HYUNDAI STARIA PREMIUM DEBUTS IN MALAYSIA.

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) officially launched its Staria Premium Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) – the brand’s first luxurious MPV in response to changing consumer needs by offering them purposeful, innovative features and by redefining in-car travel experiences.

The introduction of the Staria Premium is also in line with Hyundai’s vision for the future of mobility and its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution provider.

Jeffrey Gan, Managing Director of Retail and Distribution, Sime Darby Motors said that the Staria Premium aims to offer unique value propositions for customers seeking a luxurious experience in an MPV.

“Hyundai is expanding its offerings to include more premium vehicles that offer innovative features for a unique in-car experience. The Staria Premium spearheads Hyundai’s evolution in mobility and we are proud to be part of it. There are more innovative products in the pipeline that HSDM customers can look forward to,” said Jeffrey.

The Staria Premium embodies the company’s ‘inside-out’ design methodology that emphasises interior spaciousness and usability. Evoking the streamlined form of a spaceship, its sleek exterior is defined by a single stroke running from front to rear — inspired by the curve of light that illuminates the Earth’s horizon at sunrise when viewed from space.

The Staria’s front is embellished with horizontal daytime running lights (DRLs) and a positioning lamp, together running across the width of the vehicle, complemented by a bold, wide radiator grille with a unique pattern. Its clean silhouette is further accented by a pair of low-set headlamps. Hyundai uses the same body colour for all frontal parts to maximize the vehicle’s modern and pure style. Tinted brass chrome treatment is applied to the Hyundai emblem, grille, headlamp bezels, front and rear bumpers, wheels, side mirrors and door handles to emphasize the vehicle’s premium and modern look.

Lowered beltlines and panoramic side windows improve overall visibility and create a feeling of openness. This sense of spaciousness — inspired by traditional Korean ‘hanok’ architecture — allows passengers to feel as if the outside scenes are an extension of the vehicle interior. The rear has a simple and pure look, with eye-catching vertical tail lamps as well as a wide rear window. The high-end model’s rear combination lamps are applied with Hyundai’s unique Parametric Pixel design and lamp-shape garnish on top, providing a connected feeling.

The Staria 7-seater Premium’s innovative interior space utilisation is made possible by the MPV’s 3,273-mm wheelbase with an overall length of 5,253 mm and width of 1,997 mm. Its interior applies a simple and modest layout to highlight driver’s convenience and passengers’ comfort, while staying faithful to its original value as an MPV. The cruise ship-inspired interior delivers an open and unique atmosphere through its innovative design architecture. The vehicle’s lower beltlines and panoramic windows create a spacious, stimulating environment for all passengers.

“The Staria is revolutionary. Hyundai has once again demonstrated its outstanding design and architecture capabilities with the introduction of the MPV extraordinaire. Its variant-exclusive finishes give the Staria Premium a more luxurious look and feel than the Grand Starex,” said Mr Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM.

“In terms of where the Staria Premium sits in the segment, it’s a notch higher from the Grand Starex. It’s Hyundai’s first luxurious MPV that is at par with premium Japanese MPV models,” he added.

The MPV also comes with Premium Relaxation Seats in the second row that recline electronically with sliding capabilities for easy reach or to maximize cargo space. The one-touch relaxation mode makes the seats recline automatically to a posture that comfortably disperses the passenger’s weight and improves overall body balance. Even when the seats are reclined by this mode, there is enough room for an adult passenger to sit comfortably in the third row, thanks to its spacious interior layout.

The driver and passenger seats in the first row are designed to offer a feeling of space and comfort. The cargo space availability varies depending on the arrangement of the seating configurations. The 2- and 3-seater, optimized for business use, offers maximum cargo space of almost 5,000 litres.

The driver’s seat has a futuristic high-tech look with an advanced 10.25-inch front display screen, touch-based centre fascia and a button-type electronic shift lever. The digital cluster is located on top of the dashboard, providing an unobstructed view for the driver. Hyundai’s smart infotainment system that is equipped with a wide-angle camera also enables the driver and front passenger to view rear passengers in the back seat on display screen.

A 64-color ambient mood lamp provides a lush interior atmosphere. The harmonious direct and indirect lighting can selectively illuminate the cockpit, console, doors and cargo areas. The premium feeling is further enhanced by the Bose sound system.

Powered by a diesel-powered 2.2-litre CRDi engine, the newly improved diesel engine is mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission, delivering an estimated power output of 177 PS and 431Nm of torque between 1,500 – 2,500rpm. Its high-efficiency, air-cooled turbocharger has an improved compressor and turbine wheel performance for better low speed torque performance.

The Staria has the highest level of vehicle safety. It is fully equipped with Hyundai Smartsense, active safety and driving assistance technologies. Included in the Hyundai Smartsense suite are Blind-spot View Monitor (BVM), Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA) with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go that keeps the SCC running even when the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

Other features are Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW) with Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), Parking Distance Warning (PDW), Surround View Monitor (SVM), Rear Occupant Alert (ROA), Safe Exit Warning (SEW) and High Beam Assist (HBA) that allows for hands-free operation of the high and low beam headlights when oncoming traffic is detected.

The Staria Premium retails at *RM358,888 (*applicable for Peninsula Malaysia. OTR price is inclusive of the Penjana Sales Tax waiver but excludes insurance) with a two-year or 50,000km (whichever comes first) warranty; or *RM368,888 (*applicable for Peninsula Malaysia. OTR price is inclusive of the Penjana Sales Tax waiver but excludes insurance) with a five-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) warranty and a 3-year or 50,000km (whichever comes first) free maintenance service.

An add-on package which consists of a Roof Monitor Infotainment, Retractable Side-step and 3M Premium Tinting is also available at RM20,000 with the purchase of the Staria Premium.

Interested parties can head over to Sime Darby Auto Hyundai’s showroom in Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya to view the Staria Premium.  Booking of the Staria Premium can be done online via Hyundai’s online shopping platform, Cl!ck to Buy (www.hyundai.com.my/clicktobuy/) or visit any of Hyundai’s authorised showrooms. Customers can also call Hyundai’s Customer Careline at 1-300-13-2000 for more information.