The futuristic-looking Hyundai Staria is set to be unveiled in ASEAN with Thailand hosting the event as well as being the first in the region to offer the new-generation multi-seat van.
The regional premiere event is set to happen this Friday (July 9th), from 7 p.m. Bangkok time and the public can join the launch via Facebook.
A replacement for the Hyundai Starex is long overdue, with the highly-capable multi-seat van tracing its roots back to 2007. In Thailand, the ‘bonnet-van’ landscape is quite varied, with the Volkswagen Caravelle commonly seen around the streets of Bangkok.
Market leader Toyota meanwhile offers the locally manufactured Toyota Hiace as well as the fully-imported Toyota Majesty.
How to bring more guests to enjoy drifting action? Make a drifting Hyundai Starex bus!
The outgoing Hyundai Starex H-1 is reported to be imported from Indonesia. We will soon find out if the current sourcing arrangement continues, as Hyundai has invested over USD1.5 billion (RM6.2 billion) in Indonesia to further expand its presence in Indonesia as well as the ASEAN region.
Its first ASEAN manufacturing hub has an initial capacity of 150,000 vehicles and expandable to a quarter of a million units per year in the future.
Sales of multi-seat vans such as the Hyundai Staria/Starex and Toyota Majesty will continue to be slow this year, as these vehicles are targeted to the tourism industry, a sector that has been heavily hit by the global pandemic.
With work-from-home directives, shuttling of personnel around the workplace is also severely reduced, further reducing the sales net of these multi-seat vans.
GALLERY
