Hyundai details the spaceship minivan that is the Staria
So cool, but it's not coming to America. Boo.
The Hyundai Staria touched down last week looking like something out of a science-fiction film, but on Wednesday, the automaker revealed the minivan in full. Now, we can see the super neat-o machine without the shadows, and it still looks really great.
The company again compared the Staria's design directly to a spaceship and it noted some other cool space-inspired design themes. They include the single fluid curve that runs from the front of the van to the rear, which Hyundai said takes cues from the halo that illuminates Earth's horizon when viewing a sunrise from space. Not many of us have ever had the pleasure, but it's a cool thought nonetheless.
The minivan, while tall, only looks wide thanks to the big light bar up front and massive windows along the side and rear. Then, emphasizing its reach-for-the-stars space ethos, vertical taillights stretch upward. For a minivan, the Staria oozes the cool factor.
Inside, the trimmings look relaxing with plenty of light available from the giant windows. Passengers will jump into a two-, seven-, nine- or 11-seat version of the Staria, and the nine-seater version even includes chairs that rotate 180 degrees to face others onboard, train car-style. For the driver, they stare at a digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch display screen to handle infotainment. And there are cubbies and storage bins everywhere to ensure a place for any passenger's cargo. That includes space atop the overhead console and a sea of cupholders. USB ports also pop up throughout to keep devices powered.
Alas, we got official word from Hyundai this will not be coming to the US, even though the company included the vehicle in a US release. Instead, it will grace families and business owners in other countries, while the 11-seat version will be exclusive to South Korea. Maybe the next time you're abroad, you can hitch a ride in the spaceship from Seoul.
