large size translates into a suitably vast interior. 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 to the quantity of people on board. The fourth-row bench can also fold flat for additional luggage space when it’s not in use.

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. Hyundai has also provided USB ports for all four rows.

Entering the Staria Luxury model is a somewhat theatrical experience. The dual-sliding doors of this range-topping model are electrically operated, and can be activated by touching door handles when the key is within range. It’s certainly something I could live without, but if you must show off to the Joneses next door, then it should do the trick.

If the Staria looks like the Starship Enterprise on the outside, that feeling is replicated in the cockpit area where you’re separated from the front passenger by a huge storage box with a sliding tray and ambient lighting. The Staria Luxury has a 10-speaker ambient lighting system, by the way.

Other luxury features include a 12-speaker Bose sound system, surround view monitor and dual sunroof.

The cockpit area also includes an 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system and digital instrument cluster.

VERDICT

With its arresting looks and luxurious cabin that seats up to nine people, the Hyundai Staria Luxury flagship model is one of the most desirable vans money can buy. While it does seem expensive at R1 137 900, it undercuts its main rivals in the luxury van market and, apart from the lack of manoeuvrability owing to its massive size, it is agreeable to drive.

FACTS: Hyundai Staria 2.2D Luxury

Price: R1 137 900

Engine: 2.2-litre, 4-cyl, turbodiesel

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic

ower: 130kW at 3 800rpm

Torque: 430Nm from 1 500rpm

0-100km/h: 12.4 seconds (claimed)

Top speed: 185km/h

Fuel use, urban: 12.1 l/100km (tested)

Fuel use, highway: 7.0 l/100km (tested)

Kerb weight: 2 285kg

Fuel tank capacity: 75 litres