Space age family hauler updated

Hyundai has detailed an update for its spaceage-looking Staria people mover and Staria Load commercial van in South Korea, while an electric version looms.

The South Korean carmaker has confirmed the updated Staria will arrive in Australia during 2026 with local specifications to be confirmed closer to its local launch.

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The bigger changes are on the inside. A highlight is a bigger 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia display (up from 10.25-inches) that runs Hyundai’s latest ccNC multimedia system.

It offers an updated graphical interface, plus the ability for over-the-air software updates. It’s also expected to bring wireless smartphone mirroring capability.

The touch-sensitive climate control buttons under the central touchscreen have been replaced by physical buttons and dials, while the rest of the centre stack has been redesigned to include more air vents and a repositioned wireless phone charger.

There’s also a new steering wheel, plus certain variants get a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. This is up from the 10.25-inch unit currently fitted to the Staria.

The Staria Lounge, which isn’t offered in Australia, gets a new shift-by-wire gear selector mounted on the steering column, like other current Hyundais, whereas the regular Staria sticks with a regular centre console-mounted gear selector.

Other new features include Digital Key 2 access via a smartphone, a walkaway locking function, updated built-in dash cam and multi-zone voice recognition.

Under the skin there is tweaked suspension for better passenger comfort and stability, extra sound-deadening materials, plus hydro bushings in the chassis in the top-spec Lounge trims.

The powertrains remain unchanged. In South Korea the Staria comes either with a 3.5-litre V6 engine that runs on liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid engine.

In Australia the Staria currently comes with either a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine or a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

At this stage it’s unclear whether the hybrid engine will arrive with this update. It’s currently only built in left-hand drive guise.

Additionally, Hyundai is gearing up to reveal its “biggest EV yet” at the Brussels Motor Show in early January. Slotting above the Ioniq 9, it’s understood this will be an electric version of the Staria.

Hyundai hasn’t confirmed many details, however this new EV will have an 800V electrical architecture like the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 9.

There technically is already an electric version of the Staria in the form of the ST1, which is an electric version of the Staria Load but with a box-body rear.

It features a front-mounted electric motor that produces 160kW and 350Nm which is fed by a 76.1kWh battery pack. This allows for a claimed range up to 317km.

The battery has a peak DC charging rate of 350kW, allowing for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 20 minutes. There’s also vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability to power appliances using the battery pack.

It’s unclear whether Hyundai will make any changes to the ST1’s powertrain for this potential forthcoming electric Staria. It could gain a larger battery pack from the likes of the Ioniq 9.