Staria sales no cause for alarm
Hyundai’s Staria people mover has been a rare miss for the importer in terms of Australian sales, with numbers for 2023 well down on the year prior.
Year-to-date sales for the Hyundai Staria show just 951 examples have been sold – or an average of 95 a calendar month – down 34 percent on the 143 units sold each month throughout 2022.
Speaking to Goauto at the recent launch of the Kona Hybrid and EV in Canberra, Hyundai Motor Company Australia product planning manager Chris Saltapidas said the numbers reflected the Staria’s unique position in the market.
He said the vehicle should not be compared with sister brand Kia’s more conventional people mover.
“I would disagree the Staria has been a failure for Hyundai locally, and no, it has not failed to meet our expectations,” he said.
“It was slow to take off and I think that had a lot to do with the change in name – from imax to Staria – and maybe the ‘bit out there’ styling.
“But it is meeting our expectations in terms of sales, and we think it is a great performing and great looking people mover – it really stands out.”
Goauto understands that in establishing the all-new Staria nameplate, Hyundai’s objective was to steal 50 percent of the Kia Carnival’s market share by reaching as many families as possible in a short timeframe by connecting with their ‘sense of imagination through technology’.
Compared with rivals within the people mover under $70,000 segment, the futuristically-styled family hauler has fallen sharply from its 2022 sales high.
Last year, the difference between the Hyundai Staria and Kia Carnival – the top-selling vehicles in the segment – was 6333 units.
This year, to date, that number is 8695 units, and growing.
“In terms of sales performance, it is doing fine. We don’t expect it to do the same volume as our sister brand – the Kia Carnival – because it is a much larger vehicle, and it is not as conventional,” Mr Saltapidas said.
“That said, it has a purpose, and it is serving that purpose well – we are very happy with it.”
Conversely, the commercial-oriented version of the Staria – the Staria Load – is performing admirably in a segment dominated by a blend of stalwart rivals and cut-price Chinese competitors.
To the end of October, Hyundai sold 2180 examples of the Staria Load, the model placing fourth in the vanscab chassis 2.5 to 3.5-tonne segment behind the Toyota Hiace, 5829 unit sales, Ford Transit Custom, 2491, and LDV G10, 3141.
“The Staria Load is a different kettle of fish, because it is a commercial application, and I think when people look at the value for money of that vehicle against our main competitor, it’s almost a no-brainer to buy a Staria Load,” Mr Saltapidas said.
“In terms of its size, and what it offers when compared with its nearest competitor, I think the Staria Load has a lot to offer, and we’re seeing that reflected in sales.”