The Hyundai Staria is the coolest car most Americans have never heard of. It’s a stylish van sold all over the world, including Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Basically, everywhere but the United States, Canada, and Antarctica. Buyers here are perfectly content with Hyundai’s seven different SUVs (and their various hybrid variants).
That might change soon, but not in the way you think. Almost exactly one year ago, Hyundai revealed it was in the midst of working out a deal with General Motors to supply commercial electric vans to General Motors as a way to break into the North American market. It didn’t make much sense at the time, seeing as how GM already had an electric commercial van, the BrightDrop.
But now that the BrightDrop has been discontinued, that leaves the door open for Hyundai to step in and build a van to fill its place, as a companion to the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana (because, as everyone knows, those two vans will never go away). A new passenger version of the Staria, revealed today, gives us some insight into what we might be able to expect from the GM-Hyundai tie-up.
New Tech, Same Great Looks
Hyundai on Monday took the wraps off the first all-electric version of its Staria passenger van, which, up until now, has only been available with a selection of gas- and diesel-powered engines. Power still goes to the front wheels, but instead of a transmission, the wheels are connected to a single 214-horsepower electric motor. That’s connected to an 84-kWh battery and an 800-volt electric architecture, which allows for DC fast charging (Hyundai claims 10 to 80% in around 20 minutes in ideal conditions, if that sort of stat matters to you).
Thankfully, Hyundai understands the importance of the Staria’s good looks, and it hasn’t ruined the design (or altered it at all, really). The fascia is virtually the same, with a beam of light stretching across the upper nose, right above the Hyundai badge. Underneath that is a blacked-out version of the grille, which contains two vertically oriented light pods and the hidden charging port (which is also heated, so it can’t be blocked off by ice in cold weather conditions).
The inside receives minor updates to make better use of the flat floor afforded by the electric powertrain, but the layout is unchanged. There are two 12.3-inch screens, one for the gauge cluster and another for the infotainment, and plenty of physical buttons for controlling the screen and the climate settings. You can choose between two seating configurations: A seven-seat setup with second-row captain’s chairs or a full nine-seat setup with four rows.
What Does This Have To Do With Hyundai’s Commercial Van Plan For America?
The Staria passenger van above probably won’t make it to America in its current form, but its drivetrain sure might. In addition to the normal Staria van, Hyundai also sells a version called the ST1, which is a commercial variant that uses the front 1/3rd of a Staria but leaves off the rest of the body, allowing businesses to build it to any configuration they’d like, whether that’s a larger-capacity storage space, a flatbed, or anything in between.
The electric powertrain has already been available in the ST1 for some time, using the same 214-hp electric motor and the same 800-volt architecture. But this configuration has been using a 76.1-kWh battery pack, resulting in a WLTP range of between 185 and 197 miles, depending on configuration.
It’s very likely the ST1 will get the bigger 84-kWh battery at some point, especially if it’s to be sold in America. While the heavier-duty commercial van might not get the same estimated WLTP range of 400 kilometers (248 miles), it’ll certainly be better than before. Crucially, the bigger battery would bring it up to a more competitive size when paired against its two theoretical competitors in the U.S., the Ram Promaster EV and the Ford E-Transit. Those vans have 97- and 89-kWh batteries and 162- and 159-mile ranges, respectively.
While it’s tough to compare the American EPA cycle and the European WLTP cycle, the ST1’s original 197-mile WLTP range would’ve likely landed it at the bottom of the rankings in the EPA cycle. With this bigger battery, though, the playing field is a bit more even.
There’s been no word on whether this Hyundai-GM deal will actually go through, or when the vans might actually arrive stateside. MotorTrend published a piece back in August suggesting it could arrive in 2029, but seeing as how demand for electric vehicles across the board is slowing in America across the board, nothing’s really certain until cars start appearing at dealerships.
Top graphic image: Hyundai
I love Starias so so much. After being driven around in one in Costa Rica a few years ago I’ve unabashedly been lusting after one
They aren’t uncommon in the Gulf countries (Saudi, Bahrain, Qatar et al) either. One thing about them is that they’re surprisingly huge. Much closer to full size church-van than they are to your Odysseys and Carnivals. I fully expect to see Mercedes Streeter turning one into a camper within seconds of them hitting the market.
I am actually kind of surprised she never got a Mercedes AWD Sprinter work van for cheap and tried the conversion. It would make for entertaining content here and on Youtube for her.
Ugh, you reminded me of our trip to New Zealand two years ago where these were all over the rental lot. I thought they looked so cool–the windows are HUGE. We got assigned some boring Mercedes instead. Spent the whole trip with major van envy.
I hope this partnership saves the BrightDrop factory and gives them something to assemble there. That’s part of GM history, that’s the original Geo Tracker / Metro CAMI factory!
The most annoying part about the Staria is for taillight lovers. The top third of the light cluster (above the black divider line) don’t illuminate at all! It’s a blinking travesty.
I’m sure GM will find a way to make them worse.
