The Philippine market has a robust compact multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment, mainly inhabited by Japanese and Chinese nameplates. Soon, they will be joined by Hyundai, as the automaker reveals that the Stargazer will be arriving in the Philippines by November 2022.
The impending Philippine arrival of the Hyundai Stargazer will heat up the compact MPV competition even more
This was announced at the media appreciation luncheon hosted by Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH) held Wednesday at the Okada Manila Hotel in Parañaque. The event also served as the formal debut of HMPH’s lineup.
The Hyundai Stargazer is assembled in Indonesia, where the PH-market Creta is also sourced. It was first introduced in that market on July 15, eventually making its formal debut at the 29th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) held in August.
Taking its Sleek One Box body style as well as design cues from the larger Staria, the Stargazer shares its platform with both the Creta and the Kia Carens. The fascia is similar to the one the Staria uses, with a full-width light bar hovering over a smaller grille flanked by LED headlamps.
Although three seating rows are standard, we might be getting the 7-seat version
Unlike its bigger corporate sibling, however, the Stargazer features a higher beltline. The MPV is available with either 15-inch steel wheels or 16-inch alloys across four trim levels.
For the interior, the Stargazer is available in both 6- and 7-seat configurations for the Indonesian market, the former coming with second-row captain’s chairs. It offers an 8-inch touchscreen head unit that supports Bluetooth and voice recognition, along with wireless smartphone charging.
Propulsion comes in the form of a 1.5-liter Smartstream gasoline engine rated at 113 horsepower and 144 Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual gearbox and Hyundai’s proprietary Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT).
HMPH has also confirmed plans to sell the Ioniq 5 EV in our market
The Stargazer’s impending arrival is expected to intensify competition in a segment dominated by stalwarts such as the Mitsubishi Xpander, Toyota Avanza, and Suzuki Ertiga. But that’s not all, as HMPH also confirmed that it will be bringing in the refreshed Palisade midsize SUV and the award-winning Ioniq 5 electric vehicle. Stay tuned for more updates regarding these two models.
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