Sleek Stargazer
What do Hyundai and a telescope have in common? Very little, yet Hyundai has been selling a stargazer for years. That Hyundai Stargazer has now been renewed. Department of far-fetched connections, good afternoon.
Hyundai has had enough audacity for years to give practically all of its models a more or less pronounced appearance. From the small Inster to the Ioniq 9 and from the Santa Fe to even the i10: they each look a bit bold in a certain way. Even far outside the Netherlands, the brand’s models are more than once packaged in a distinct way. Just look at the Hyundai Stargazer that debuted in 2022. That relatively compact SUV-like vehicle with seven seats now exchanges its Staria nose for a completely new front.
For those who missed it three years ago: the Stargazer is a mix of an SUV and an MPV, mainly developed for the East Asian market. The car is just under 4.5 meters long and has 2.78 meters between the front and rear axles. You know the platform that hides under the striking body from models such as the Hyundai i20, i30 and Bayon in Europe. The renewed Stargazer and its Stargazer X cousin with tougher off-road looks are given the addition ‘Cartenz’ after their model name and that suggests that they will at least be sold alongside the pre-facelift versions for the time being.
The rounded front of before makes way for a considerably more angular front, complete with high-positioned headlights, exuberant LED daytime running lights and a truly gigantic fence that takes on the role of grille. There is also big news at the rear. The license plate moves from the tailgate to the equally new rear bumper and even the rear lights are completely new.
The Stargazer – which is also available with six seats – also gets another panel behind the steering wheel where both the infotainment screen and the instruments are housed. Also new is the extensive button island with integrated display with which you control the climate control. Hyundai also installs a more beautifully sculpted automatic transmission lever in the center console and adjusts the sides of the cockpit.
The Hyundai Stargazer has never been delivered in the Netherlands and will remain so. The practical Asian always has a 115 hp turbo-free 1.5, is also available with a five- or six-speed gearbox in addition to cvt and costs at least €14,100 converted in Indonesia. Not bad, right?