The Toyota Hiace’s era of absolute dominance might soon face a real challenge—at least if the newly introduced Hyundai Staria turns out to be as good as it looks on paper.
We finally have the Hyundai Staria’s spec-sheet and, naturally, our first thought was to compare it to the current king of the local van segment. For this fightl, we’re pitting the two models’ top-spec offerings against each other.
At first glance, it’s immediately apparent that the Staria has at least one advantage over its Japanese competition: All-wheel drive (AWD). As the variant name, Hyundai Staria 2.2 CRDi Premium 8AT AWD, suggests, this Hyundai makes use of all four wheels. The Toyota Hiace Super Grandia Elite 2.8 AT, meanwhile, only puts its rear wheels to work.
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As far as engine output is concerned, both vans are almost equal. Horsepower is the same at 175hp, though the Hiace has a 19Nm advantage when it comes to torque. The Staria uses a 2.2-liter turbodiesel, while the Hiace comes with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel.
Entertainment-wise? We’ll have to give it to the Staria with its Bose sound system and larger eight-inch touchscreen. The South Korean import also comes with a sunroof, electronic parking brake, and a 360-degree camera—all of which are absent in the Hiace Super Grandia Elite.
Seating capacity has to go to Toyota, though, as the Hiace can seat up to 10 compared to the Staria’s seven-person capacity.
The real game-changer here might be the price. Despite coming with AWD and a relatively richer feature package, the Staria Premium AWD is actually able to undercut the Hiace Super Grandia Elite by over P150,000.
Anyway, check out the vehicles’ specs in the table below and let us know your opinion in the comments. Does the Staria have the upper hand in this comparo?
Hyundai Staria vs. Toyota Hiace Super Grandia
| Hyundai Staria 2.2 CRDi Premium 8AT AWD | Toyota Hiace Super Grandia Elite 2.8 AT | |
| Price (Philippine Peso) | 2,930,000 | 3,098,000 |
| Drive | AWD | RWD |
| Seating capacity | 7 | 10 |
| Engine setup | 2.2-liter DOHC turbodiesel | 2.8-liter DOHC turbodiesel |
| Power (hp) | 175hp @ 3,800rpm | 175hp @ 3,400rpm |
| Torque (Nm) | 431Nm @ 1,500-2,500rpm | 450Nm @ 1,600-2,400rpm |
| Transmission | 8-Speed automatic | 6-Speed automatic |
| Fuel tank capacity (L) | 75 | 70 |
| Brakes (front/rear) | Disc/disc | Ventilated discs/ventilated discs |
| Wheels | 18-inch alloys | 17-inch alloys |
| Tires | 235/55 R18 | 235/60 R17 |
| Front suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear suspension | Five-link coil springs | Four-link coil springs |
| Seat material | Leather | Leather |
| Tilt/Telescopic steering wheel adjustment | Yes | Yes |
| Infotainment system | 8-inch touchscreen | 6.8-inch touchscreen |
| Apple CarPlay/Android Auto | Yes/Yes | No/No |
| Sound system | Bose w/ surround sound | 6 speakers |
| Smart keyless entry | Yes | Yes |
| Push-to-start ignition | Yes | Yes |
| Power liftgate | Yes | No |
| Power sliding doors | Yes | Yes |
| Parking brake | Electronic | Mechanical |
| Automatic climate control | Yes | Yes |
| Sunroof | Yes | No |
| ABS w/ electronic brakeforce distribution | Yes | Yes |
| Hill-start assist | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic stability control | Yes | Yes |
| Forward-collision warning | Forward Collision-Avoidance Assit | Pre-Collision System |
| Lane-keep assist | Yes | Lane Departure Alert |
| Blind-spot monitoring | Yes | No |
| Cruise control | Smart with Stop and Go | Yes |
| Camera | Surround View Monitor | Rear (integrated into rearview mirror) |
| Airbags | Driver and front passenger, side and curtain | Driver and front passenger, side and curtain, driver knee |
| Dimensions (mm) | 5,253 x 1,970 x 1,990 | 5,300 x 1,970 x 1,990 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,273 | 3,210 |
| Ground clearance | 186 | 175 |
