Finally! New Hyundai distributor Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH) has confirmed that the immensely popular Staria van is arriving on local shores in July 2022. We’ve been waiting for this for over a year now, and while we already see gray-market units on the road, at least we can now say that the model’s arrival is 100% official.
All this time, we’ve been thinking about what a local Staria launch would look like. We’re crossing our fingers that we get all the fancy bits shown off during the vehicle’s international reveal, but we know all too well that consumers can’t always get what they want.
Tempering expectations, though, doesn’t mean simply settling for a bare-bones introduction. Here are five things we hope to when the Staria arrives in July:
1) The fancy exterior bits
Futuristic exteriors are kind of hit-or-miss in our opinion. Thankfully, what Hyundai has achieved with the Staria is pretty easy on the eyes. We’re particular fans of the intricate new grille and techie tail lights. The wheels are a bit busy for our tastes, but we can definitely see why some people would be drawn to them. We want to see most, if not all, of these in a local version.
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2) Nice captain’s chairs
Hey, not everyone who is eyeing vans like the Staria need to haul an entire family around, you know. If you can relate, we know you’re thinking the same thing we are: Captain’s chairs. Who doesn’t love them? The extra comfort and space they provide will come in handy whenever deadlock traffic is a thing. If seating capacity isn’t a priority, this is definitely a consideration.
3) Advanced safety features
No doubt those eyeing the Staria for their family are eager to see what the model will offer locally in terms of safety. The spec revealed globally comes with advanced tech like forward-collision and blind-spot-collision avoidance assist. Some buyers will always be looking the pay a premium if it means more peace of mind.
4) The massive 10.25-inch touchscreen
Few things are more frustrating when it comes to in-car entertainment than having a subpar infotainment setup. The 10.25-inch touchscreen revealed with the Staria is incredibly nice, but this is a department that carmakers often make adjustments to to cut costs. Pray it doesn’t get axed.
5) Ambient lighting
Admittedly, this one isn’t a deal-breaker. Anyone who has sat inside a vehicle with ambient lighting will tell you that it’s a neat luxury to have, though. We’d love to see a local release retain this feature, even just for higher-end units.
NOTE: This article was updated on May 31, 2022.
