Hyundai Staria 2022 review: Highlander snapshot

The Hyundai Staria Highlander is the flagship offering of the brand’s new people-mover. It gets the same powertrains as the rest of the range but is loaded with extra equipment.

The Highlander is priced from $63,500 for the V6 petrol and $66,500 for the turbo-diesel model.

It’s the same petrol engine in the rest of the range, a 200kW/331Nm 3.5-litre V6 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and driving the front wheels. Alternatively, the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 130kW/400Nm and comes standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed auto.

Fuel economy is rated at 10.5-litres per 100km for the petrol and 8.2L/100km for the diesel.

Explore the 2022 Hyundai Staria Range

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The Highlander is generously equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and ignition, surround view cameras, tri-zone air-conditioning, a 10.2-inch multimedia touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel, wireless smartphone charging pad, heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

There’s also a comprehensive suite of safety, starting with Hyundai’s 'SmartSense' that includes forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, lane following assist, lane keeping assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, rear occupant alert, adaptive cruise control, safe exit assist and blind spot monitoring cameras.

The Staria's cabin is large enough to accommodate eight people with plenty of usable boot space even with three rows in use; 831-litres to be precise. The Highlander is particularly well-appointed with leather trim, dual power sunroof, power sliding doors and a rear passenger view monitor that allows parents to keep an eye on their kids without turning around.

While based on a modified version of the Santa Fe platform the Staria still feels like a van to drive thanks to its long wheelbase and large blind spots but it’s a noticeable improvement on the iMax it replaces, with a more controlled ride and sharper steering.

The Staria Highlander is covered by Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and capped price servicing plan.