It may look like a concept, but the Hyundai Staria MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) will soon be on the road, worldwide.
Hyundai has been working on completely reinventing their design aesthetic, and the upcoming Hyundai Staria MPV is an excellent example of their efforts. Looking like a far-off concept minivan, the Hyundai Staria MPV will officially debut Staria through a digital world premiere sometime in the next few months.
Recently, Hyundai’s sibling company Kia introduced the Kia Carnival (formerly the Sedona) with a SUV-looking people mover. We were wondering how Hyundai would respond. Hyundai did produce the Entourage minivan, but it was discontinued in our market and left a gap in their lineup a while back. Nobody was expecting this.
No tech info – yet
Technical details about the Hyundai Staria MPV are not available yet. It’s quite possible that it could share the Kia Carnival’s powertrain to begin with. If that is the case, it may have a 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 290 horsepower and makes 262 lbs-feet of torque. If that is its motivator, it will most likely have an eight-speed automatic transmission feeding the front wheels. As of the time of this posting, Hyundai has not announced any technical details. Heck, it could be an EV for all we know.
The exterior design of the Hyundai Staria MPV looks like it is a future concept, or something out of a movie. Inside, it’s a little bit more conventional, but it’s still innovative. The seating is multi-configurable with the second row having the option of pivoting to face other rows.
According to Hyundai, the Staria offers a number of seating arrangements, from two-seater to 11-seater. Simply put, in some markets, it will be available as a cargo, or passenger variant. The Korean market will get the 11-seater, while we expect to see the seven and nine-seater here. The Hyundai Staria MPV Premium appears to be the model that will have the seven-seat luxury configuration
The seven-seater Premium includes a one-touch relaxation mode on its second-row premium relaxation seats. This automatically reclines to a seat posture that comfortably disperses the passenger’s weight. According to Hyundai, it also “improves overall body balance.” It has massive panoramic windows, huge sunroof and an available 64-color ambient mood lamp. The whole point appears to make it into a more lounge-like experience.
The two-seater is a cargo/business version, but there are no dimension numbers to quote in terms of capacity. Looking at the Kia Carnival, we know its maximum cargo capacity is 168.2 cubic feet. If the platform and powertrains are the same, it could have a maximum tow rating of 3,500 pounds.
The Hyundai STARIA MPV – “inside out”
“STARIA is Hyundai’s first mass-produced vehicle model that is designed with the ‘inside-out’ design approach. STARIA will provide a completely new experience and value proposition to customers through its unprecedented design and innovative features.”
SangYup Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Hyundai Design
The cockpit has a “futuristic high-tech look” and storage is available above and below. There is storage space available on top of the overhead console, and in several lower compartments. The Staria will have a 10.25-inch front display screen, similar to the one we’ve seen in other recent Hyundai/Kia vehicles. It also has a “button-type electronic shift lever.” I think it’s similar to the “push-button” unit used in the Hyundai Palisade.
In the next few months, we will hear a lot more about the Hyundai Staria MPV. Being a sucker for a pretty face, I have to say, it is one of best looking vehicles in its class – bar none.
I can’t believe I’m lusting after a minivan… I mean, MPV.
Check out this video about its cousin, the Kia Carnival.
