Hyundai Staria to be released in Malaysia, could PH be next?

The Hyundai Staria, the successor to the popular Starex, will soon be released in Malaysia.

Since Hyundai is already rolling out the Staria in their largest markets — Malaysia and Thailand — in the ASEAN region, many are wondering if the Philippines could be next.

While Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) has yet to confirm the arrival of the Staria here, Carmudi Philippines managed to get its hands on photos of the Staria’s Tourer nine-seater variant which shares several similarities to its Malaysian cousin.

Meanwhile, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM), the Malaysian arm of the South Korean automaker, has added the Staria in their local lineup captioned “approaching soon.”

Specs released by HSDM show the Malaysian-spec Staria feature dual LED headlamps, LED rear lamps, LED rear fog lamps, and electric folding outside mirror with mirror heating functions.

Inside, the seven-seater Staria will come with Nappa leather seats, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bose audio system with 12 speakers, dual-zone fully automatic air-conditioning system, dual sunroof, ambient lighting, a wireless charger, six USB ports, and 18 cupholders.

According to HSDM, the upcoming MPV will allow owners to “travel in maximum comfort, enjoy the pleasure of face-to-face conversation, and spend life-enriching moments.”

That said, Hyundai’s Malaysian customers can expect comfort and convenience features from the Staria such as a smart sliding door with one-touch button, a smart walk-in entry system, heated and ventilated seats, and window curtains.

Power will come from a 2.2-liter CRDi diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic. The system outputs 175 horses and 431Nm of torque.

The futuristic-looking front-wheel-drive MPV will also sport four driving modes including Smart, Normal, Eco, and Sport.

Suspension-wise, the Hyundai Staria will come with MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. Stopping power will come from 18-inch disc brakes at the front and 17-inch disc brakes at the rear.

In terms of safety, the Malaysian-spec Staria will come with a host of safety features like blind-spot collision-avoidance assist (BCA), blind-spot view monitor (BVM), rear cross-traffic collision assist (RCCA), lane-keeping assist (LKA), smart cruise control with stop-and-go (SCC with S/G), forward collision-avoidance assist (FCA), safe exit assist (SEA), rear occupant alert (ROA), high beam assist (HBA), parking distance warning (PDW), surround-view monitor (SVM), driver attention warning (DAW), and leading vehicle departure alert (LVDA).

Pricing is yet to be announced but the Hyundai Staria will be made available in six colors including Abyss Black, Creamy White, Shimmering Silver, Dynamic Yellow, Moonlight Cloud, and Steel Graphite.

Photos from Hyundai

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Hyundai Staria to be launched in Thailand; are we next?

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