Nothing else on our roads can match the Hyundai Staria for looks.
Hyundai Automotive South Africa this month rolled out the shapeship-esque Staria. And while this van might be the official replacement for the outgoing H-1, in rugby terms the Hyundai Staria is more comparable to the Springbok Bomb Squad than a run-of-the-mill replacement.
Similar to the beefy pack of forwards that take no prisoners in the second half of a Bok Test, the Staria is destined to make a genuine impact on the game it has been unleashed upon.
The H-1 in everyday leisure guise was a solid people mover rivalling the likes of the VW Kombi, Ford Tourneo and Mercedes-Benz Vito. The Staria has not only raised Hyundai’s game in the base to mid-tier van segment, but has also given the Korean carmaker impetus at the sharp end of the stick.
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In Luxury guise, the Hyundai Staria is a very worthy competitor for the most premium local van offerings, the Toyota Quantum VX, the VW Caravelle and the Mercedes Benz V-Class.
Here’s how the Hyundai Staria compares to its rivals in terms of price and aftersales backup, engine, styling, specifications and safety.
The Hyundai Staria is offered in four models. The base model Executive 9- and 11-seater, which cost R789 900 and R799 900 respectively, the Elite 9-seater at R959 900 and the top-of-the-range Luxury 9-seater which goes for R1 099 900.
In terms of price point, the Executive competes with the R764 400 Ford Tourneo Custom 2.0 SiT SWB Limited, the R787 500 Volkswagen T6.1 Kombi 2.0 TDI 110 kW and the R771 647 84 kW Mercedes-Benz Vito 111 CDI Tourer Pro, although this Merc only comes in manual.
The Elite goes head-to-head with the R911 432 Mercedes-Benz Vito 116 CDI Tourer Pro, the R945 200 2.0 BiTDI 146 kW Kombi 4Motion and the R1 026 800 Toyota Quantum VX 2.8 GD-6 Premium.
The Luxury has two price point rivals in the Mercedes-Benz stable, the R1 103 389 V220d and the R1 117 792 Mercedes-Benz Vito 119 CDI Tourer Select.
Priced considerably higher but competitors nonetheless are the R1 230 100 Caravelle 2.0 BiTDI 146 kW Highline and the R1 186 757 Mercedes-Benz V250d. AMG Line and Avantgarde options on the V220d and V250d result in both these models go up the R1.5-million mark, with the flagship V300d starting at R 1 554 204 and going up to R 1 799 060.
The standard seven year/200 000km warranty included in the price of the Hyundai Staria is by far the best in the van segment. The Luxury’s seven year/105 000km and the Executive and Elite’s six year/90 000km, both upgradable to maintenance plans, are very much on par with that of their rivals.
VW offers maintenance plans on the Kombi and Caravelle and so does Mercedes on the V-Class, while the Vito and Quantum includes service plans.
The Staria range is powered by an improved version of the trusty 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that also serves on Hyundai SUV pair the Sante Fe and the Palisade. It is mated to eight-speed automatic transmission and produces 130kW/430Nm.
The Staria is front-wheel driven compared to its competitors that are all rear-wheel driven, with the exception of the all-wheel-drive Caravelle.
As far as engine output goes, the top-specced Kombi produces 110kW/340Nm, the Quantum VX 115kW/420Nm, the Tourneo Custom 136kW/415Nm, the Vito 116 and the V220d 120kW/380Nm and the V250d and Vito 119 140kW/440Nm.
While the 146kW/450Nm Caravelle and especially the 176kW/500Nm V300d provide a healthy dose of extra grunt, it does come at a hefty premium.
The Hyundai’s futuristic styling is a major weapon in its warfare against the opposition. Its horizontal daytime running lights and positioning light, which runs in a flat strip across the width of its nose, together with wide grille and low-set headlamps set it apart from any other vehicle on our roads, let alone other vans.
On the inside, the Staria is very similar to the Palisade, which is as premium as you can get in the Hyundai stable. Full leather seats throughout the range and soft-touch materials give the Staria a genuine premium feel.
Staria Elite and Luxury models feature button-type gear selection similar to the Palisade, while its 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster adds to its futuristic finishing.
Luxury models display a blind spot view monitor which projects a real-time image from a side camera in either the rev counter on the left or speedometer on the right, depending on which indicator was selected.
Big side windows not only improve passengers’ views, but also create the sense of space in the Hyundai Staria. Sliding and folding second, third and fourth row seats also provide a myriad of seating arrangements and cargo space options.
In Executive trim, the Staria includes a healthy set of standard specifications, which isn’t a given in its competitors’ stables. These include fold away side mirrors, parking camera and front and rear sensors, full leather seats and height adjustable steering column.
Standard safety spec includes ESP, cruise control, blind sport detection and driver, passenger and side airbags.
In Luxury guise the Staria punches above its weight in terms of specification, offering more features than the pricier Caravelle, V250d and even the V300d.
For instance, the V300d is the only other van that features adaptive cruise control, dual sunroof and 360-degree camera as standard, although it doesn’t come with a pre-collision avoidance system, heated seats in the second row or keyless start.
The Staria also features USB ports and cup holders in all four rows of seating. While these might seem like very basic standard spec, ample access to cup holders and USB ports are not available in all rows of rival products.
While the Hyundai Staria 11-seater is in a league of its own, the only rival than can match the 9-seater model in terms of number of seats is the Quantum VX. The Tourneo, the Kombi and the Vito come with eight seats and the V-Class and Caravelle with seven.
The Staria on face value is an indication of the strides the Korean carmaker has made. Especially in South Africa, where the brand went through some turbulent times as recently as two decades ago.
The Staria Executive follows the Palisade, which only a few months ago became a hotly-debated topic by becoming the first Hyundai to carry a seven-digit price tag. And similar to the Palisade, the Staria is actually a bargain compared to its rivals.
It offers head-turning styling, oodles of features, great space and comfort and a solid and smooth drivetrain. But just like the Palisade, what the Staria has to offer might not be appreciated in full because of South Africans’ tendency for brand snobbery. What a pity.
For more information on the Hyundai Staria, click here.
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