Hyundai never ceases to amaze us with its ways of making the already captivating Staria minivan even more interesting. The preceding commercial van, school bus, and camper derivatives have their own quirks (and features), but the new Lounge Limousine unveiled this week takes the cake. It sits at the top of the range and is more spacious than all the others courtesy of a tall roof.
The pop-up ceiling increases the available height inside the spacious cabin by 205 mm (8 inches). There's now room to accommodate a massive 25-inch screen, prompting Hyundai to say it's the biggest in the Staria's segment. The multimedia component is well covered as you get USB and HDMI connections, smartphone mirroring, and HD DMB. The latter is an acronym for digital multimedia broadcasting used for sending TV and radio to mobile devices in high definition.
Hyundai Staria Lounge Limousine
Joining the camper with its pop-up tent, the Staria Lounge Limousine has been fitted with an air purifier and "Starry Sky" mood lighting within the raised roof. Additional LED lights for the second and third rows enhance the cozy atmosphere. For a smoother ride, Hyundai's engineers have tweaked the suspension and electric power steering. In addition, more sound-deadening material has been installed to make the cabin quieter.
Available with seven or nine seats, the posh minivan is equipped with a nifty center console with a built-in table that pops up. It can be moved from the first row all way to the back and boasts amenities such as a USB Type-C and a cup holder. Open the sliding door and the side steps corresponding to the second row of seats are electrically deployed.
Aside from the taller roof, the Staria Lounge Limousine can be visually distinguished courtesy of its two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels exclusive to the flagship trim. Hyundai paints the high-end minivan in either Abyss Black Pearl or Creamy White, with both featuring a gray finish for the interior.
Math starts at 57.92 million won for the nine-seat version while the seven-seater retails in South Korea for 59.63 million won. That works out to $46,850 and $48,200 at current exchange rates, respectively.
