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A curly-haired woman and a sunglass-wearing bloke at a big picket desk yell throughout the cafe: “Excuse me, is that your Staria?” While I ponder my reply, which is each sure and no – given it’s a CarKnowledgeable check car – they add: “We’ve been considering one, but we’re also looking at the Volkswagen.”
The Hyundai Staria folks mover, although, has simply been given a makeover: “That’s the new updated 2027 model, the top-spec Lounge, which is the first Staria hybrid,” I reply, upping the intrigue in a single sentence.
The inquisitive coffee-goers contemplating the diesel-powered Volkswagen Multivan may be tempted by Staria rivals such because the diesel-powered Ford Tourneo or the Kia Carnival, which, like the brand new Staria, gives the mixture of hybrid energy and 7 seats.
Hyundai’s newest replace is the most important change to the Staria because it launched right here in 2021, its futuristic design (anybody keep in mind the 1993 movie Coneheads?) beforehand supplied solely with petrol and diesel engines and having not aged one bit.
The hybrid arrives as a part of a rejigged three-model lineup – one petrol and one diesel, each badged merely as ‘Staria’ and providing eight seats – plus the only hybrid mannequin grade within the luxury-tilted, seven-seat Staria Lounge we’re testing right here.
It additionally brings a minor facelift, specification modifications together with chassis tweaks, and modest value rises throughout the simplified lineup.
Hyundai reckons the hybrid will make up round 40 per cent of Staria gross sales however, in launching it alongside its business sibling, the Staria Load, admitted it’s not trying to chase down the dominant Carnival’s staggering 88.4 per cent section share.
Yet is that promoting the Staria Lounge Hybrid quick? We’ve pushed it some critical miles, together with a visit from Sydney to Melbourne, to search out out.
How a lot does the Hyundai Staria price?
The Staria Lounge is the flagship mannequin, priced at $73,340 earlier than on-road prices, making it the costliest mannequin within the vary by greater than $20,000 and pricier than the pre-facelift Highlander mannequin grade it replaces, which was $65,500 in petrol guise, with diesel an additional $3000.
Our check car was optioned with Ecotronic Grey paint ($750) and a Beige inside ($250), taking the worth to $74,340 earlier than on-road prices.
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For 2027, diesel and petrol variations are priced identically at $54,300 and supplied solely within the entry-level mannequin grade identified merely as ‘Staria’. That means you want the Lounge to entry each the top-spec mannequin and the hybrid within the new lineup.
The $73,340 checklist value is across the identical because the diesel-powered Ford Tourneo Titanium X ($72,490), however lower than the range-topping Kia Carnival GT-Line HEV – which makes use of the identical hybrid powertrain because the Staria – at $76,840 earlier than on-road prices.
It’s additionally lower than the most affordable Volkswagen Multivan, which shares its underpinnings and diesel powertrain with the Ford Tourneo, priced from $77,290 earlier than on-road prices.
|
Model |
Price earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
|
2026 Hyundai Staria 3.5L V6 FWD |
$54,300 |
|
2026 Hyundai Staria 2.2L diesel FWD |
$54,300 |
|
2026 Hyundai Staria Lounge HEV FWD |
$73,740 |
To see how the Hyundai Staria traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
What is the Hyundai Staria like on the within?
While it is modern and nearly Eighties retro on the skin, the Staria’s actual enchantment is on the within – the place it actually earns its Lounge designation.
Our check car got here with the Beige inside – which, together with a burgundy color alternative, is a $295 choice above the usual black – and covers the whole lot from the six Nappa leather-trimmed seats – together with two centre captain’s chairs – to the suede pillars, roof lining and full sprint high.
The high quality is great, with no indicators of cost-saving anyplace; even the solar visors are trimmed in a clean beige suede, whereas the contact factors are all high-end, from the push-button begin and chrome Staria-branded door sills to the metallic driver pedals.
The up to date Staria additionally brings a redesigned sprint boasting extra horizontal ‘shelf area’, whereas the gear selector has been repositioned to the right-hand facet of the steering column, alongside an up to date Hyundai steering wheel design.
