Not all MPVs look boring. At least the one we are talking about here looks like it comes from a sci-fi movie. Well, you might’ve guessed by now that we are discussing the Hyundai Staria here. The new development on the internet is, the MPV has been finally launched in Thailand.
It is indeed the very first time that the Staria has been launched in a market outside of South Korea. For the looks, the Staria uses a very modern approach for its design. The front-end gets a minimalistic appearance with a sleek LED bar running across the width. On the sides, the glass area is massive, and there are hardly any sharp lines to take note of.
The rear facet comprises of a big rear windscreen, an upright boot lid, and narrow-vertical tail lamps. Moreover, the alloy wheels are designed keeping in mind a low aerodynamic drag coefficient.
The interior of the Staria is no different either. There are two 10.25-inch displays. One does the duty as an instrument console, while another works as an infotainment unit. The feature list is long too.
It includes creature comforts, like a push-button start-stop system, 7 USB ports, electro-chromic IRVM, ambient lighting, rear window sun blinds, automatic climate control, cruise control, lounge chairs for second-row, automatic rear doors and more. For the safety net, the Staria gets Hyundai’s much-hyped SmartSense suite.
It includes adaptive cruise control, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, autonomous braking, oncoming vehicle detection, and blind-spot monitoring. Using a 2.2L 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, the Staria boats of a peak power output of 177 PS and max torque of 431 m. An 8-speed automatic gearbox comes as standard fitment across the range.
Prices for the Staria in Thailand start at THB 1,729,000 (Rs. 39.48 lakh, ex-showroom) for the entry-level S trim and go up to THB 1,999,000 (Rs. 45.65 lakh, ex-showroom) for the range-topping SEL trim.
It is very unlikely that Staria will go on sale in the Indian market. If launched, it will rival the Kia Carnival and the much-expensive Toyota Vellfire.
