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Test Drive of Hyundai Staria Hybrid
Spacious Interior Impresses
Driving Performance Enhanced by Electric Motor is 'Good'

Staria Lounge Hybrid
Photo by Hyundai Motor Company

Hyundai Motor Company has revamped the Staria, which previously only had gasoline, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) models. While the electric vehicle market has slowed down, they introduced a popular hybrid model. Combining a comfortable driver's seat, a cozy rear seat, and a hybrid drivetrain, it captures three benefits at once. Leaving behind the Starex era, which was only seen as a 'school van,' Hyundai showed a clear intention to actively target the 'dad car' market.

Recently, I test-drove the Staria Lounge Hybrid around Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province. The futuristic exterior, reminiscent of a spaceship, was attractive, and the front featured Hyundai's signature straight horizontal LED lamps that caught the eye.

Even before sitting in the driver's seat, the large windows hinted at the spacious interior. Thanks to the combination of a high driver's seat and large windows extending down to the elbows, it was easy to comfortably check adjacent lanes. The side mirrors, also tall and rectangular, allowed a clear view of vehicles behind and to the sides from a distance. The structure was open from the front to the sides, so there was no feeling of confinement, and the cargo space was ample. Storage compartments were conveniently placed from the driver's instrument panel to behind the center fascia monitor and the lower console.

The second-row seats of the Staria Lounge Hybrid fully reclined

The rear seats were more than just spacious. The high ceiling and wide seat arrangement gave a sense of vastness. The 7-seater test vehicle's second row was equipped with premium relaxation seats, reminiscent of business class seats on airplanes, providing great comfort.

Even those about 180 cm tall could fully stretch their legs. The calf and thigh supports, as well as the backrest, could be freely adjusted, and when fully reclined, the seat nearly reached a 180-degree flat position. The third row was a simple bench-type seat, but the legroom and overall space were sufficient. Privacy screens were installed in both the second and third rows, and both side doors opened automatically by simply pulling the handles. On the right side, a side step also rose to help elderly passengers get in and out of the vehicle without difficulty.

Staria Lounge Hybrid 3rd Row Seat Legroom

The driving performance was at a level that could easily attract the interest of 'dads.' Despite inherent limitations such as size, weight, and ground clearance, the electric motor's assistance provided stable performance during initial acceleration and high-speed driving. The driving assistance features were also impressive. Unless on sharply curved roads like ramp sections, the vehicle could recognize lanes and steer autonomously. When lateral forces acted from the side due to wind, the Crosswind Stability Control (CSC) function activated to control the wheels, helping the vehicle maintain stability without drifting.

After driving about 70 km around the Jayuro area and city streets, the fuel efficiency was recorded at 13.3 km/l, slightly exceeding the official rating of 13 km/l. However, the front seat air conditioning function was somewhat lacking. While the high seats and large windows made it easy to check the vehicle's width on both sides, the sharply sloping front shape made it take some time to get used to the distance to the hood.

Meanwhile, the Staria Lounge Hybrid's system maximum output is 245 horsepower (engine maximum output 180 horsepower), and the system maximum torque is 37.4 kgf·m (engine maximum torque 27.0 kgf·m). The base 7-seater Inspiration model is priced at 46.14 million KRW. Adding options such as the Built-in Cam (590,000 KRW), Bose Premium Sound (640,000 KRW), Comfort 2 package (520,000 KRW), Dual Wide Sunroof (890,000 KRW), and Rear Electric Side Step (680,000 KRW) raises the price to 49.46 million KRW (based on a 5% individual consumption tax).