Sure hope Hyundai solves its 800v ICCU issue on its BEVs, especially commercial vehicles meant for heavy use and frequent charge cycles, else there’s gonna be a lot of unhappy business customers in a few years.
“eMoovy” is a terrible name, but I’m willing to allow it if the different configurations change the number of Os in the name.
Single cab: eMovy
Double cab: eMoovy
Full van: eMooovy
Extended box truck/van: eMoooovy
A tall-van option like the high-roof transit vans could be the eMOOOvy.
Maybe they could sell a version that runs on methane? Could go over well in Texas.
If it ran on cow methane it could simply be called the eMoo
Probably best not to let the Aussies get wind of it.
I can see the commercials now…. eMoovy, its groovy! And all the vans are stickered up with 60s flowers and rainbows and whatnot. People dancing around in bellbottoms and vests
Maybe VW can get in on that action since ID-Buzz is such a Buzzkill.
I saw my first ID-Buzz in N California, yesterday. After all this time.
Just got back from my first visit to the USA and only saw two ID-Buzz and 2 Cybertrucks. I also saw a 1983 Tercel 4wd Wagon and one Mercedes W123 sedan not a lot of trucks. This might be a Colorado and Utah specific car spotting though. Hardly any old cars spotted in our 1,500miles of driving.
Back in the mid 90’s I had the ’84 SR5 trim of the Tercel 4WD Wagon and it was a lot of fun in the snow. I sold it and bought a used ’88 Saab 9000T which I thought was beautiful. And also at least competent in the snow. My young son told me he liked the Tercel better.
I will resist the urge to tell him my opinions about the vehicles he and his wife buy. Although they haven’t made bad choices. Actually, they have only bought one together. A 2024 Mazda CX-5. They still have a 2015 Ford Escape his mother and I bought for him used before he went off to law school in Madison, WI. It served him and his wife well. But that’s now the backup car. Apparently here are some HVAC issues that become significant in the winter.
They met three weeks into 1L, graduated together and are now married for three years and expecting a daughter.
What is the point of the Savanah if the Express already exists? I get that in the consumer market, GMC can differentiate itself with trims and whatnot, but in the commercial space, who cares about the different bumper or whatever? You just need a white van that is reliable and has a lot of empty space in it.
So non-Chevrolet GM dealers can sell it?
I mean, that’s the entire reason GMC exists, right?
Nobody cares, but it also takes almost zero effort on GM’s part, so here we are.
If Chevy doesn’t call this thing the Astro, what are we even doing here?
Agreed.
Why couldn’t GM just build a Ultium-based van? Or just repurpose the Brightdrop van design?
Brightdrop is Ultium based. Not enough people are buying it. (though I would for an RV if I had the money). TBH, I’m not convinced the import of Staria tech is going to happen either, given GMs recent write-downs.
Yup… I know the Brightdrop was Ultium based.
I don’t think GM put in a proper effort with the Brightdrop.
At first, a regular consumer couldn’t even buy one if they wanted. And it was only configured as a delivery vehicle.
If they made regular cargo and passenger variants and put in an honest effort into marketing it, it would have sold decently well.
And the tariffs shouldn’t be a barrier to selling it in the USA as long as it’s USMCA compliant.
Anecdotally, I saw a quite a few BrightDrops this holiday in both FedEx & DHL livery, delivering packages all over the greater Toronto area.
My theory is that every logistics company that can make use of electric delivery vans, (and isn’t already under contract to buy them from Rivian or Ford) has purchased enough Brightdrops. They should be good for a while. Maybe GM will bring the Brightdrop back in 5-10 years to catch the next wave of fleet procurement with the latest battery tech?
Step vans are ubiquitous, but they fill a very narrow role.The form factor doesn’t really lend itself to trade or vocational use. It would make no sense for a tradesperson who has been driving a Chevy Express for the last decade to replace it with a Brightdrop, electric or not. The Ford Transit does a much better job of straddling this divide- Spacious and satisfactory ergonomics for door-to-door delivery, agile and flexible enough for contractors. The range of roof and wheelbase configurations makes it very versatile.
End of the day, GM just needs their own modern, multi-purpose van. The BrightDrop was never going to cut it on its own. Maybe the Staria could fill in for a bit?
It seems as though the Brightdrop was too big with too much range (therefore too expensive).
I thought that Hyundai/Kia was going to bring Kia’s PV9 EV van to America… beyond the lavender-colored Waymo ones I see around Hollywood. Is that no longer happening? IIRC, there was a Staria van at the LA car show the other month, if that means anything.
They need to sell the Staria over here in both cargo and passenger versions.
And the camper!
but only as an EV
gm could market it as a Geo.
They have rebadged cars from so many other makers that most of us could probably not name them all. gm is, and has been for decades, generally mediocre.
10/10 styling. Dustbusters forever.
If they price it right, this could fill the void left by Chrysler when they took teh Pacifica upmarket. the Ram Van is the ultimate Telecom Chariot. Followed closely by Amazon contract delivery people.
