New Hyundai Staria Looks Like a Minivan From Outer Space
Are you missing the Hyundai Entourage? Probably not. The Korean automaker quickly abandoned its poor-selling minivan in 2009 to focus on SUVs and crossovers, a move that paid off big time.
Elsewhere around the globe, however, minivans and so-called “multi-purpose vehicles” (MPV) are still popular. And today we’d like to show you the brand new Hyundai Staria.
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The futuristic, spaceship-like exterior is primarily what caught our attention. While Kia opted for a muscular, rugged look with its new Carnival, Hyundai designed a smooth silhouette with a rounded nose "inspired by the halo that illuminates Earth's horizon during sunrise" when seen from space.
The daytime running lamps are represented by a thin, full-width light bar, while the multi-square headlamps are located within the corners of the honeycomb-style grille, which is also as wide as the vehicle.
On the sides, the geometric wheel design impresses just as much. The windows make up half of the body, thus providing exceptional visibility. Meanwhile, the flat rear section is characterized by a similarly large window and pixel-style taillamps (reminiscent of the freshly introduced Hyundai IONIQ 5) in a long, vertical layout.
Given the huge glass surfaces, we hope UV protection is top-notch and the climate control system is powerful. Inside, the Staria is available in several configurations ranging from one to four rows of seats. That means it can sit anywhere between two and eleven people.
In select models, the second-row seats can be mounted in a rearward-facing position for easy communication with rear occupants. The third-row seats feature available footrests and automatically recline to a posture that comfortably disperses the passenger's weight to improve overall body balance, Hyundai says.
Up front, the clean layout includes a digital instrument panel near the base of the windshield and a massive touch interface with a 10.25-inch display up top. Transmission buttons can be found below, not to mention various storage and charging solutions. A generously sized centre console completes the package.
Hyundai has not yet specified the powertain, but it’s not an EV. The platform is most likely shared with the aforementioned Carnival. Full details will be revealed at a later date.
The Staria will hit select markets sometime in 2021, but don’t expect it to launch in Canada. Still, do you like it?