Hyundai Staria vs Renault Trafic

What's the difference?

The Staria Load has good build quality, refinement, performance and pricing. In Premium specification, it also offers numerous desirable goodies that make it one of the best-equipped and sharpest-looking one-tonne vans on the market. For some buyers, depending on their requirements, it offers a compelling alternative to the ubiquitous HiAce. 

The Renault Trafic is a practical and capable workhorse, but then so are some other mid-sized van rivals which sell in greater numbers and come standard with five-star safety credentials. Therefore, a potential buyer must be prepared to accept the Trafic’s inferior standard safety menu (or pay extra to enhance it) to exploit its numerous strengths in a working role.

The Premium shares the same 3273mm wheelbase, MacPherson strut front suspension and leaf-spring beam axle rear suspension as all Staria Loads, along with power-assisted rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes. The Premium is available only with a swing-up tailgate.

Its 5253mm length and 1997mm width allows a turning circle of 11.94 metres (HiAce LWB is 11 metres) and its 2000mm height ensures access to height-restricted multi-storey carparks and underground loading docks.

The two-seat interior design, with its absence of physical dials and scarcity of buttons on the dash, provides a spacious and uncluttered workspace. However, adjustments like cabin temperature, fan speed, audio volume control etc using touch-sensitive prompts can be distracting while driving.

Even so, the brightly illuminated instrument display with its ‘virtual’ analogue speedo/tacho is mounted a long way ahead of the driver and quite high, so it almost works like a head-up display given its optimal positioning in the driver’s eyeline.

The height of the cabin doors is also conspicuously low, which has practical benefits given they are not far above knee height (like a LandCruiser 70 Series) which provides excellent side and forward-angle vision.

Our LWB example rides on a sizeable 3498mm wheelbase with four-wheel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering and MacPherson strut front suspension.

The rear suspension uses torsion bar primary springing, supplemented by a pair of secondary coil springs for carrying heavy loads.

Its 1967mm height ensures access to height-limited areas like multi-storey car parks and underground loading zones, but its lengthy wheelbase and front wheel-drive configuration combine to produce a relatively large 13.8-metre turning circle.

The Pro’s no-frills work focus results in extensive use of unpainted dark grey plastic in external areas where bumps and scrapes usually occur in hard-working vans, including the door mirror shells, wheel hubcaps, front/rear bumpers (including the rear pillars from top to bottom) and along the sides.

As a result, the Trafic has a robust and purposeful appearance, combined with a neat and practical cabin design with seating for three on a tasteful blend of contrasting grey fabrics. Hard surfaces are enhanced with satin chrome highlights.

The minimalist dash design (thankfully) provides physical ‘piano key’ buttons for numerous functions, plus there’s a trio of large manual dials to control fan speed, air-flow and cabin temperature in preference to distracting touchscreen prompts.

With its relatively light 1938kg kerb weight and 3020kg GVM, our test vehicle has a genuine one-tonne-plus payload rating of 1082kg (HiAce LWB is 1060kg) of which up to 100kg can be carried on roof racks.

It’s also rated to tow up to 2500kg of braked trailer (HiAce LWB is 1500kg) and with its 5520kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that means it can legally tow its maximum trailer weight while hauling its maximum payload.

On face value, that’s a handy set of numbers. However, with a tow-ball download (TBD) limit of only 100kg it would be a challenge not to exceed that with 2500kg of trailer, given TBD is usually around 10 per cent of trailer weight.

The Premium’s solid-walled cargo bay, with 4.94 cubic metres of load volume (HiAce LWB has 6.2), is accessed through sliding doors on each side and a swing-up tailgate (no rear barn-door option is available for the Premium).

The doors and walls are lined to mid-height and although there’s internal lighting it could be brighter (preferably LED), particularly given the dark colour of our test vehicle.

The cargo bay is 2607mm long and 1640mm wide with 1250mm between the rear-wheel housings, which means it can (theoretically at least) carry up to two standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallets or up to three 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets, secured by a choice of eight load-anchorage points.

We say ‘theoretically’ because the raised tailgate effectively blocks rear access for forklifts not equipped with extendable tynes and the side-door openings are too narrow for an Aussie pallet to pass through.

So, if pallet-loading is important, a base model Staria Load with rear barn-doors would be a better choice than the Premium. However, for many other working roles a swing-up tailgate can be beneficial, particularly when serving as a large ‘umbrella’ during wet weather.

The cabin offers three tiers of storage in each door, with the lowest level providing a large-bottle holder and generously-sized bin.

There’s also a small-bottle/cupholder in the dash-pad to the driver’s right plus a handy compartment with clamshell lid in the centre, single glove box, full-width overhead shelf and pop-out cupholder.

With its relatively light 1816kg kerb weight and 3070kg GVM, our test vehicle has a substantial 1254kg payload rating which is almost 200kg higher than Toyota’s HiAce LWB (1055kg).