The Antarctic domestic vehicle market always gets left out don’t they? Then again, they got the Snow Cruiser, Kharkovchankas (super cool mobile tracked research outposts), and Hagglunds tracked vehicles, so maybe it’s not so bad.
It’s not worth complying with the expensive and onerous penguin impact safety regulations for such a small market.
Agreed. After all their work with moose, we know Volvo has the technology, they just refuse to implement it. Stupid capitalism, ammirite?
Great vintage VW scene though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqr7t7nBIVA
And GM refuses to invest in building out SuperCruise down there. It’s fine for the main population centers but once you’re out of town, you’re on your own.
Maybe I’m biased as a former Toyota Van owner/occupant, but whenever I’m travelling and see a Staria I become starry-eyed.
Ik I’m late in this request but can we get a deep dive into why the Chevy Express lost the AWD option?
I’ve been looking at passenger express vans for a little bit and a Heating/AC guy reminded me that they used to make AWD Express vans, because that’s what his work van was.
Now if you want that you have to get an aftermarket conversion done, and they only do 4WD conversions, no AWD setups.
A little AWD passenger van would be great. But really the only good option seems to be the Pacifica, but then you’re stuck with carpeted floors, unibody construction, no ability to add a locking diff, etc.
The Sienna and ID Buzz both are stuck with captain’s chairs that are not easily removable.
Frankly I don’t see why not to go with an AWD van if you had the option when choosing a van, yet Chevy shitcanned the option.
Ford Transit low-roof AWD. Turbo or naturally aspirated. Better fuel economy than the Chevy express. If you really need an awd work van, it is there. A number of our subcontractors use them. Used models are getting quite affordable.
If the Transit is too large, the Staria isn’t for you either. I’ve ridden in one in Peru, and while the passenger version looks very ‘car like’, it is still a full size van like the Transit, Sprinter, ProMaster, etc.
One of the TV stations I worked at in Cleveland had an AWD mid-late 80s Aerostar. It was great in the snow and also rode amazingly well over pot-holed streets. Functional, yes. Handsome, no.
I haven’t seen an Aerostar in years! Great vans!
I had never been in one until I drove that thing in the snow to retrieve a photographer whose car got towed away for being parked too long in front of City Hall. I was pretty impressed. It had over 100K on the odometer and really rode well.
For a cargo van it’s good that it exists, the “passenger van” versions don’t come with seats from the factory apparently….
I recently noticed that gm is finally offering the 4.3 v6 without cylinder deactivation. But only in the Savanah express. I was bummed that they are saddling them with the 8speed. And that they had dropped the awd.
‘Cause like a picture of a Staria
GM says they’re gonna borrow ya
Barra told the board they need to understand
We’re gonna love their brand new Hyundai Van
And that’s all right with me.
No, no, no, no. Just take the driveline out of the Electrovair, slizz it into the Express, and call it the E-Xpress. Can you tell that I have GM running through my bloodline?
How big is it compared to an American full-sized van?
The version I rode in a little over a year ago (diesel manual) felt bigger inside than a Pacifica, for instance, largely because it was taller with a low floor and more utilitarian seats. Width was similar or maybe just slightly narrower.
https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/hyundai-staria-2021-van-vs-chevrolet-express-2003-van-2500/
It’s a good bit smaller, but much larger than I thought. Pretty close in size to a US “Mini”van. I thought it looked like a great replacement for my Mazda5 until I saw how much bigger it is (inability to even buy it in the US aside).
https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/toyota-sienna-2020-minivan-vs-hyundai-staria-2021-van/
Actually, it’s larger than all the Minivans. Not at all the size I thought based on pictures.
It’s hard to tell from pictures. It looks like a minivan, but then they mentioned four row seating.
I’ve seen the 4 row seating thing with the non-US Carnival, and they basically just jam another row where the cargo space would normally be, so I figured this could still be minivan size.
But it’s about 4 inches longer than the Carnival and a good 10 inches taller.
I rode a Staria passenger van in Peru. The interior felt way larger than an Express passenger, though that is partly the huge windows and ease of entry.
Regardless of the ‘car like’ styling, the Staria is very much a full-size van. The roofline is slightly lower than the Express, but the low floor more than compensates. The van is huge inside.
Hyundai has basically done the same thing with the Staria as the Ioniq 5-Giving it the styling and proportions as the next class smaller. It’s like a 125% scale minivan.
Carsized shows much higher prices for the Staria versus the Express and Sienna in those caparisons.
It’s about the size of the smallest Ford Transit (not the Connect, but the standard-length Transit without the high roof option). The Express is larger than the Staria.
I rode in a diesel manual version of these in Peru in late 2024 and desired one. An EV version, not so much.
Signed, former owner of a brown diesel manual wagon.
The dustbuster lives again!
Yes, slap some plastic cladding on the side and send it!
It’s the Cadillac of Minivans.
Replacement parts should be readily available for years, and at reasonable prices. /s