Luxurious utility
Since its local introduction late last year, the Hyundai Staria has been a roaring success for the Korean brand. Selling over 100 units a month since its launch, the Staria has become a top seller for Hyundai locally only beat out by its successful passenger car segment. Chad Luckhoff attended the launch of the passenger bus last year and you can read his thoughts here, but it was now time for Hyundai to introduce the next derivative of this UFO-styled bus, the Multicab.
Related: Ford Tourneo Custom vs Hyundai H1 vs Volkswagen Kombi: Here’s our winner
We spent the day plying the roads of Gauteng behind the wheel of this practical crew bus and found it to be every bit as good as the passenger bus but now with the added utility of an enclosed load bay.
What is it?
The Multicab features a standard seat arrangement, driver, passenger, and first row that seats three, but from that row backward is an enclosed load bay that separates the crew from whatever may be loaded into the rear cargo bay. Unlike the passenger bus, the Multicab has a split rear door system that opens outwards instead of the massive tailgate. This allows you to get much closer to walls and load bays, not having to leave a huge gap to account for said tailgate when loading items.
Load me up!
The Multicab's cargo area is simply cavernous, able to take a standard-sized cargo pallet on its flat floor, you get a ceiling height of 1.4m, width of 1.6m, and a total load weight of 1 ton, the Multicab allows for a maximum cargo of 2890 litres. Loading the Multicab is also quite easy as there is only a 573mm step up to the load floor.
Tech features and Safety systems
Just like its passenger bus brethren, the Multicab is equipped with many of the same features. Hyundai has opted to keep the Multicab as livable as possible, just because this can be used in a commercial setting does not mean it has to be featureless. The Multicab comes standard with a leather interior, 8 " touchscreen infotainment, wireless charging, 4.2" supervision instrument cluster, automatic climate control, cruise control, and a host of safety systems including cross-traffic alert, blind-spot detection, 6 airbags, and parking sensors front and rear.
The drive
The Multicab is powered by the same 2.2l turbo diesel that can be found in many of Hyundai's top sellers. It produces 130kW and 430Nm and is coupled to an 8-speed auto transmission. The Multicab forgoes a multi-link rear suspension in favour of a rigid leaf spring rear, much like the ones you would find under a traditional double cab bakkie. This allows the Multicab to accept a payload and still drive in a similar manner to an SUV.
The driving dynamics are the same as you would expect to find in any large 7 seater SUV, with minimal body roll and a waft-like ride quality that ensures a very comfortable driving experience. When one first lays eyes on the steel compartment separation wall, you would expect a booming resonance from the empty cargo space when driving at speed on the freeway. This is sadly one of the side effects that these enclosed cargo vans inherently have but, as we are happy to report, was surprisingly absent in the Multicab.
Models and Price
| Hyundai Staria 2.2D Multicab | R 759 900 |
| Hyundai Staria 2.2D Executive 9 seater bus | R 789 900 |
All models come standard with Hyundais fantastic 7 year / 200 000kms warranty, 6 year / 90 000km service plan and 7 year / 150 000km road side assistance.
Verdict
The Multicab surprised me. I was expecting a lowly utility van with a noisy rear end and sparse interior features and what I ended up driving was a spacious, well-equipped van that has the ability to serve as a mobile workshop, toy hauler, or campervan. The possible uses are endless and no matter what you choose to do with the Multicab, you can have peace of mind that you will be doing it in comfort and convenience.
