Hyundai Motor Company launches Staria and is targeting the minivan market dominated by the Carnival.
Starria, whose official image was released on the 18th, is a figure that aimed at the Kia Carnival in various scenes. Space utilization and sense of luxury have been further strengthened, and the body is larger than before. In addition, it is known that it will expand consumer options through various powertrain configurations.
Staria has a total length of 5255mm, an overall width of 1995mm, and an overall height of 1990mm. The overall length is 100mm longer and the overall height is 250mm higher than the Kia Carnival, where competition is announced. In particular, the height is only 55mm from the Carnival High Limousine (2045mm). It is larger in all respects than the previous Starex (length 5150mm, width 1920mm, height 1935mm).
The premium sensibility has also been enhanced with exclusive design specifications. Full LED headlamps and turn indicators composed of 8 modules were applied, and the wheel, emblem, bumper garnish, side mirrors, and door handles were decorated with tinted brass color to try differentiation. The tail lamp is grafted with the parametric pixel design introduced through Ioniq 5.
The specifications that reinforced occupants’ habitability also attract attention. The 9-seater model has a swivel seat that can rotate 180 degrees in two rows. It is possible to partially rotate 90 degrees, so the convenience of installing a child car seat is also high. The difference is that the belt line is lowered as much as possible and the open-ended panoramic window is applied to increase the sense of openness.
However, Starria is inferior in the lineup composition. Staria has a premium trim lounge (7, 9-seater), tourer (9, 11-seater), cargo (3, 5-seater), etc. In terms of the passenger lineup alone, it is inferior to the Carnival (7, 9, 11-seater) and Carnival High Limousine (7, 9-seater). Moreover, the addition of a 4-seater lineup for the carnival is expected within this year.
The powertrain is the same as Carnival, such as a 2.2-liter diesel engine and a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline. The 3.5-litre V6 LPi engine is added to the Carnival. The drivetrain is changed from rear wheel drive to front wheel drive, and the chassis is also changed from frame body to monocoque structure. According to the industry, it is said that Hyundai Motor Company is also considering an electrification lineup for Staria.
The problem is the price. This is because Staria has new indoor and outdoor designs and various advanced safety and convenience specifications, which inevitably raises prices. In particular, Hyundai Motor Company has applied a new platform and powertrain to Staria, and is trying to wash the image of an existing commercial vehicle by adding a new luxury trim. In fact, Starex’s premium trim’Urban’ was 3 million to 4 million won more expensive than the previous model. Depending on the level at which Starria’s price is set, its competitive advantage with Carnival can be significantly different.
On the 25th, Hyundai Motor Company will disclose Staria’s specific specifications and prices and enter into a full-fledged pre-contract. In addition, in the first half of the year, the actual car will be fully disclosed to the general public through the digital world premiere.