Its 1630kg braked tow rating is also higher than the HiAce’s 1500kg limit and with its 4700kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) the Trafic (like the HiAce) can haul its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

Standard cargo bay access is through a single kerbside-sliding door or glazed swing-up tailgate, but a right-side sliding door and glazed symmetrical rear barn-doors with forklift-friendly 180-degree opening (the latter as fitted to our test vehicle) are available as options. The cargo bay walls and doors are lined to mid-height.

The load floor is 2937mm long and 1662mm wide, with 1268mm between the rear-wheel housings. So, it can carry up to two standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallets or up to three 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets, secured by a choice of eight load-anchorage points.

The cargo bay offers a competitive 6.55 cubic metres of load volume. Our example is fitted with a 12mm-ply non-slip floor kit and cube shelving kit provided by local industry supplier Autosafe. According to Renault, this tradie-focused set-up retails for $5254 including freight and installation.

The fixed two-passenger bench seat has a lap-sash belt for the central passenger and even someone my height (186cm) can get reasonably comfortable in the middle of a crew of three, albeit with knees competing for space with the prominent dash protrusion that houses the gearshift. By contrast, the outer passenger has ample knee and foot room.

The cabin is equally generous with headroom and displays optimum use of storage space. This includes a large bin in each door which can fit large bottles, with a smaller bin above.

There’s also small-bottle/cupholders on each side of the dash-pad plus a clamshell-lid compartment ahead of the driver, a large open tray in the centre (with two USB-C ports), small closable bins in the lower dash on either side of the driver and a single glove box.

If you choose the glazed bulkhead option, the centre-seat backrest folds forward to reveal an elaborate three-tier workstation, starting with a clipboard on top that can also be detached to use outside the vehicle or mounted vertically in the workstation to face the driver or passenger.

Beneath the clipboard is a hinged work desk, which when raised reveals a shallow felt-lined compartment that’s ideal for hidden storage of phones, tablets, lap-tops etc.

Folding the bench seat’s front-hinged base cushions forward also reveals a cavernous hidden storage compartment underneath.

Our Pro LWB (Long Wheelbase) L2H1 test vehicle, in 'Glacier White' and ‘Pro’ model grade, comes with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine and optional six-speed dual-clutch automatic for a list price of $53,000.

In comparison to the major players, that's in the same ballpark as the Toyota HiAce, lower than Ford's Transit Custom and higher than Hyundai's Staria Load and LDV's G10+.

Our example has a couple of extra-cost options including a glazed cabin bulkhead ($400) and glazed rear barn-doors ($400). The cabin is also equipped with a set of carpet mats ($138) from Renault’s genuine accessories range.

Its work-focused standard equipment list includes no-frills 16-inch steel wheels with 205/65R16 tyres and a full-size spare, plus an eight-way-adjustable driver’s bucket seat, 4.2-inch colour driver’s display including digital speedo, two-passenger bench with under-seat storage, rear parking sensors, reversing camera, LED headlights and LED daytime running lights.

Multimedia is provided by an 8.0-inch central touchscreen with wireless Apple and Android smartphone mirroring and Bluetooth audio streaming.

Renault also offers numerous individual options, plus option packs including the 'Comfort Pack', 'Peace of Mind Pack' and 'Trade Pack'.

The Euro 5-compliant 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 130kW of power at 3800rpm and 430Nm served across a 1000rpm-wide torque band between 1500-2500rpm.

This is paired with an eight-speed torque converter automatic, which offers the choice of more direct engine control using sequential manual-shifting. It also has overdrive on its seventh and eighth gears to optimise fuel economy at highway speeds.

Plus, there are four selectable drive modes comprising Normal, Eco, Sport and Smart, with the latter automatically switching between the other three to optimise performance and economy depending on variables like driving styles, road conditions, payloads etc.

The Euro 5-compliant 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel produces 125kW at 3500rpm and peak torque of 380Nm at 1500rpm.

The six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting using the shift-lever (no steering wheel paddles) and offers three drive modes comprising 'Normal' (default setting), 'Eco' and 'Performance'.

Hyundai claims official combined consumption of only 7.0L/100km. The dash display was showing 8.3 when we stopped to refuel at the end of our 270km test, which comprised a mix of city, suburban and highway driving, with about one third of that distance hauling a heavy payload. We also regularly switched between drive modes.

Our own consumption figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in at 10.9, which was considerably higher than the dash was claiming. So, based on our ‘real world’ numbers, you could expect a driving range of around 680km from its 75-litre tank.

Renault claims official combined (urban/extra-urban) average consumption of 6.5L/100km but the Trafic’s dash display was showing 7.9 when we stopped to refuel at the end of our 359km test, of which about one third of that distance was hauling a one-tonne-plus payload.

Our own figure, calculated from actual fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was higher again at 8.9 which falls comfortably within the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between official and ‘real world’ consumption.

Fact is, any mid-sized van that can produce sub-10L economy in the real world gets a big thumbs-up from us. So, based on our numbers, you could expect an expansive driving range of around 900km from its 80-litre tank.

The driving position feels spacious and comfortable for someone my height (186cm). However, given its Premium status, the driver's seat should have adjustable lumbar support for longer hauls. A fold-down inboard armrest would also be welcome.

