As we’ve said before, we reckon Hyundai will launch an MPV/minivan in the Philippines soon. There's a strong chance it’s the Custo, also known as the Custin in Taiwan. It will be an interesting addition to the local Hyundai lineup given that the company already has a pair of people carriers already, namely the Stargazer and the Staria.
It’s yet to be known when exactly this people mover will make its local launch, but it’s possible that it will be sooner than later. That’s because the Custo has made its ASEAN debut recently in Vietnam. Over there, it carries the name Custin like the Taiwanese version.
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The Custin is only sold in two countries, namely mainland China and Taiwan. It’s been sold in those two countries since 2021. The minivan/MPV actually shares the same platform as the much larger Staria and the Kia Carnival. However, it’s been modified extensively, so the Custin is just under five meters long.
In terms of appearance, it’s identical to the models sold in Taiwan and China. It’s the same story inside as well, right down to the captain chairs in the second row and the massive 10.4-inch infotainment screen. Higher trim levels get individual charging ports, along with seat ventilation for the first and second row. The 2.0-liter on the other hand adds advanced driver assist systems such as adaptive cruise control. And for those who want to let in a little more sunshine, a dual-pane sunroof is available.
Like the Chinese and Taiwanese models, the Vietnam-market Custin is available with two engine choices. The first is a turbocharged 1.5-liter with 168hp and 253Nm of torque. The top-spec version on the other hand uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter making 233hp and 353Nm of torque. Both engine choices are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
So, where is the Vietnam-spec Custin assembled? You might be surprised that it’s not made in China or Taiwan. Instead, the minivan/MPV rolls off Hyundai’s assembly plant in Vietnam. Should the Custin be sold in other parts of ASEAN, there’s a good chance that it will be sourced from there.
Three variants are available in Vietnam, namely the 1.5T Standard, 1.5T Special and 2.0T Premium. The 1.5T Standard starts at 850,000,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND), the 1.5T Special at VND 945,000,000, and the 2.0T Premium at VND 999,000,000. Converted to Philippine pesos, that’s roughly P1,980,000 for base to 2,230,000 at the top.
