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BroadercapabilitiesandAWD Broader capabilities and AWD headlineHyundai’ siMaxreplacement headline Hyundai’s iMax replacement

 HYUNDAI | MATT BROGAN

HYUNDAI Motor Company Australia (HMCA) says it is targeting a 22 per cent share of the sub-$60,000 people mover segment with its just-launched Staria, however that figure is still well behind 56 per cent stranglehold of the Kia Carnival.

Th e modest goal is refl ective of the 14-year-old and now defunct iMax’s peak sales performance in 2014 with the brand hoping to emulate the fi gures with its new model while pinching sales away from SUVs.

Speaking to media at the local launch of the Staria, HMCA product general manager Andrew Tuitahi said the new model was designed to improve on the iMax “in two key areas” on account of it riding on the same N3 platform as the Santa Fe large SUV.

“Th e fi rst was space and practicality, and we see that improved dramatically with the platform relation to the Santa Fe,” he said.

“Th e other is drivability; bringing the ride and handling characteristics of our people-mover in line with current customer expectations.

“We think the line-up gives us a unique off ering in the market and a great opportunity for cross-shopping against SUVs.”

Th e eight-seat model is priced from $48,500 (plus on-road costs) and is already available in dealerships in three diff erent grades, each with the option of petrol or diesel power, however the latt er is paired exclusively to the Hyundai Group’s HTRA C all-wheel drive system.

As previously reported by GoAuto, the powerplants in question are a 200kW/331Nm 3.5-litre V6 and a 130kW/420Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, both of which are paired to a shift -by-wire eight-speed automatic transmission.

Combined cycle fuel economy is listed at 10.5L/100km for the petrol and 8.2L/100km for the diesel, with CO2 emissions of 239g/km and 218g/km respectively.

Braked towing capacity for either driveline is listed at 2500kg, 500kg more than the Kia Carnival and now on par with the Volkswagen Multivan.

Longer, wider, and taller than the Carnival, the Staria measures 5252mm in length (+98mm), 1997mm wide (+2mm), and 1990mm tall (+15mm) with a 3273mm wheelbase, giving it 183mm more space between the axles than the segment dominating Kia.

Cargo space extends from 831-1303 litres (VDA) depending on the seating confi guration utilised.

“Th e all-new Staria is a head-turning eight-seat people-mover alternative to our SUV favourites, Santa Fe and Palisade, with all the safety, comfort, and convenience technology our customers expect in a modern passenger vehicle,” said HMCA CEO Jun Heo.

Th e Staria is the fi rst model to debut Hyundai’s single-curve silhouett e, a design which will carry over to its upcoming Staria Load – the replacement for the mid-sized iLoad van – which is due to touchdown locally within the next four to six weeks.

HMCA says the Staria’s styling is a “sleek and clean minimalist style which opens with a futuristic front treatment headlined by a wide, body-coloured radiator grille with low-set LED headlights at either side, with a horizontal LED strip above comprising a centre positioning lamp and DRLs”.

More convenience features

Th e frontal styling of the 2022 Hyundai Staria is undoubtedly the people-mover’s strongest, and perhaps most divisive talking point.

Th e theme continues across deep panoramic side glass, automatic sliding doors, and subtly fl ared arches over 18-inch alloy wheels with the broad, minimalist profi le of the vehicle providing a “stable, sporty stance”.

At the rear, the Staria’s top-hinged automatic tailgate is identifi ed by a large single pane of glass atop an integrated ‘STARIA’ logo and fl anked by vertical ‘parometric’ LED combination tail-lights. An integrated spoiler includes a high-mount stop-light and wiper/washer.

Hyundai’s inside-out design philosophy focussed on extracting as much space from the new Staria as possible. As such, the vehicle’s interior features over a metre of legroom across each of its three rows and enough interior space for children to stand upright.

Considerable thought has also been given to entry and egress with the second row of seats sliding and tilting automatically to provide access to the third row.

Currently, the Staria is available only in eight-seat format with ADR limitations prohibiting the sale of nine and eleven-seat variants. HMCA says it is “exploring other seating confi guration options”, including a higher-grade seven-seat model with second-row Captain’s chairs.

Th e dashboard includes dual 10.25inch displays – one for the infotainment array and the other for the instrument panel. Leather upholstery is available on Highlander variants, as well as a Qi wireless smartphone charger, fi ve USB charging points and 16 cupholders.

Further convenience features include a smart key with push-butt on door opening/ closing and remote engine start, a blind spot view, surround view, and a rear passenger view monitor.

HMCA product planning coordinator Simon Bartnik said the Staria is part of the brands plan to release 18 new models by the end of 2022 and “aims to be the safest people-mover on the market”.

“The all-new Staria replaces the oldest model in our line-up and is the latest in a series of new and upgraded models Hyundai has released locally this year,” he said.

Despite the big safety aspiration, the Staria does not feature child-seat anchor points in the third row, however it does include top-tether and ISOFIX anchors in the second row.

