2023 Hyundai Stargazer joins PH seven-seater MPV battle royale

The local MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) market has been active lately with the arrival of the facelifted Xpander and its Nissan sibling, the Livina. Now, the aforementioned market is about to be shaken once again as Hyundai Motor Philippines, Inc. (HMPH) has brought the Stargazer into its lineup.

2023 Hyundai Stargazer

First unveiled in Indonesia in July 2022, the Hyundai Stargazer is a 7-seater MPV that looks to be the next segment favorite. HMPH has now started the pre-selling period for the 2023 Stargazer, which is available in three variants: 1.5 GL IVT, 1.5 GLS IVT, and 1.5 GLS Premium IVT.

“The share in the market of MPVs continues to increase year-on-year. And along with this growth are the evolving considerations when choosing the right one. As a brand, our focus on humanity is driven by our commitment to understand what people want in life so we can offer them an ownership journey that is meaningful and rewarding,” HMPH Managing Director Cecil Capacete said.

“With the Stargazer we wish to set a new benchmark in its segment. We recognize the emergence of the modern lifestyle and needs among Filipino families. And we intend to address these through our future-oriented design, top-of-class advanced safety and technological systems and unmatched driver and passenger comfort,” Capacete added.

Exterior

For the exterior, only the top-spec GLS Premium comes with variant-exclusive LED headlamps, providing more efficient and sharper illumination. Both the mid-spec GLS and GLS Premium are the only ones to be equipped with bulb fog lamps, an auto light control function, and a daytime running light (DRL).

The MPV has a futuristic-looking design

When it comes to standard features, the Stargazer has body-colored side mirrors with repeaters and an electric function, front and rear wipers, and a high-mount stop lamp. Opt for the two higher variants and you get side mirrors with an electric-folding function, as well as LED taillights.

Related Article: 2023 Hyundai Stargazer First Impressions Review

A set of 16-inch alloy wheels is standard across the range. However, the base variant has a monotone finish, while the upper variants boast two-tone alloys. The front has MacPherson strut suspension and 15-inch disc brakes, while the rear comes with coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA) and 9-inch drum brakes.

Interior

The GLS and GLS Premium once again get the upper hand in the interior as these are offered with leatherette seats, a center armrest, seat back pockets for the driver and front passenger seats, sun visors, a console box, and inside door handles finished in metal paint.

Interior of the Hyundai Stargazer

As a vehicle entering the MPV market, the Stargazer comes standard with seven seats, making it an ideal choice for big Filipino families. The second row has 60:40 split double folding and sliding seats, while the third row gets 50:50 split-folding down seats which can be folded to improve the cargo capacity.

Tech & Safety

Providing entertainment on the go is an 8-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is paired with four speakers and two tweeters for a fuller listening experience. These are only available in the GLS and GLS Premium, with the latter getting an exclusive wireless charger. The base variant has a standard radio with a mono LCD and four speakers.

The Korean automaker's challenger to the 7-seater MPV market

In the safety department, the standard features include dual front airbags, an anti-lock braking system (ABS), and child seat anchors. The top-of-the-line model comes exclusive with advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) functions such as Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), among others.

Engine & Performance

The Hyundai Stargazer is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine capable of generating 113 horsepower and 144 Nm of torque.

Smartstream G1.5

As standard, the engine sends power to the front wheels via an Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), which is essentially the Korean automaker’s version of a continuously variable transmission (CVT). That said, no manual transmission option for the Philippine market. 

Pricing

HMPH announced that the starting price of the 2023 Stargazer is Php 998,000 for the base GL variant. As for the price tags of the higher-end variants, the company will put those out on November 9, 2022.

Don’t miss the latest car releases at Philkotse.com.