Hyundai Grand Starex undergoes Royale treatment

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd (HSDM) recently launched the new look Grand Starex MPV after having undergone the Royale full bodykit treatment, in Malaysia.

The Grand Starex Royale sports a more in-your-face grille at the front as well as added skirting throughout the MPV’s 5.1-metre body. The side wing mirrors now have integrated L.E.D indicators. Apart from that, the remarkable crystal headlamps also lights up automatically in dim surroundings.

Reversing the Grand Starex Royale has never been easier with its rearview camera that shows you precisely how much space you have to reverse. Parking problems will be solved with the camera and existing 4 reverse sensors neatly tucked into the rear bumper. A rear windshield wiper is also added onto the rear windscreen for better visibility when it rains.

The in-car entertainment is also upgraded with a brand new Pioneer LCD touch screen DVD player linked to a 7” LCD screen located in the middle top of the MPV for rear passengers. This DVD Player streams wide and crisp clear movies with one touch for maximum enjoyment. The 2.5 litre CRDi diesel engine that comes with a Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) and a turbo intercooler remains unchanged. This power plant unleashes a maximum power output of 125 kW (170 ps) at 3,800 rpm and maximum torque of 392 Nm (40 kg-m) at 2,000 to 2,500 rpm for high-speed performance. This second generation CRDi diesel engine system from BOSCH is an improved engine with computerized system to adjust to the condition appropriately when necessary.

Mated to a 5-speed shiftronic transmission, the Grand Starex Royale delivers sports-mode exhilaration for dynamic driving, while improved front and rear suspension supported by MacPherson strut type and multi-link layout respectively, affirms long distance comfort. Despite having a length of more than five meters, the turning radius of the Grand Starex Royale is no more than 5.6 metres, making tight spaces in any setting easily negotiable.

The Grand Starex Royale is the winner of the large MPV Category at the Autocar ASEAN Awards 2008. It has also won the BOSCH 1^st Asian Auto Fuel Efficiency Award 2008 for luxury MPV.

Available in 4 varying colours – Crystal White, Stone Black, Sleek Silver and Carbon Grey, this full-size MPV is available for viewing and test drive at all Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Showrooms nationwide. The Grand Starex Royale 2.5GLS Diesel (A) VGT is priced at RM 148,888 (OTR) in West Malaysia and RM 153,997.50 (OTR) in East Malaysia.

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors offers its customers a 5 years or 300,000km extended warranty that assures all customers of any unexpected repair or cost due to manufacturing defect. This is the longest warranty offered by any automaker in Malaysia.

Malaysian motorists can place their bookings at the nearest sales outlet or call its Customer Careline at 1-300-13-2000 for more information.

Related post:

Grand Starex Road Test

2008 Hyundai Starex MPV

A Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) can be a tricky little acquisition for most of us with a growing family - children with a maid in tow plus extended families (in-laws, out-laws and what not!). More often than not, you would probably have gotten remarks like "It's a bloody van!" when you suddenly drive up in one of those tall-ish people carrier like the Toyota Avanza, Innova and Nissan Serena, Hyundai Trajet et al. Strangely though, when you pay over hundreds of thousands of ringgit for a Toyota Estima (ACR50), Nissan Elgrand, Honda Stepwgn (via USF) and even the bulky and chunky wardrobe-on-wheels grey-import Alphard, such demeaning comments seem to have suddenly faded away into oblivion. On the flipside, try choosing a low-riding, car-like MPV like Honda Odyssey, you may get a comment like "It's much like a funeral hearse". And then there's the occassion that should you mention Naza Citra, Toyota Wish, Honda Stream, Mazda5 and Nissan Grand Livina, many will complain that their 3rd rows are useless for adults (especially the rebadged Kia). Oh dear! What a predicament.

So, how do we balance space, size, flexibility, packaging and practicality with aesthetics? (Forget enthusiast's definition of driveability) And some would even throw in the all-important badge/brand and the ever-sensitive price factors in the works! Towards this I have this to say: "Make up your mind! There is no such thing as a car-like MPV with fuel economy of a sedan, handles like a sports hatch/sedan, looks sleek like a sports wagon (think: Mercedes R-Class?), boot like a sedan even with 3rd row up and blah! blah! blah!...."

Now wait a minute...maybe there is a solution to this complex mix bag of demands after all! Enter the 'van' of a people mover in the form of the new Hyundai Starex! I must say I'm not much moved by the spate of recent launches like the confused SUV-MPV 'hybrid' Toyota Rush, 7-seater SUV Chevrolet Captiva, Inokom Santa Fe and the likes. But this is different, even at first sight and contact at its launch in One Utama shopping centre recently. Though it's Korean (you know how nasty and stubborn some old mindsets are) and it has been christened "A Van!" by my close accountant friend, I think it has some pretty nice credentials commesurating with its asking price of RM138,888 for an 11-seater Alphard-sized people mover. Take out the 4th row permanently and you'd have luggage space the size of say a Naza-Kia Sorento with 8 seating capacities still intact (9 if you wanna push your luck with 3 abreast - centre seat belt is standard - up front 1st row). Unbelievable? Believe it!

For a start it has a 2.5L diesel common-rail direct injection (CRDi) with Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) good for numbers like 170hp and 392Nm, mated to a 5-speed auto box for that leisurely and non-commercial panel-van drive...get it?
Apart from that it has a monocoque chassis, all-round disc brakes with ABS +EBD, McPherson struts up front and multilink at the back with coil springs. Internally it's A/C blowers for occupants in all 4 rows (12 vents in all if you wanna count). Bye-bye humid, stuffy and hot interiors in our scorching hot climate even when fully loaded with passengers!

Leather seats and a DVD player with LCD screen plus reverse camera is standard for the 11-seater variant (it can actually seat 12!). I have yet to see the standard 7-seater maodel asking for RM135,533 but there is a customised 7-seater (luxury) with meeting table of mahogany, a rear centre console, premium audio system, additional rear LCD screen for DVD video and luxurious Ottoman leather captain chairs. All these for 'only' RM172,888.

In all of singing praises for the new Hyundai Starex there are two things left undone:
1) After-market installation of electric powered door (minimum one side for the left rear door) should the writer get one for his ever-expanding family.
2) A road-test which For Wheels hope to be doing soon.

Maybe Michael Bay's "Transformers" has changed the writer's perception of bulky and chunky metal form presence on wheels after all ;)