The Hyundai Stargazer has been a success for the South Korean automaker. It’s been selling well in the Philippines, and it even won our recent four-way Big Test recently against tough competition. The new kid on the block has delivered, but the subcompact seven-seater is gunning for more success...and sales.
Hyundai is shooting for the stars with the Stargazer X, essentially a high-riding version of the popular MPV. It could be said it’s easy to dismiss it as that, but how much more different is this model from the standard version? Let’s check the specs.
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Is it any bigger?
It may have the same body as the Stargazer, but the Stargazer X actually has different dimensions. Granted, it’s not by much, but there are differences nonetheless. The Stargazer X is 5mm longer and 35mm wider thanks to the additional cladding. But the most significant change here is ground clearance as it’s up by 20mm. So from 185mm, the Stargazer X hovers over the pavement at 205mm or 8 inches.
On the surface
Aside from the extra ground clearance, perhaps the Stargazer X’s biggest draw is its exterior add-ons. There’s the extra cladding that most folks will see immediately, but there are some different trims here and there. For starters, it has a unique wheel design, and you’ll also spot the new grille pattern and beefier bumper moldings. And if you want factory roof rails in a Stargazer, the only way to go is with the X version.
Hopping in
We’ll keep this one short: you won’t find much changes inside. The Stargazer X does get the new and updated cluster and touchscreen housing, that’s pretty much it. There are some red highlights on the seats and door panels, but it’s not a huge difference.
The oily bits
No changes here, folks. The Stargazer X has the same engine and transmission combination as the lower-riding Stargazer. There's no electronic trickery here unlike, say, the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross. Even the drive modes are the same as the standard version.
Different enough?
Visually, yes, but if you dig a little deeper, it’s still a Stargazer through and through. There aren’t massive differences, but we might give you a different answer once we get the chance to drive it. We reckon there will be some ride and handling differences given the higher ride height. Steering feel and feedback could also be different, but only seat time will answer that.
Still, we think this model has all the potential to be a hit. High-riding subcompact seven-seaters have been huge sales hits for manufacturers, and it could be said the arrival of the Stargazer X was inevitable.
