2022 Hyundai Staria price and features: Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey on notice as futuristic van takes people moving to the next level

Hyundai Australia has announced local pricing and full specification details for its new Staria people mover, which will replace the iMax when it goes on sale this month.

The sleek, futuristic-looking eight-seat people mover is available in three grades and with a choice of petrol and diesel engines.

Pricing for the petrol variant starts at $48,500 (plus on-road costs) for the entry-grade Staria, before stepping up to the Elite at $56,500 and onto the Highlander for $63,500. The diesel variant is $3000 more for each grade.

In comparison, its Kia Carnival rival starts at $46,880 and tops out at $66,680.

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Coming standard on the entry-grade Staria is an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, proximity key, heated and power-folding mirrors, drive mode settings, a six-speaker stereo, manual air-conditioning, a leather-clad steering wheel, a wireless phone charger, cloth seats, LED headlights and tail-lights, and 18-inch steel wheels.

The mid-range Elite adds leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 10.25-inch display with sat-nav, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, a surround-view monitor, three-zone climate control, remote start, power-sliding doors and a power tailgate.

The top of the range Highlander scores a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

The range-topping Highlander adds a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a dual-pane sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, rear passenger view monitor and cloth headlining.

All grades come standard with eight seats.

The Staria comes standard with eight seats.

While the Staria is yet to be given an ANCAP safety star rating, the people mover comes standard with seven airbags, including a front centre airbag, and advanced tech such as AEB with junction turning function (pedestrian and cyclist detection 5-85km/h), blind-spot collision avoidance, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert with AEB, and adaptive cruise control.     

The two engines on offer are the 3.5-litre V6 petrol making 200kW and 331Nm, and a 2.2-litre turbo diesel producing 130kW and 430Nm. The petrol is front-wheel drive only, while the diesel is all-wheel drive. Both engines are teamed up with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Staria will replace the iMax when it goes on sale this month.

While its Kia Carnival rival has SUV like styling with its flat bonnet, the Staria embraces a more van-like design. There’s the tall, flat panelled sides but a futuristic face dominated by a continuous LED strip across the bonnet edge, an expansive flush mounted windscreen and low-placed LED headlights flanking a large rectangular honeycomb grille.

While the Kia Carnival is the most popular people mover in Australia and one that the Staria will have firmly in its sights, its other rivals include the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Granvia, the Volkswagen Multivan and Mercedes-Benz Valente.