Hyundai Staria 2022 review: 2.2D AWD

We can't go into this without first talking about how it looks. I mean, I'm almost expecting it to transform into a giant robot and walk away at any moment. That's just the vibe I'm getting.

It's inky black, the windows are extra dark and it has a crazy front grille that keeps the futuristic feel which is continued with the giant front windscreen.

It also only comes in darker colours - black, blue, brown and grey, no white or silver, so there's no escaping this heavy design. To be honest, I feel like I'm about to do a bank heist, not transport The Partridge Family around. It's a lot.

Inside, and this is the base model remember, it's ultra practical. So you'll get fabric seats, nice and smooth, a leather steering wheel, and all the basics covered.

Everything is well designed and practical, but it doesn't feel as plush as a Carnival or Palisade. It's not as 'commercial van-like' as a Volkswagen Multivan or even a Mercedes Valente. So it sits somewhere in between the Multivan and the Carnival.

It also only comes in darker colours - black, blue, brown and grey, no white or silver, so there’s no escaping this heavy design.

There's a step to get in the car and it's so high off the ground you definitely need it. Front seats on this model are manually operated, as are the side doors and the tailgate. The gears are changed by pressing buttons instead of physically shifting a gear stick.

I did have issue with the sliding doors when I parked on a steep hill on the weekend and went to open the door for my children. I wasn't expecting it to be so heavy, the door slipped and slid to slam shut, very hard, it was very lucky there were no little fingers in the way.

The car is enormous and the interior space is just so large.

Just that alone would sway me to buy the next model up which does have power operated doors.

The air con works well in the front as it's got large air vents along the dash which is good. It's got a deep centre storage bin and then a hidden compartment in there as well.

You'll also get three cupholders in the front - there's a bonus one for the driver on the dash along with two flat trays - and there are bottle holders in the doors so there's no shortage of storage.

It’s got a deep centre storage bin and then a hidden compartment in there as well.

Air vents throughout the second and third rows are on the roof which allow for air con to flow through nicely, the biggest flaw here is that there are hinged windows in the second row and no opening windows in the back row.

My children didn't like that as it just takes too long for them to cool down on a hot day, rather than getting the instant breeze of an open window. This might not bother some people but my family were not big fans.

Cupholders throughout the car total nine, with three in the front, two in the middle and four in the back.

The car is enormous and the interior space is just so large. I don't think I've ever had so much leg space in a passenger seat.

It's very high up off the road too and the giant front windscreen adds to the open feeling, making the front seats feel positively breezy. It's like a living room up front.

Into the body of the van and it's a proper eight seater, with three seats in the middle row and three seats in the back row.

There's loads of space in there again, and the second row slides forward if you need more space in the back.

The third row is also comfortable for adults if you want to sit back there. The van shape means there's ample leg and headroom for all passengers.

Like the rest of the Staria range, the boot is enormous at 841L even with all three rows in use, and you can pop the back seats down if you need to transport your drum kit.

Like the rest of the Staria range, the boot is enormous at 841L even with all three rows in use, and you can pop the back seats down if you need to transport your drum kit.

It'll easily fit lots of suitcases plus a double pram and is plenty of space for a large family. This room is what gives people movers the edge over large SUVs which don't have a lot of boot space if you're using all the seats.

This model has a heavy tailgate, again if you go one model up you'll get a power operated one and that might just be worth it.

Despite its size, the Staria drives really well, and that's something you experience in most vans. Their shape, and your proximity to the front wheels means they're actually quite easy to move around.

This one is the diesel so it has a 2.2L four-cylinder engine. It's loud to drive but it surprised me by having enough power to comfortably get up hills. I didn't drive it with a heavy load, though, so I'm not sure how it would fare with one.

Despite its size, the Staria drives really well, and that’s something you experience in most vans.

All diesel Staria models are AWD which is a good point of difference to the Carnival which is 2WD. Petrol Starias are 2WD, though.

Is it hard to park? Well, it's long, that's for sure, so finding a park to fit you is a challenge, and getting it into the park can be awkward because of the sheer bulk of the car.

But the steering turns easily and there is a good reverse parking camera to help.

It comes with Hyundai's five year/unlimited km warranty which is good in this category. It requires servicing every 12 months or 15,000km, and the capped price servicing means each one will cost $360 for the first five years.

The official combined Fuel consumption figure is 8.2L/100km and over the week I averaged 10.5L/100km doing mostly suburban driving, which does use more fuel.