The new wheel feels good to carry, whereas the structure is superb, with a great deal of cubby areas – the tall entrance doorways, for instance, have three pockets of various sizes, holding the whole lot from a pen up high to drink containers and bigger objects.
The sprint’s centre stack contains bodily buttons for the air-conditioning – which oddly is not dual-zone up entrance – and wi-fi telephone charging with a magnetic holder, though it might probably solely cost one telephone at a time, that means the entrance passenger should use one of many entrance two USB-C ports as an alternative.
Connecting a telephone to the infotainment via the 12.3-inch centre display is superb, giving entry to the Bose Centrepoint audio system, which gives high quality sound that may be directed to particular areas of the cabin via one of many 12 audio system.
New for the Lounge is Hyundai Digital Key 2, which provides proximity keyless entry and engine begin through a smartphone, and might be shared with as much as 15 different units if the Staria is utilized by a number of folks.
Hyundai Bluelink related automobile companies are supplied for the primary time on the Staria, too, with a five-year subscription enabling options resembling automated emergency calling, send-to-car navigation and ‘discover my automobile’.
From the motive force’s seat, there’s additionally a button to request the 360-degree digital camera – and a second-row digital camera monitor – which is sharp and clear, whereas there are the motive force help techniques talked about within the drive part, together with the blind-spot cameras displayed within the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
The centre console is cavernous and contains ambient lighting that additionally extends throughout the sprint and across the perimeter of the cabin – together with the third row.
The entrance seats are each electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated – as are the second-row captain’s chairs, which sit on a pair of rails and are adjusted utilizing a handbook lever.
You can set the heating, air flow and place of the second-row chairs from the entrance touchscreen, in addition to utilizing the controls on the seats themselves. There are additionally overhead buttons to open the facet doorways and tailgate from the motive force’s seat.
Getting to the second row calls for fairly a step up, particularly for older folks, and though there are seize handles on the pillar to assist, it is nonetheless an effort to clamber in – a set of facet steps could be a welcome characteristic right here.
Once on board, second-row passengers can bask within the gentle from a separate mounted glass roof with a sunshade, whereas there’s climate-control air flow, Bose audio system and door bins, in addition to map pockets and a coat hook on the again of the entrance seats.
That rear of the centre console additionally gives retractable cupholders, two USB-C charging ports and a decrease stowage drawer, whereas there are buttons to function the rear air-conditioning – together with a temperature show – and the auto-sliding doorways.
There’s additionally a gap part within the sliding-door home windows, with privateness glass for the second and third rows.
One miss is the dearth of anchorage factors for little one seats, which sees two ISOFIX and two top-tethers within the second row, however none within the third row, making it doubtlessly unsuitable for some younger households.
The third row includes a bench seat that may be manually folded flat or upright in various methods, with air vents, a USB-C port on every pillar, audio system and local weather vents extending to the rearmost occupants – together with curtain airbags, handbook sunshades and pop-out opening home windows.
There is sufficient cargo area behind the third row for baggage and – in our case – a couple of bins of books, however the usual energy tailgate means entry might be restricted as a result of it is so tall.
It means you want nearly six metres of area to park the Staria and open the tailgate totally.
That mentioned, the timer that routinely closes the tailgate after a set interval was wonderful for carrying these heavy bins from the Staria with out worrying about leaving the cargo uncovered, closing as we moved every field.
|
Dimensions |
Hyundai Staria |
|---|---|
|
Length |
5253mm |
|
Width |
1997mm |
|
Height |
1990mm |
|
Wheelbase |
3273mm |
|
Cargo capability |
117L (behind the third row) 431L (third row folded) |
To see how the Hyundai Staria traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
What’s below the bonnet?
The Staria Lounge is fitted with a hybrid powertrain already supplied in different Hyundai and Kia fashions, together with its market rival and segment-leading Kia Carnival.
It sees a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, a six-speed automated transmission and 54kW electrical motor teamed with a 1.49kWh battery driving the entrance wheels, with all-wheel drive now not out there.
Combined outputs are 180kW/367Nm with claimed mixed gasoline consumption of 6.5L/100km, making it probably the most fuel-efficient Staria, with the diesel rated at 7.2L/100km and the petrol at 10.5L/100km.
