Remember the Hyundai Staria? We’re sure you do, because it sure is hard to forget when it looks that cool. Well, Hyundai Australia has just unveiled the significantly toned-down commercial van version of the Staria called the Staria-Load, and good news – it’s still just as good-looking as the regular MPV.
As is standard on commercial cargo vans, the Hyundai Staria-Load is only available with either a white or silver exterior paint job. The side rear windows have all been swapped with solid metal panels; the lights replaced with more rudimentary reflector units, and the wheels are standard steelies. And still, it just looks cool.
Read all about the futuristic Hyundai Staria MPV here!
Obviously, the most important aspect of a cargo van is its cargo space. Hyundai says that the Staria-Load’s cargo area is now rated at 4,935 litres, a huge improvement over its predecessor, the iLoad’s 4,426 litres. In simpler terms, the difference is as much as one additional Euro-sized palettes (three vs two).
The Staria-Load also comes equipped with a solid rear axle and leaf spring rear suspension (as opposed to the independent multi-link units on the passenger-spec car), allowing it to carry heavier loads, and the ability to tow up to 2.5 tonnes.
Power comes from a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, which churns out 174 hp and 430 Nm of torque – a slight increase over its predecessor. The oil-burning mill is paired to an eight-speed automatic to drive the front wheels.
Hyundai is also pretty generous with the standard equipment on the Staria-Load, with creature-comfort items such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging pads all present on the LCV.
On the safety front, the Staria-Load is also equipped with the Hyundai SafetySense advanced driver-assistance suite as standard, which includes features such as autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert with collision-avoidance, blind-spot monitor, Lane Keep Assist / Lane Following Assist, and even Smart Cruise Control with stop and go functions.
The Hyundai Staria-Load is now available in the Land Down Under in two-seat or five-seat configurations, with the option of a liftback or twin door tailgate. Local prices start at AUD45,740 (approx. RM139k) for the two-seat model, and AUD48,240 (approx. RM147k) for the five-seater.
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