2022 Hyundai Staria MPV Production Model Revealed: The Minivan Is Back In Fashion
South Korean automaker Hyundai gave us a sneak peek at its 2022 Staria MPV last week, the next-gen replacement for its Starex (or Hyundai iMax and Hyundai i800) minivan. From the onset, it's clear Hyundai wanted something different for its newest people carrier, in the same manner how Kia is forging the SUV route in penning its 2022 Carnival.
Hyundai recently lifted the curtains on its 2022 Staria MPV, revealing it in all its production glory. The teasing officially stops now, and it seems Hyundai is forging a different path with the Staria's spaceship-like styling cues.
The newest Hyundai Staria is "designed for both families and businesses" utilizing the brand's innovative 'inside-out' design approach, Hyundai's latest methodology for its Purpose Built Vehicles (PBVs) catering to future mobility clients. Accordingly, 'inside-out' begins with the interior and expands to the exterior, answering customer demands of prioritizing interior space above all else.
Viewed from the front, Staria emanates a high-tech and premium vibe with its horizontal daytime running lights and cyclops position lamp stretching the vehicle's width. The space-age appearance hints at conventional gasoline or diesel power with the Staria's wide-open radiator grille. And in what is becoming a default styling trend to infuse more 'zest' in the crossover category, the Staria has low-set headlights similar to Hyundai's Kona.
"Staria is Hyundai's first mass-produced vehicle model designed with the 'inside-out' design approach," said SangYup Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Hyundai Design. "Staria will provide a completely new experience and value proposition to customers through its unprecedented design and innovative features."
Out in the back, the Staria's squared-off profile and thin vertical lamps are reminiscent of the Mitsubishi Grandis MPV's rear design. Meanwhile, the streamlined silhouette, low beltlines, and panoramic windows offer a hi-tech look and feel, something that won't look amiss in the film set of Back to the Future 2.
Inside, Staria offers expansive room for seven to nine adults, but Hyundai is offering 2-seater to 11-seat variants. Additionally, Staria Premium will offer extensive luxury upgrades with seven, nine, or up to 11 seats. Staria has a driver-centric cockpit complemented by a 10.25-inch touchscreen display, a hoodless digital instrument cluster, touch-sensitive buttons, and a button-type shift lever, the latter freeing up more space in the massive center console.
The 2022 Hyundai Staria is making its official digital world premiere in the first half of 2021. The previous-gen Starex never made it stateside, although we wouldn't mind seeing the new Hyundai Staria roaming American streets in the not-so-distant future.