Our on-test end result was 7.97L/100km on customary 91-octane petrol driving from the sting of Sydney to Melbourne, stopping after 776km (round 80km in need of the southern metropolis) to refuel the 65L tank. The hybrid’s tank is 10L smaller than the petrol and diesel Staria’s, which might have seen us make all of it the best way.
Our general determine for the hybrid on check was simply over 7.2L/100km, together with peak-hour metropolis commutes, the place it did even higher, with some quick journeys as little as 4.5L/100km.
While it has gained a hybrid powertrain, the Staria has misplaced all-wheel drive, which was customary with the earlier diesel-powered Highlander flagship, with all the folks mover lineup – and Staria Load business vary – now front-wheel drive solely.
Oddly, on the time of writing, the hybrid does not have a braked towing ranking, regardless of the identical powertrain being rated in different fashions it is utilized in – resembling Hyundai’s Tucson and Santa Fe SUVs – whereas the petrol and diesel Staria are each rated to tow 2500kg braked.
|
Specifications |
Hyundai Staria Lounge |
|---|---|
|
Engine |
1.6L 4cyl turbo-petrol hybrid |
|
Engine outputs |
132kW/265Nm |
|
Hybrid system |
single-motor electrical |
|
Peak electrical motor outputs |
54kW/304Nm |
|
Peak system outputs |
180kW/367Nm |
|
Battery |
1.49kWh lithium-ion polymer |
|
Transmission |
6-speed automated |
|
Drive kind |
Front-wheel drive |
|
Tare mass |
2387kg |
|
0-100km/h (claimed) |
– |
|
Fuel economic system (claimed) |
6.5L/100km |
|
Fuel economic system (as examined) |
7.2L/100km |
|
Fuel tank capability |
65L |
|
Fuel requirement |
91-octane unleaded |
|
CO2 emissions |
147g/km |
|
Emissions customary |
Euro 5 |
|
Braked towing capability |
0kg |
To see how the Hyundai Staria traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
How does the Hyundai Staria drive?
The Staria’s character spills over from its daring seems to be, assured cabin structure and user-friendliness right into a van that – regardless of its 5253mm size – is simple to drive and straightforward on gasoline.
The driver’s seat is tremendous snug with a great deal of area – there’s sufficient headroom you would in all probability put on a sombrero to a Mexican meals pageant, no dramas – and all-round imaginative and prescient is great.
The facet mirrors are giant, the centre mirror giving sufficient rearward imaginative and prescient, and whereas on the transfer there’s not solely blind-spot indicators, but additionally rearward cameras down the facet of the car when the symptoms are on.
This is vital, because the Staria initially feels lengthy and pivots across the entrance axle – making it really feel such as you’re dragging a considerable amount of baggage behind you. But it is not lengthy earlier than you turn into accustomed to it – there is a large 3.4 turns lock-to-lock, and the 360-degree digital camera is superb for parking and tackling gaps in visitors.
That contains at evening, the place – regardless of the trendy front-end design – the Staria’s auto headlights work effectively and successfully gentle up the panorama forward.
On town commute, the Staria additional underlines its manoeuvrability, with the sunshine steering, first rate traction and electrical response making it not daunting in any respect, even being as giant as a CBD condo. It additionally pulls up fairly effectively, regardless of its 2378kg kerb weight, including confidence.
The powertrain switches seamlessly between petrol and electrical energy in all three driving modes: Eco, which we spent probably the most time in; Sport – which modifications the crisp digital sprint to crimson – and Smart, which determines the perfect type of propulsion primarily based on how heavy your proper foot is.
The response off the road just isn’t brutal, however the Staria is highly effective sufficient to remain out of bother, by no means feeling sluggish, but remaining comparatively refined. There’s an nearly rorty engine word if you happen to actually push it, which individuals movers aren’t made for, however the punch and backing monitor are on faucet if wanted.
At slower speeds, its serene electrical motor helps refinement – it will even swap to electrical energy at 110km/h on the freeway. It’s a superb powertrain, with a reliable steadiness of energy and economic system, all whereas remaining well-mannered.
It’s refined sufficient for us to select up slight wind noise above round 75km/h within the Staria, usually drowned out by the ruts, floor modifications and coarse surfaces of the poorly maintained Hume Highway as we headed south.
