The Hyundai Staria trades diesel for hybrid power, price starts at Php 1.999M

If you ask us, Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH) has gone a bit quiet. Their last launch was back in October last year, and they skipped both the 20th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) and 10th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) held back in April and June, respectively.

That changes now as the Korean automaker is once again making its presence felt once again as it revamps the Staria minivan, not only by giving it a handful of design and tech updates, but also by bringing it into the world of electrification.

The lineup still starts with the Cargo M/T variant which remains powered by the same 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine making 177 horsepower and 430Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

But the highlight here is the rest of the lineup which trades turbodiesel power for a hybrid powertrain, now getting a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine that’s paired to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery, producing a combined 245 horsepower and 367Nm of torque, sent to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. 

HMPH says that this parallel hybrid system is capable of a best-in-class 17.7km/l, and if familiar, that’s because it’s shared with the likes of the Hyundai Tucson and Santa Fe, and Kia Sorento and Carnival.

The overall exterior look of the Staria remains the same, wearing the very distinct spaceship-like design with a front lightbar that spans the entire front fascia, large side windows, and vertical taillights at the back.

Changes are a redesigned front bumper and redesigned front grille for all variants, now getting a cleaner appearance. Lower variants get multi-reflector headlights and halogen taillights, while higher variants get cube projection LED headlights and LED taillights. New wheel designs are also part of the update.

The interior has also been redesigned with more horizontal lines for a slightly more minimalistic appearance, along with a more squared-out center stack, and a new three-spoke steering wheel. Nine-seater variants (GL, GLS, and Premium) get a 2+2+2+3 configuration, while the 11-seater (GL) variant gets a 3+3+2+3 configuration, and the seven-seater (Premium) gets a 2+2+3 configuration.

As for standard equipment, the GL variants get the aforementioned multi-reflector LED headlights and halogen taillights, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual sliding manual doors, fabric seat upholstery, a 4.2-inch instrument cluster TFT display, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker audio system, and automatic climate control.

It also gets front and rear parking sensors and a reverse camera. The GLS variant adds LED taillights, power-folding and heated side mirrors, power sliding doors, leatherette seat upholstery, a wireless phone charger, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.

The Premium trims get all the goodies, including larger 18-inch alloy wheels, projector LED headlights, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a column-mounted gear selector, rear window shades, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. The Premium 9-seater gets swiveling second row seats and leather seat upholstery, while the 7-seater gets Premium Relaxation Seats, Nappa leather, and dual power sunroofs.

The Premium trims are also the first in the local Hyundai lineup to come with Bluelink, the brand’s advanced connected car service (CCS) platform. This allows owners to access real-time traffic and weather updates directly via the infotainment system, online voice recognition, includes information on vehicle status, diagnostics, and health reports, and also features remote controls for the vehicle such as for climate settings, door locks, horn, and lights.

They are also equipped with additional side parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system, as well as the Hyundai Smartsense suite of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) which includes adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and following assist, blind spot collision avoidance assist, and forward collision avoidance assist.

As for the lineup and pricing, these are now as follows:

• Staria 2.2 Cargo M/T – Php 1,499,000
• Staria 1.6 HEV GL A/T (9-seater) – Php 1,999,000
• Staria 1.6 HEV GL A/T (11-seater) – Php 2,079,000
• Staria 1.6 HEV GLS A/T (9-seater) – Php 2,389,000
• Staria 1.6 HEV Premium A/T (9-seater) – Php 2,999,000
• Staria 1.6 HEV Premium A/T (7-seater) – Php 3,199,000

Interestingly, the Staria Cargo M/T is now Php 61,000 more affordable than before, while the rest of the lineup have very similar pricing to their previous counterparts, with only minimal increases.

Also, you’ll probably want to know that the new Hyundai Staria Hybrid is available with three exterior color options—Abyss Black Pearl, Creamy White, and Shimmering Silver Metallic. Interior color options are Obsidian Black for GL and GLS variants, Anthracite Brown for the Premium 9-seater, and Bordeaux Brown for the Premium 7-seater.

“The Staria is one of the most iconic nameplates in our current lineup, completing our Hybrid range while carrying a legacy Filipinos trust. Building on the Starex’s role in family life, we are proud to be launching the Staria Hybrid which brings a more connected, comfortable experience for modern and practical Filipino families,” said HMPH President Jiho Son.