Hyundai’s Staria people mover goes back to the future

If you’re planning a trip around Australia with family or friends, there aren’t many cars that would do a better job than this one.

Richard Blackburn

@RTMBlackburn

3 min read

October 19, 2021 - 12:37PM

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People movers have largely fallen out of fashion.

But Hyundai’s new van aims to change that with a rare blend of style and practicality.

Value

The cheapest Staria available is a V6 petrol-powered, front-drive model that costs roughly $53,700 drive-away.

The top-of-the-range Highlander model we drove costs about $72,700 drive-away and comes with all-wheel-drive and a diesel engine.

The new Hyundai Staria has styling inspired by science fiction.

That’s a lot of dough, but the Staria is a lot of car. It seats eight people and most importantly it will comfortably swallow their luggage. Similarly priced seven-seat SUVs have very little room for bags if the third-row seats are up.

Cabin highlights include quality leather throughout, large digital screens in front of the driver, wireless smartphone charging, satnav and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Family-friendly touches include a wide-angle, hi-definition camera for keeping an eye on the back pews and a “quiet mode” that mutes the speakers in the back rows if the kids are sleeping.

A huge sunroof delivers an airy feel in the cabin. A five-year warranty is provided and capped servicing costs $1800 for five visits.

Twin digital displays feature in a cabin loaded with kit.

Comfort

Around town, the Staria can feel a little cumbersome, but on the open road, with a full load of passengers, there aren’t many better touring vehicles.

Huge, low-set windows give everyone a great view of the scenery, while the second and third-row seats can be slid forward and back for extra legroom or cargo carrying ability.

There are aircon vents to all three rows, as well as five USB charging ports and 16 cupholders.

Sliding doors make it easy for passengers to access the new machine.

The front seats are heated and ventilated, while sliding doors and easily folded seats provide clear access to all three rows.

The floor of the rear load area is low for loading groceries, while a power tailgate makes life easy for mums and dads who have their hands full.

The Staria does a good job of soaking up bumps and corrugations, too. Wind noise is noticeable on the freeway, though, and the tyres can roar on rougher surfaces.

The Staria looks stormtrooper-chic in white.

Safety

All the bases are covered here. There are seven airbags, including one between the driver and passenger to stop them bumping heads.

The collision avoidance tech is as comprehensive as you’ll see on a vehicle this price. It includes auto emergency braking, lane-keep and blind-spot assist, auto high-beam dimming and radar cruise control.

The Staria will hit the brakes if you’re about to hit something while reversing or if you’re going to turn into oncoming traffic. It will also stop the doors being opened if a car or cyclist is passing.

Photo of the new 2021 Hyundai Staria

Driving

If you’re looking for driving excitement, look elsewhere. A vehicle this long, tall and heavy is never going to feel nimble through the corners but the Staria feels secure and predictable, with a comfortable ride and reasonable feedback through the steering wheel.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine isn’t as refined, punchy or economical as the later generation version in the Kia Carnival but it gets the job done. It’s the pick of the two engines on offer, as the cheaper V6 is thirsty.