Hyundai Staria on sale in Australia

UPDATE, September 17: The 2022 Hyundai Staria is now on sale in Australia, and we've driven it. Find our reviews here.

The all-new Hyundai Staria is set to launch in Australian showrooms this month, replacing the iMax as the South Korean manufacturer's people mover offering.

Revealed to the public in April, the Staria provides eight seats across three rows while also offering all-wheel drive in diesel guise, a first for Hyundai's people movers.

Available in three trims with a choice of two engines, prices for the Staria start at $48,500 before on-road costs before topping out at $66,500 for the top-of-the-range variant.

UPDATE, September 9 2021: This story has been updated with Australian photography.

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Pricing

As the Staria features newer engines and is based on a new platform with a higher level of standard equipment than the outgoing iMax, a higher base cost is to be expected, with the base trim setting back buyers $3570 more while the Elite now incurs a $7020 premium.

Below are the prices of the 2022 Staria range before on-road costs:

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Features

The single name Staria serves as the entry-level trim of the range but still offers a wide range of equipment, such as:

Elite

Moving up to the Elite, the second-tier variant includes:

Highlander

And finally the Highlander, which adds:

Each of the three variants can also be optioned with premium paint colours: Graphite Gray, Moonlight Blue, Olivine Gray or Gala Brown, all for $695.

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Engine, drivetrain and fuel economy

Departing with the iMax is its 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel engine which made 125kW/441Nm and had a combined fuel consumption of 8.8L/100km, replaced by a choice of petrol or diesel engines in the Staria.

The 3.5-litre V6 petrol is the cheapest of the two engines, producing 200kW and 331Nm to achieve a combined fuel economy of 10.5L/100km, sending power to the front wheels through an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

At a $3000 premium over the petrol across the range is the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel unit, a direct replacement for the outgoing 2.5-litre engine, boasting higher outputs of 130kW and 430Nm. The diesel sends power to all four wheels through an eight-speed auto to bring fuel consumption down to 8.2L/100km.

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Dimensions

The incoming Staria is larger than the outgoing iMax across all measurements, now standing at 5293mm (+143mm) long, 1997mm (57mm) wide, 1990mm (+65mm) high and with a wheelbase of 3273mm (+73mm).

Boot space behind the third row has been slightly reduced, now down to 831 litres from 842 litres, although with the movable third and second row seats, the volume can increase to 1303 litres, a feature not available on the iMax.

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Safety

The 2022 Staria hasn't undergone ANCAP safety testing as yet so does not have a star rating but it includes a range of safety features which provide a higher level of protection than the four-star iMax:

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Warranty and servicing

As with the rest of Hyundai's models, the Staria is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Service intervals are for every 12 months/15,000-kilometres, at a capped price of $360 per service for both drivetrains, lasting for the first five years/75,000km.

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Availability

The 2022 Hyundai Staria will be available through dealers this month.