Can’t afford a Staria? Hyundai is now entering the compact MPV market with the Stargazer. But will it come to South Africa?
Can’t afford a Staria? Hyundai is now entering the compact MPV market with the Stargazer. But will it come to South Africa?
Jakarta – Hyundai is entering the affordable people mover market with the launch of a new nameplate called Stargazer.
The Hyundai Stargazer was revealed in Indonesia this week and although it was primarily designed for that market, there are whispers of it becoming available in other countries such as India, which means a South African introduction is certainly plausible, albeit unconfirmed at this stage.
Although its shape is hardly ‘space age’ the Stargazer’s front and rear styling takes inspiration from the Staria, which will make it stand out in a segment that’s not renowned for originality.
The compact seven-seat Hyundai will go up against rivals like the Suzuki Ertiga and its Toyota Rumion twin, as well as the Mitsubishi XPander.
Power comes from a 1.5-litre normally aspirated petrol engine which offers 85kW and 144Nm of torque. Power goes to the front wheel through Hyundai’s IVT continuously variable transmission.
Measuring 4460mm in length, the Hyundai Stargazer is slightly longer than the Suzuki Ertiga, and offers 200 litres of luggage space when all seven seats are in place (or 585 litres if you’ve folded the third row down). The vehicle is available in six-seat and seven-seat interior configurations, with the former getting two ‘Captain Chairs’ in the middle row.
Other practical features in the Hyundai Stargazer include small trays, extra pockets and picnic tables, Hyundai says.
Available tech features, depending on the model, include a TFT digital instrument cluster, Forward Collision-avoidance Assist and Blind-spot Collision-avoidance Assist.
IOL Motoring
