By: Justin Jacobs
Johannesburg – The latest Hyundai Staria has tongues wagging due to its design. While it might look odd, this people-mover is one impressive option within the segment.
However, with the Staria now taking the place of the ever popular H1, some business owners and those in need of a panel van have been worried. Thankfully Hyundai has just unveiled its Staria-based panel van. Here are the details.
The new Staria has answered the calls of previous H1 customers. It is not only longer, wider and taller than the H1 van which it replaces, but it also offers more luxury features and better fuel economy. The trusty H1 Van deserves a long-service award, but the time was ripe to replace it with the Staria Panel Van, which offers newer technology, more space and luxury features that make a journey in it more enjoyable.
The Staria panel van is 103mm longer and 77mm wider than the H1. It is also 65mm taller as well with a 186mm ground clearance. Load volume is up by 509mm, cargo length has been increased by around 125mm and made wider by around 20mm. This increase in size means that the Staria can handle more of your goods than the H1 before it.
The sliding door opening width has increased to 870mm, while the loading height is lower at 573mm for convenience. The cargo load capacity is 900kg – an increase of 100kg versus the previous H1. Two side sliding doors and the rear swing-type barn doors make access to the cargo area practical and easy. Twin swing-type barn doors at the rear for the luggage area replace the previous lift-type door, and Hill-assist Control makes pulling off easier on an incline.
The frugal 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine in the Staria Panel Van delivers 130kW maximum power and 430Nm of torque, using an 8-speed automatic gearbox to drive the vehicle through the front wheels.
The very efficient turbocharger, which increases low-speed torque, and lighter engine components helps to give the Staria Panel Van a realistic overall fuel consumption of 8.7 litres per 100km.
Its maximum towing capacity is 2 500kg (braked) and 750kg (unbraked).
MacPherson struts in front and a rigid rear axle with heavy duty leaf springs to carry big loads serve the Staria Panel Van well, and its ride quality belies the fact that this is a commercial, cargo-carrying vehicle.
The suggested retail price of the Staria Panel Van is R599 900, which includes a 7-year / 200 000km warranty; 6-year / 90 000km service plan; and roadside assistance for 5 years or 150 000km. The service interval is 15 000km.
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