It is yet to be tested by EuroNCAP or ANCAP, but the related Santa Fe received a fi ve-star safety rating.

Nevertheless, the Staria features seven airbags – including curtain airbags across all three seating rows – blind-spot, lane keeping, and lane-following assistants, auto high-beam, autonomous emergency braking with multi-collision brake, driver att ention monitoring, safe exit earning, rear cross-traffi c assist and a 360-degree camera.

Higher grade models add safe exit assistance and a 3D surround-view camera.

Th e Hyundai Staria is backed by a fi ve-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing intervals are set at 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes fi rst) with the fi rst fi ve services priced at $360.

HMCA says it expects Staria sales to favour the all-wheel-drive diesel variants over the two-wheel-drive petrols (55:45 per cent), with the base trim anticipated to be the bulk seller and account for around 40 per cent of sales.

2022 Hyundai Staria pricing*

Staria 3.5 (a) $48,500

Staria 2.2 (a) $51,500

Elite 3.5 (a) $56,500

Elite 2.2 (a) $59,500

Highlander 3.5 (a) $63,500

Highlander 2.2 (a) $66,500 *Excludes on-road costs

Toyota Australia not ruling out RHD Tundra as 2022 model gets hybrid, twin-turbo V6

 TOYOTA | HAITHAM RAZAGUI

AND MATT BROGAN

THE axe has fallen on Toyota’s V8-powered Tundra as the Japanese marque unveils full details of its latest fullsize pick-up truck for the North American market, providing clues to what the new LandCruiser 300’s future hybrid driveline might look like.

Increasing popularity of outsized utes in Australia and under-the-skin similarities to the new LandCruiser could also make the 2022 Tundra the most likely yet to get the green light for offi cial imports – especially given the precedent set by factory-backed right-hand drive conversions of Ram and Chevrolet models.

“Toyota Australia has seen the popularity of the full-size pick-up segment in Australia grow in the past few years and it is a segment that has been of interest to us and to our customers,” a Toyota Australia spokesperson told GoAuto.

“Th ere are currently no plans for the new model Tundra to be produced in right-hand drive from the factory. However, this is something that we will continue to study.”

Toyota’s fi rst all-new full-size pick-up in 15 years marks an end to the long-serving 5.7-litre UR series V8, instead powered by a new iForce 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, as found in the 300 Series LandCruiser.

Th e 24-valve engine develops 290kW/649Nm in the Tundra, or 352kW/790Nm in hybridised iForce Max models.

Both engines are paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission with Tow/Haul mode but performance fi gures, range details, fuel economy numbers and pricing are yet to be announced.

Where non-hybrid models benefi t from a large storage area beneath the rear seats, hybrid versions of the Tundra use the space to house a proven 288-volt nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batt ery pack, rather than newer lithium-ion technology.

Th is ties in with comments made by LandCruiser chief engineer Sadayoshi Koyari in an interview with GoAuto at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, where he said for the legendary off -roader to gain hybrid drive it would “need a technology which is really reliable even in the hardest environmental conditions”.

“If we will have one day a technology – hybrid technology or whatever – which is reliable enough that we can say, ‘OK we will implement that into a LandCruiser,’ I would not say no.”

Th e new Tundra shares much of its new GA-F platform with the recently released 300 Series LandCruiser, which is based on a body-on-frame version of Toyota’s TNGA (Toyota New Generation Architecture) and will be sold in Australia with a 230kW/687Nm 3.3-litre V6 turbo-diesel.

Although the Tundra is not currently off ered with a diesel option, the shared petrol engines and architectural similarities mean the LandCruiser could be made available with version of the Tundra’s new petrol-electric hybrid driveline.

Th e GA-F platform is also understood to underpin the next-generation Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV, due in the United States by 2023 and tipped to arrive in both rear and four-wheel drive confi gurations.

Off ered in three body styles and with a choice of three tray lengths, the new Tundra range off ers up to 2470mm of bed length.

Payload is listed at just 879kg – less than the HiLux dual-cab sold locally – or 11 per cent more than the previous Tundra. Th e tray bed is formed of a lightweight sheet compound material supported by aluminium bracing as premiered on the smaller Toyota Tacoma.

Maximum braked towing capacity is listed at 5443kg or 17.6 per cent more than the outgoing model.

Th e new Tundra is suspended by all-coil suspension with twin-tube dampers standard across the range. TRD Pro variants use Fox brand dampers like those found under the Aussie Ranger Raptor and feature a body lift of 28mm.

Technology upgrades include a massive 14-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard, along with “Hey Toyota” voice prompts for navigation, audio and selected other features.

Road sign recognition, a 360-degree camera and automatic tailgate that can be opened and closed from the key fob or a switch on the taillight are also new.

High-end variants also receive a 12.3-inch TFT digital instrument cluster and integrated frontal light bar. Alloy bash plates, air suspension, a panoramic roof, and Wi-Fi connectivity are also available within the range.