New Hyundai Staria revealed in full

The 2022 Hyundai Staria has been revealed in its entirety, following the release of first initial details and teaser shots last week and ahead of its digital world premiere before mid-2021.

Wrapped in a curvaceous mono-cell body that's said to resemble a spaceship and is punctuated by enormous dark-tinted panoramic windows on all four sides, the replacement for Hyundai's iMax people-mover will arrive in Australia in the second half of this year.

As we've reported, the all-new Hyundai Staria also reveals the futuristic look of the closely related new Hyundai iLoad commercial van, which will be another of the 18 new or facelifted models the Korean car-maker has promised for Australia in 2021.

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We first saw the more shapely new design for the successor for the current second-generation TQ-series Hyundai iMax and iLoad, which dates all the way back to 2007, in spy shots last month.

And we know the 2022 Hyundai iMax and iLoad will ditch the rear-wheel drive layout of their predecessors in favour of a new front-wheel drive monocoque platform.

As before, it will incorporate independent coil rear suspension in the iMax and a solid leaf-sprung rear axle in iLoad, but is unrelated to the ladder-frame chassis Hyundai and Kia are developing for their first one-tonne ute rivals for the Toyota HiLux.

Hyundai says the Staria's rounded one-box design was based on an 'inside-out' approach and its streamlined silhouette "inspired by the halo that illuminates Earth's horizon during sunrise when viewed from space".

The wedge-shaped front-end is highlighted by a full-width horizontal daytime running light (DRL) above low-set headlights positioned on each side of the grille, while towering vertical taillights flank a huge rear tailgate above a low rear bumper to facilitate easier cargo un/loading.

The range-topping Hyundai Staria Premium adds a "luxurious look and feel with variant-exclusive design cues and features", including a unique mesh grille pattern, a chrome line around the cube-style full-LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels include diamond patterns and graphics, and tinted brass chrome for the Hyundai badge, wheels, side mirrors and door handles.

The futuristic high-tech look continues to a driver-focused cockpit with a 10.25-inch central touch-screen, a digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver on top of the dashboard and a push-button electronic gear shifter.

"Staria is Hyundai's first mass-produced vehicle model that is designed with the 'inside-out' design approach," said SangYup Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Hyundai Design.

"Staria will provide a completely new experience and value proposition to customers through its unprecedented design and innovative features."

The outgoing Hyundai iMax found 638 Australian homes in 2020 (down 25 per cent on 2019), making it the fourth-best-selling people-mover behind the Kia Carnival (3650), Honda Odyssey (1091) and LDV G10 Wagon (725).

In comparion, the Hyundai iLoad medium van accounted for 3919 new registrations. That earmarked it as the second-best-selling medium van last year behind Toyota's HiAce (8391), giving it a market share of 18.5%.