That's Some Positive Testament, Isn't It?

That's Some Positive Testament, Isn't It?

Notwithstanding the economic recession looming ahead for us, multi-purpose vehicles are hoping to rough through the downturn, especially with budget models like the much-hyped, soon-to-be-launched Proton Exora and Perodua鈥檚 new MPV (Toyota Passo Sette) in the making. Coming to present tense, and moving a couple of rungs up this people mover segment, we have this 鈥楽tarship Enterprise鈥?of a minivan (as the American folks call it), minibus or full-size MPV. Whatever you might want to call it, there鈥檚 no denying that this Starex is simply huge. Ditto its front and rear tracks, with even the bulge of all 4 wheels showing its wide jutting stance. Measuring over 5metres in length, think Mercedes R-Class and S-Class in extended 鈥楲鈥?guises, and perhaps even taller than the trendy and popular deep-freezer-on-wheels Toyota Alphard. This is another repeat of maximum bang-for-bucks from the Koreans. Splendid, I thought to myself since most guys, if not all, love bigger things generally (stop your wandering minds people).

A preference applicable even to handsets now, unlike in the early 2000鈥檚 when Nokia鈥檚 most 鈥榠conic鈥?and smallest handphone, the 8210 were so ubiquitous. In all honesty, almost all the folks that spotted me piloting the Starex - a parallel imported MPVs dealer included - were more impressed with its exterior styling than the other slab-sided metal chunk wearing that coveted 鈥楾鈥?badge. Some even commended that the Starex鈥?rear profile traces the current Mercedes-Benz Vito/Viano to a certain extent. Now that must be quite flattering for Hyundai鈥檚 Starex going into its third generation. Personally, I quite fancy the Starex鈥?frontal visage and I guessed it could pass off as the next generation Mercedes V-Class (Vito), more so with the Starex in metallic silver. All you need is a change of the big emblem sitting in the centre of the large slab of a grille! It鈥檚 also very heartening and appetising to digest figures like 170 hp and 392 Nm of torque at 2000 to 2500rpm coming from Hyundai鈥檚 2.5L turbodiesel, equipped with Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT). Definitely class-leading figures for an oil-burner at RM138,888 or for any 12-seater for that matter.

This behemoth from Hyundai is best left cruising down highway since its sheer bulk and high centre-of-gravity don鈥檛 usually translate to fun tackling the twisties. That鈥檚 to be expected but it鈥檚 not to say that it pitches and rolls badly around corners, far from it. In fact, I found the Starex mostly as planted as the SsangYong Stavic tested years ago, if not for what is recalled as slightly better tracking composure of the latter鈥檚 front axle into corners. Needless to say, both makes are best driven sedately around bends since they are after all massive vehicular masses in motion. In addition, this also makes parallel parking easier than you imagine. One of the few gripes I have with the Starex is the absence of a rear screen wiper when even a reverse camera is standard. You know how an expansive rear windscreen on a near-vertical tailgate gets easily sprayed with smudges after a rainy day drive.

In an already tall van, the taller bee-sting radio antenna only serves to scrape ceilings, an occasional overhead fire sprinkler鈥檚 piping and sometimes metal frame scaffolding of basement car parks. In the meantime, I found the vague release of the parking brake lever deep in between the driver and front middle seat mostly inconvenient. More often than not, the parking brake does not disengage fully unless and until I extend my elbow and wrist, each time having to consciously push the lever deep down to the carpet trim level. Also, what鈥檚 with the old school instrument dials with plain green backlight at night and ever-so-boring fonts, looking bargain basement and much like a commercial goods carrier鈥檚? Come to think of it, I have spotted a white panel-van version of the H1 - as the Starex is known as - in the U.K. 鈥檓on Hyundai, surely there鈥檚 room for differentiation at the meter panel! Interior wise, the ceiling is lined bilaterally with A/C vents which kept all three back rows鈥?passengers cool, near freezing-cold even in scorching mid-day sun.

Though the seats sizes are just adequate, trimming them in soft beige leather did help in increasing their comfiness and even adds a tinge of class to things. In fact, the overall cabin ambience is far more inviting and luxurious versus the likes of Toyota HIACE and the Kia Pregio. Heck, there is even a touch screen double-DIN DVD player up front along with a ceiling mounted LCD screen to keep my kids and their cousins quiet during an outing to Kuantan, and back! After returning the tester unit, this writer was actually contemplating getting one for his ever expanding, at times extended family. If only the economic uncertainty that looms with the doom of global financial crisis isn鈥檛 so murky and threatening. Nonetheless, at sub-RM140k there is nothing like this out there in CBU form (or even CKD!) and as a brand-new vehicle for you to pick. So it does make sense - more so in these testing and trying times - as say, a third 鈥榗ar鈥?for mass transportation or utility purposes for a large family. That鈥檚 provided you can get past the usual badge snobbery that may afflict most of us. For the record, this Hyundai is already well received by the decision makers in the hospitality, travel and tourism industry. That's some positive testament, isn't it?