Hyundai Staria line-up details emerge

SOME more key information on Hyundai’s upcoming Staria people mover and commercial van line-up have come to light, the iMax and iLoad replacements set to variously offer seating for two, five or eight people, a range-wide braked towing capacity of 2500kg and availability of all-wheel drive.

According to specifications filed with the Road Vehicle Certification System (RVCS), four Staria variants will be offered from launch – two people movers and two vans – with the commercial versions set to badged ‘Staria Load’.

The people movers will simply be known as ‘Staria’ with no indication of trim levels materialising at this stage.

As previously confirmed by Hyundai Motor Company Australia’s (HMCA), the Australia-bound examples will be available with both the company’s familiar 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and turbocharged 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel as seen in the Santa Fe range, though question marks had hovered over their final outputs as only estimated figures were provided.

With the RVCS filings, we can confirm the V6 will develop an even 200kW – as HMCA “estimated” – while the diesel will churn out 130kW, also as alluded to previously.

The filing makes no mention of peak torque figures though, however given HMCA’s “estimated” power figures seem to be on the money, it would be reasonable to expect the previously reported 331Nm (petrol) and 431Nm (diesel) to prove accurate.

One thing not mentioned by HMCA yet however is the standard fitment of an all-wheel-drive system to the diesel-powered Staria people mover – a feature common to SUVs but not presently offered on competitors such as the Kia Carnival.

As with Hyundai SUVs, the Staria’s V6 channels its power to the front wheels only.

Both passenger-oriented Starias will come with eight seats as standard, a multi-link rear suspension set-up, disc brakes in all four corners and an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

The commercial Staria Load will be front-wheel drive, powered exclusively by the diesel mill and available in either two-seat panel van or five-seat crew van configurations, with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard and the eight-speed auto optional.

Dimensionally speaking, all Starias share the same 5253mm length, 1997mm width and 3273mm wheelbase with the only difference being the Load’s marginally taller height (1990mm vs 2000mm).

For comparison, the Kia Carnival – already considered a large vehicle – is 98mm shorter, 2mm narrower and 5mm taller than the Staria, with a substantially shorter 3090mm wheelbase.

As previously confirmed by HMCA, the two-seater Staria Load will be able to swallow three Euro pallets thanks to its almost 5000 litres of cargo space.

In terms of payload, both versions can handle more than 1070kg, with a slight advantage going to the five-seater (1078kg vs 1072kg). Both Load variants have sliding doors on both sides and a choice of lift-back or twin-swing rear door arrangement.

Regardless of powerplant, transmission and/or drive configuration, all Staria variants will boast a 2500kg maximum braked towing capacity (750kg unbraked).

As previously reported by GoAuto, standard equipment on the people movers will include a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, sliding rear seats, button-type electronic shifter and a digital instrument cluster with the RVCS details also confirming the inclusion of 17-inch alloy wheels – 18-inch units will be optionally available. 

Standard safety features meanwhile will include forward collision avoidance assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, wireless seatbelt reminder, safe exit assist, rear occupant monitor and intercom system.

Staria Loads will roll exclusively on 17-inch wheels – likely steel – and come with power windows, power mirrors and central locking at the very least, as well as sharing most of the people mover version’s safety gear.