2024 Staria Hybrid: The Ultimate Family Road Trip Machine!

This post is a subjective review written by DoubleView, who received a test drive opportunity from Hyundai.

The 2024 Staria Hybrid test drive, a review of a long-distance golf trip, and real fuel efficiency

Hello, I’m DoubleView, an automotive influencer.

Last weekend, I went on a two-day golf trip to Gunsan Country Club in North Jeolla Province.

I had the opportunity to test drive the Staria Hybrid, which accommodates four players comfortably.

Today, I will share my impressions from driving over 250 miles (400 km), focusing on my experience.

If you're curious about specifications or mock estimates, please search within the blog.

The model I tested was the 2024 Staria Hybrid Lounge 7-seater Inspiration model.

According to specifications, it has a combined fuel efficiency of 29.6 miles per gallon (12.6 km/L) (city 31.8 miles per gallon (13.5 km/L), highway 27.2 miles per gallon (11.6 km/L)).

Shall we check how the actual fuel efficiency turned out over a 260-mile (420 km) drive?

For reference, 80% of the road from Seoul to Gunsan Country Club was on the highway.

The 7-seater model has two seats in the front row, two in the second row, and three in the third row.

Unfortunately, the 7-seater cannot use the bus-only lanes, but

the independent second-row seats are quite popular among families with four passengers.

Golfers typically fold down the third-row seats to fit four golf bags and four duffel bags;

however, I was able to fit four bags horizontally without folding down the third row.

I started my journey early in the morning, but due to the crowds heading out to see the fall foliage on Saturday,

I think I took quite a detour over the 124 miles (200 km) distance.

Upon arriving at the golf course, I measured the fuel efficiency for the first time.

I drove a total of 140 miles (225.9 km) from Seoul to Gunsan Country Club in 3 hours and 29 minutes,

recording a real fuel efficiency of 37.4 miles per gallon (15.9 km/L).

The highway accounted for 80% of the trip, and I achieved a much higher actual fuel efficiency than I expected.

I even thought I misunderstood the fuel efficiency specifications and double-checked on Hyundai's website.

Regardless of the reason, I had planned to refuel before heading back, but

the fuel consumption was lower than expected, so I decided to return without refueling.

On Saturday, the crowds heading out to see the fall foliage caused significant traffic congestion.

I should have rented the 9-seater Staria and filled it with six people to use the bus-only lane, but

only the second-row passengers received first-class VIP treatment upon arrival.

I intended to sit in the second row during the ride back, but since I’m the youngest, I focused on driving. Haha.

The 2024 Staria Hybrid features a Smartstream 1.6 Turbo Hybrid gasoline engine,

delivering a maximum output of 245 PS and a peak torque of 27.4 lb-ft (37.4 kgf·m).

You can drive using only the electric motor until you exceed 12 mph (20 km/h), and the engine kicks in as you accelerate.

Acceleration up to 62 mph (100 km/h) feels smooth; however,

due to the large size of this RV model, I felt a lack of power when accelerating at speeds above 62 mph (100 km/h).

On the second day of the test drive, I drove alone around the city, and it felt solid even at high speeds.

On the first day, with four people onboard and four bags each of golf and duffel bags loaded, I felt the power was more lacking.

If four people usually ride, you can feel confident that the gasoline turbo 1.6 hybrid engine is sufficient for city driving.

When driving on the highway, I selected sport mode and pressed the accelerator hard,

but it felt like only the sound effects changed, without any significant improvement in acceleration performance.

When you set a destination on the navigation system, the route appears in the center of the cluster, so

you don’t need to turn your eyes to the monitor.

Especially during nighttime driving, it’s best to focus your vision ahead while using only the cluster for navigation guidance.

Since I was unfamiliar with the route, I relied on the navigation system,

and I felt more confident with K navigation, which is strong in the geography of South Korea.

If you select the rear seat sleeping mode through the monitor at the driver's seat, sound will only come from the front seats,

which is great for when the kids in the second row doze off.

The rear seat monitoring system allows you to keep an eye on the children in the second row, and the safe exit assist ensures they can safely get in and out.

These features make the 2024 Staria Hybrid an appealing option for families.

After returning from Gunsan Country Club and the city of Gunsan, I covered a total distance of 258 miles (415 km) in 8 hours and 1 minute.

I expected traffic due to the weekend schedule, but the impact of the fall foliage was significant.

Upon reaching my final destination, I measured the fuel efficiency and found it slightly improved to 37.5 miles per gallon (16.1 km/L) compared to the trip out.

Ultimately, I used about 6.8 gallons (25.8 L) of fuel over the 258 miles (415 km) drive,

and with gasoline prices around $1.25 per liter (about $4.73 per gallon), the total cost was approximately $41.42 USD.

This means that each person incurred a fuel cost of just over $8.34 USD, which isn’t burdensome at all.

During the launch event for the 2024 Staria Hybrid earlier this year,

I received chauffeur service in the 7-seater lounge model.

At that time, my wife and I attended the launch event and enjoyed the chauffeur service from Goyang City to Paju City,

and it was incredibly comfortable.

I reclined the seats almost to 150 degrees and traveled comfortably, feeling as if I were lying in first-class on an airplane.

I even mentioned that traveling with both sets of parents would feel like a way to show filial piety,

and if you’re considering a family vehicle, I highly recommend the 2024 Staria Hybrid model for its spaciousness and economic efficiency.

I’ve shared my test drive experience of the 2024 Staria Hybrid.

If you have any additional questions, please leave a comment.

I will respond based on my experiences from the launch event and three long-term test drives.