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Freeway speeds additionally reveal the obscure steering, which isn’t a drama, however the Staria’s wonderful leather-wrapped steering wheel has a whole lot of play on centre, that means giant steering inputs for small directional modifications, and loads of lock if you’re again on the town parking.
Again, you will even have to contemplate whether or not you will must open the usual tailgate when parking. Given the Staria Lounge’s 1990mm peak, it provides – by our crude measurement – one other 450mm of area for it to completely open.
On the usual 18-inch alloys, the trip is on the agency facet however not uncomfortable. A pattery trip is fed via the chassis and steering, and it is solely bigger bumps that actually crash via – particularly on the rear, the place there is a loud thump.
We discovered our check Staria was operating 47psi in each rear tyres, which we adjusted to the placard-recommended 42psi (utilizing a questionably correct service station gauge) in an try to discover a more true indication of the showroom mannequin – and once more, the firmness remained.
The updates embody suspension modifications, with retuned shock absorbers entrance and rear, extra subframe bushings up entrance and new hydro bushings on the rear, the place it has coil-spring suspension as an alternative of the leaf springs utilized by the business Staria Load.
The modifications are meant to ship a extra snug trip, as are the brand new rear wheel arch linings designed to make it quieter for second- and third-row passengers, whereas the firewall and sprint have thicker insulation to additional cut back cabin noise.
The chassis tweaks translate into sturdy composure, each when passing 18-wheelers on the freeway – which do not bother the Staria in any respect – and when driving round city.
This just isn’t a sloppy field on wheels, however a well-sorted chassis that – whereas not fairly as polished as a Hyundai SUV – is simple and comfy to drive.
We additionally discovered the seats tremendous snug on the lengthy journey, serving to cut back fatigue, but additionally supportive sufficient to carry you in round corners on winding nation roads.
The Staria has an important sprint structure that is straightforward to navigate, with its driver help techniques resembling lane centring doing simply that – helping. However, we discovered the velocity signal recognition incorrectly picked up off-ramp velocity limits.
It was a uncommon flaw within the in any other case wonderful adaptive cruise management, which routinely adjusts velocity to the posted restrict, whereas the typical velocity monitor was a boon for dodging a dashing ticket alongside the Hume Highway.
The steering wheel controls, too, are efficient – with driver help on the left and audio on the correct – whereas the voice instructions truly labored, even at freeway speeds.
The native techniques, together with navigation, work effectively – and we liked the typical velocity zone monitor that picked up the typical velocity digital camera zones on the Hume Highway and displayed the Staria’s common velocity as we progressed.
It’s a part of the usual Highway Driving Assist (HDA) on the Staria Lounge, and meant no dashing tickets had been issued by NSW or Victoria Police.
To see how the Hyundai Staria traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
What do you get?
In addition to the hybrid powertrain, the flagship Staria Lounge brings a raft of modifications over the Highlander it replaces, and customary petrol/diesel Staria.
2026 Hyundai Staria tools highlights:
- 18-inch alloy wheels with full-size spare
- Rear spoiler
- LED tail-lights
- LED headlights
- LED daytime-running lights
- Heated power-adjustable facet mirrors
- 4.2-inch instrument show with digitised velocity, RPM readouts
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Bluelink connected-car expertise
- Over-the-air software program updates (new)
- Cloth seat upholstery
- Leather steering wheel
- Electronic park brake
- Heated power-adjustable facet mirrors
- Keyless entry and push-button begin
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen (new, up from 10.25-inch)
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Bluelink connected-car expertise
- Over-the-air software program updates (new)
- Electronic park brake
The Staria Lounge provides/replaces :
- Digital Key 2
- Chrome exterior detailing together with door handles, entrance bumper garnish
- LED projector headlights
- 12.3-inch instrument show with digitised velocity, RPM readouts
- Frameless chromatic rear-view mirror
- Automatic dual-zone local weather management – entrance, rear
- 12-way energy driver’s heated/ventilated seat
- 4-way energy adjustable heated/ventilated entrance passenger seat
- Front row sunroof
- 12-speaker Bose premium audio
- Ambient lighting
- Nappa