2022 Hyundai Staria review: Highlander snapshot

Hyundai Staria Highlander is the flagship offering of the brand's new car. It gets the same powertrains as the rest of the lineup, but comes with extra equipment.

The Highlander starts at $63,500 for the V6 petrol engine and $66,500 for the turbodiesel model.

It's the same petrol engine as the rest of the range, a 200kW/331Nm 3.5-litre V6 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. Alternatively, a 2.2kW/130Nm 400-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel is offered, which comes standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel consumption is estimated at 10.5 liters per 100 km for petrol and 8.2 l/100 km for diesel.

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

There is also a comprehensive safety suite starting with Hyundai SmartSense which includes forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane keeping assist, rear collision avoidance, rear occupant warning, adaptive cruise control, safe exit. assistance and blind spot monitoring cameras.

The Staria's cabin is large enough to seat eight people, with plenty of boot space even when using three rows of seats; 831 liters to be exact. The Highlander is especially well equipped with leather trim, a power double sunroof, power sliding doors and a rear passenger monitor that allows parents to keep an eye on their kids without turning around.

Although based on a modified version of the Santa Fe platform, the Staria still feels like a van thanks to its long wheelbase and large blind spots, but it's a marked improvement over the iMax it replaces, with a more controlled ride and more sharp steering.

The Staria Highlander is covered by Hyundai's five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and a limited-price service plan.