Hyundai Staria V6 2022 Review

Priced at $48,500 plus on-road costs, the entry-level front-wheel drive 2022 Hyundai Staria V6 is one of the most affordable models in what’s left of the mainstream people-mover segment in Australia, where only a few brands offer up a dedicated family wagon that’s not a high-riding SUV.

Its closest rival is the related Kia Carnival that opens up just a few hundred dollars underneath the Hyundai Staria and is the market-leading MPV.

Beyond the entry level, the Staria is also available in all-wheel drive diesel form for an extra $3000, while the same driveline combinations (front-drive/petrol and AWD/diesel) are offered in higher-spec Elite and Highlander model grades, priced from $56,500 and $63,500 plus ORCs respectively.

The Staria V6 falls short of high-grade Elite and Highlander variants with a bare-bones interior lacking leather trim, powered, heated or cooled front seats, climate control (although there are roof-mounted air vents covering second and third rows) and sat-nav.

On a dash panel that’s a cut above your regular MPV, there’s a 4.2-inch ‘supervision’ (normal driving information) screen, viewed over the top of the steering wheel, plus a standalone central 8.0-inch touch-screen display encompassing radio, phone and heating controls and a push-button shift controller for the eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox.

Hyundai also proudly proclaims four rear USB ports, no less than 16 cup holders throughout, and second- and third-row side-hinged windows as standard in the base Staria. Heated/folding power mirrors are standard too.

As this is not intended as a comparison review (which we’ve done elsewhere), we won’t go into the details of what’s standard on base-spec Staria versus the Carnival, but it’s worth mentioning that the Hyundai sneaks ahead in terms of safety with items such as blind spot active assist and front/side cameras standard.

Neither make it into the entry-level Kia Carnival.

Under Hyundai’s ‘SmartSense’ umbrella, the 2022 Hyundai Staria is replete with safety technology.

Over and above familiar systems including high- and low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, front and rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and driver attention warning, there’s a raft of technology that’s either new or didn’t appear in the previous Hyundai iMax.

For example, all Staria models are able to take corrective measures if there’s a chance of impacting with an oncoming vehicle during a right-turn manoeuvre at an intersection, or if a vehicle approaching from the rear is deemed to be a collision risk.

There’s also lane tracking, post-collision braking and, to help prevent front occupants coming into contact during a collision, a front centre airbag.

Passengers travelling up back are given attention, too, via systems such as Rear Occupant Alert which aims to prevent (via audible and visual warnings) children or animals from being inadvertently left unattended in the vehicle.

There’s also Safe Exit Assist, which sounds an alert if a door is opened in the path of an approaching vehicle. At Elite and Highlander level (surely it should be the case in every variant), the system physically stops the door from being opened.

All this attention adds up. Both the Hyundai Staria and Staria Load have been rated by ANCAP as among the safest cars in their respective category, each earning a maximum five-star rating under the independent authority’s current tough testing regime.

They might look vastly different, but the 2022 Hyundai Staria and Kia Carnival are based on the same N3 vehicle platform and so have similarities in the petrol and diesel engines available in each.

Both can be had in 3.5-litre petrol V6 or 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel form, although the powertrains are of a different generation and differ slightly in output.

The Staria’s V6 produces 200kW of power and 331Nm of torque, against the Carnival’s 216kW/355Nm, while the Staria diesel is also less empowered, its 130kW/430Nm output comparing to the Carnival diesel’s 148kW/440Nm.

Driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, the V6-powered Staria has a 2163kg kerb weight and doesn’t have a tendency to lose traction under hard acceleration, although there are times – such as on wet grass – when the driver needs to be aware of its limitations.

Mostly, the Staria V6 is quiet, smooth and satisfyingly punchy, with the only downside being the occasional tendency of the push-button shifter to get a bit reluctant and indecisive when shifting between forward and reverse. Steering wheel paddle shifters are standard.

Especially when compared with the AWD diesel, the petrol V6 is not particularly economical, although there’s a positive side in that Hyundai’s consumption claim of 10.5L/100km is at least achievable.

On test we recorded 10.9L/100km, which indicated there’s some realism in the quoted figures.

And with a claimed braked towing capacity of 2.5 tonnes compared to the Kia Carnival’s 2.0 tonnes, the Staria does score some handy workhorse points.

The 2022 Hyundai Staria V6 is a big wagon, standing head and shoulders above anything else in the sub-$70,000 people-mover category.

It’s a voracious swallower of luggage and it seems there’s always more to spare, even when there’s a full load of eight passengers on board.

The only limitation is in the simple back-and-forth sliding functions of the second- and third-row seats, which make for lower quoted load capacities than you’d think at first glance.

However, at 831 litres all seats up, and 1303 litres with the third row folded, the space is still generous.

So too is the range of slide adjustment available in all rows. Various configurations are available to juggle the available space how you want.

It’s all done manually, of course, but the door openings and tailgate are so huge that there’s plenty of room to move while you are setting it all up. It’s not a fiddly operation.

The all-independent MacPherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear) suspension gifted by the Santa Fe is appreciated on the road. There’s a nice sense of stability and control and, for such a big people-mover, a feeling of confidence on tighter, winding byways.

The massive windows and multi-camera visibility help too, making it a feasible proposition in cramped urban situations, although the virtual 12-metre (actually 11.94m) turning circle can catch you out at times.

The Hyundai Staria is covered by an industry-standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty that gives away a couple of years to the seven-year/unlimited deal offered by Kia.

Like the Carnival, the Staria requires servicing every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

As we found in our comparison between the 2022 Hyundai Staria and the Kia Carnival, the Staria really impresses with its sheer size and space.

It’s massive, but the Staria doesn’t feel unwieldy from the driver’s seat, helped by its ready responses to driver commands and huge windows that provide excellent vision.

Indeed, it’s not as intimidating as many van-based vehicles of its size, and although it lacks some of the attention to detail found in the Carnival, especially with interior packaging, the Staria is comfortable, safe, and proves to be highly convenient with its simple, flexible layout.

How much does the 2022 Hyundai Staria V6 cost?
Price: $48,500 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol
Output: 200kW/331Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 239g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)