The large doors mirrors, combined with blind-spot monitoring and different camera views (including the excellent blind-spot views that appear on the instrument panel) ensure good all-round vision.

This is one of the Staria Load’s strengths, given the huge blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder created by all solid-walled commercial vans.

The steering is nicely weighted with a mild self-centre effect that ensures it tracks nice and straight over road surface irregularities.

Its unladen handling is stable and sure-footed, with a disciplined ride quality that’s supple enough to soak up the bumps without the lightly-loaded rear suspension bouncing around as you might expect in an empty one-tonner.

Engine response is energetic, as the eight-speed auto does a good job of keeping the turbo-diesel operating within its 1500-2500rpm maximum torque band most of the time. And it requires less than 2000rpm to maintain highway speeds.

Of the four drive modes available, we found ‘Sport’ the most engaging and enjoyable to use, with the instrument panel changing to a red colour and revised shift calibrations providing sharper engine response. This sporty effect is enhanced when using the sequential manual-shift function.

To test its payload rating, we used a forklift to load 650kg into the cargo bay through the side doors, which were just wide enough to allow this.

Combined with our crew of two, this was a total payload of 850kg (about 200kg under its limit). The rear suspension only compressed about 10mm, so there was no chance of its bottoming-out on our test route.

It felt even more planted on the road hauling this payload and coped well with our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60-km/h in ‘Normal’ drive mode, self-shifting down to fourth gear to easily haul this load to the summit.

However, when testing engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, road speed was approaching the 60km/h limit when the transmission overrode our manual selection and shifted up to third gear when the engine reached 3750rpm.

These engine-protecting shift calibrations are common in light commercial vans, which is great for mechanical longevity but not much use when you’re leaning on the engine to assist with braking on steep descents. Fortunately, the four-wheel disc brakes easily coped with the increased workload.

We should also mention the internal noise levels when travelling at highway speeds, given the lack of a solid bulkhead between cabin and cargo bay. Tyre roar emanating from the rear-wheel housings, not helped by the unlined upper walls and roof, can become intolerable over long distances. Fortunately, Hyundai offers a solution with a solid bulkhead ($1825.63) in its genuine accessory range.

The driver’s seat offers good comfort with its firm bolstering, fold-down inboard arm-rest and adjustable lumbar support. The only thing missing is a left footrest, just like the one residing in the outer passenger footwell which is of course the driver’s footwell in LHD models.

The synthetic leather-rimmed steering wheel feels nice in your hands and has a premium look. Eyelines to all mirrors are good and the large window in the optional cabin bulkhead allows a clear view through the rear barn-doors, but only if you remove the centre seat’s headrest when the middle seat is unoccupied.

Engine response is at its most energetic from 1500rpm where maximum torque is tapped and it continues to pull strongly all the way to maximum power at 3500rpm.

The decisive shifts of the dual-clutch automatic in Normal (default) drive mode feel well calibrated in terms of optimising the engine’s performance in all driving conditions, which is confirmed by only small differences in response when using the Eco and Performance modes.

Its gearing also ensures the Trafic is well-suited to highway work, requiring only 2000rpm to  maintain 110km/h. It’s even better with the optional bulkhead/cargo barrier as fitted to our test vehicle given it insulates the driver from most cargo bay noise, which can become intolerable in vans at these speeds without this item fitted.

To test its payload rating we forklifted 975kg into the cargo bay. Combined with the weight of the Autosafe fit-out and driver, it equalled a total payload of 1150kg which was only about 100kg less than its legal limit.

The rear suspension compressed about 50mm under this loading, yet still had ample travel to ensure there was no bottoming-out during our test drive. It hauled this one-tonne-plus payload with commendable ease in city, suburban and highway driving, with negligible effects on handling and braking.

It also impressed on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set-climb at 60km/h, quickly downshifting to third gear to easily haul this load to the top.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, wasn’t as robust, but in our experience typical of small displacement (sub-3.0L) turbo-diesels trying to restrain one-tonne-plus payloads on steep descents. Even so, the four-wheel disc brakes comfortably kept speeds under control without a hint of fade.

There’s no ANCAP star rating and the current range (September 2022 onwards) only earned a silver medal in ANCAP’s Commercial Van Safety Comparison, with its score of 45 per cent reflecting the absence of AEB for pedestrians/cyclists and lane-keeping assist.

Even so, its standard safety menu includes front and lateral-curtain airbags for driver and passengers plus driver’s thorax airbag, car-to-car AEB, lane departure warning, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and more.

However, with a huge blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder created by the solid cargo bay walls, a Trafic buyer should not have to pay extra to get essentials like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, given these active safety features are standard on the segment-leading Toyota HiAce.

Hyundai covers the Staria with a five-year/unlimited km warranty.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price servicing for the first five scheduled services up to five years/75,000km totals $2375 or an average of $475 per year.

The Trafic comes with a five year/200,000km warranty, which includes five years 24/7 roadside assist. Scheduled servicing is 12 months/30,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-pricing applies to the first five scheduled services up to five years/150,000km which totals $3555, or an annual average of $711.