The bus segment is growing in this country.
Parents, children, dogs and luggage are no longer squeezed into fluffy cars, but drive in an airy and comfortable way.
Hardly anything is reminiscent of commercial vehicles.
Hyundai also wants a piece of this attractive cake and has presented a visually very impressive model with the Staria, which is more reminiscent of a space shuttle than a transporter.
We were traveling with the seven-seater Signature version.
Praise: The extravagant exterior is continued in the cockpit.
In particular, the infotainment with the large screen looks like a premium class and also meets high demands when it comes to operation.
And all sorts of odds and ends can be accommodated in various shelves and storage compartments.
Hyundai Staria: Premium reclining seats like in business class
The two premium relaxation seats in the second row meet the highest demands: thickly upholstered, with armrests and footrests and optionally heated or cooled, you are on the move in style.
It only becomes critical when more than two people make demands on this chair.
Because row three consists of a conventional bank of three.
The Staria is powered by a 177 hp 2.2-liter diesel, which adequately but not excessively propels the 2.4-ton spacecraft forward.
The Hyundai bus is most fun when you're crunching the kilometers at the recommended speed on the autobahn in a relaxed manner.
It's faster (maximum 185 km/h), but then it gets uncomfortably loud.
You don't have to shy away from smaller streets and bustling city traffic.
Only the length of 5.25 meters is a hindrance in parking lots.
Little space for luggage
Criticism: The Staria is great when it comes to transporting people, but modest when it comes to transporting luggage.
The seats aren't designed to be removable, and if you want to load more than one briefcase per person, legroom for the third row shrinks.
This can be folded down for more cargo, but then suitcases and bags have to be balanced a meter high and only four people can be on board.
Caution is advised when loading: the tailgate swings open about a meter wide.
Costs: On our extensive journeys, we noted a consumption of between eight and nine liters of diesel per 100 kilometers.
The basic price of the fully and well equipped Staria is 59,600 euros, the only extra was the mineral effect paintwork for 990 euros.
Conclusion: There is hardly a classier and more relaxed way to cover kilometers and transport people with a bus.
Especially on the two individual seats in the back you can feel like a VIP.
Unfortunately, you have to make compromises when it comes to luggage transport and variability.