The next-gen Hyundai Starex is expected to share its underpinnings with the fourth-gen Kia Carnival, and is only expected to be revealed next year
The Hyundai Starex minivan was originally launched back in 1997, and has only featured one generational update since then, in 2007. However, the Korean carmaker is now working on launching a new-gen model of the car in 2021, after 14 long years. However, according to a new report, the next-gen Starex (aka H1) could also spawn Hyundai’s first fully-electric people mover.
갓차 has imagined the next-gen Hyundai Starex based on spy shots, and uploaded a video of the same on their YouTube channel. The Korean carmaker has already confirmed that a pure electric MPV in its Light Commercial Vehicles range is in the works for 2022. We believe that there are good changes of it being the H1 EV, however, Hyundai is yet to confirm the same.
Internally codenamed ‘US4’, the next-gen Starex will be based on Hyundai’s latest Sensuous Sportiness design language; which means that the minivan will likely sport a large cascading grille up front. The rendering takes it one step ahead with a mammoth-sized rectangular grille up front, which also houses the headlamps.
The grille covers up a large portion of the front fascia of the minivan, while the headlamps are placed much lower than they usually are conventionally. That being said, the actual production-ready Starex could get a split-headlamp setup, with LED DRLs sitting atop the main headlight unit.
Mechanically, the 2021 Starex will likely be sharing its underpinnings with the fourth-gen Kia Carnival. That being said, the Indian market continues to get the previous-gen model of the Carnival MPV, which was launched in the country at this year’s Auto Expo, held in February 2020.
Hyundai was also apparently evaluating bringing a new premium MPV to the Indian market, and it could very well be the next-gen Starex itself. That being said, the Starex would not only serve as a rival to its cousin, the Kia Carnival, but would also pose a threat to the Toyota Innova Crysta in the Indian market.