2026 Hyundai Staria update launched in Korea, due in Australia next year

The first facelift for the futuristically styled Hyundai Staria has been launched in South Korea, and the updated people mover is scheduled to arrive in Australia in 2026.

The blink-and-you’ll-miss-them changes announced by Hyundai for the South Korean market include minor styling tweaks, led by the current three-section front lighting band now being replaced by a single, full-width light strip above a new grille pattern.

The cabin scores a larger 12.3-inch central touchscreen – up from the 10.25-inch display in current Staria vehicles in Australia – while a revised dashboard layout brings more physical buttons to replace previous touchscreen controls.

There’s also improved sound insulation to further reduce noise, plus retuned suspension including new bushings, although Australian Hyundai models undergo their own chassis tuning to suit local roads.

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“The updated Staria (facelift) will arrive locally in 2026, with Australian specifications to be confirmed closer to launch,” said Hyundai Australia is a statement supplied to CarExpert.

Australia’s current Staria lineup, launched in 2021, comprisess three model grades, with the entry-level Staria kicking off the range and accompanied by the mid-range Staria Elite and top-spec Staria Highlander, each with either front-wheel drive 3.5-litre petrol V6 or all-wheel drive 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel powertrains.

The latter is expected to either be joined by – or potentially replaced by – by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain that’s been offered here in the closely- related Kia Carnival since mid-2024.

Kia Australia recently updated the Carnival for 2026, expanding the number of model grades available with the hybrid powertrain and lowering the price of hybrid versions by $20,000.

In addition, a battery-electric (EV) version of the Staria has also been spied testing, and could become a rival for the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Ford E-Tourneo (not sold here).

The Iveco eMoovy cab-chassis is an electric pickup based on the Staria ST1 (Service Type 1), an electric ute version of the diesel-powered Staria Load commercial van introduced in 2024, fitted with a 76.1kWh battery.

Previous reports have suggested the Staria EV will employ a larger 84kWh lithium nickel-manganese cobalt battery pack used in the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Hyundai is yet to confirm details, including whether it will become part of the Australian Staria Load range.

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