Hyundai's Got a Star in the Stargazer

You have to wonder about the name: Stargazer. Why though? It doesn’t have a sunroof, so you can’t literally gaze at the stars when you’re inside. Then again, since when did car companies needed their model names to make sense? 

In Hyundai’s case, few will argue the claim that the Stargazer has certain, er, star qualities. Launched in the country late last year, the compact MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) is quite the stunner at first glance. You can’t ignore the gently sloping line in front that allows the hood to “disappear” into the vehicle’s body. There’s also a thin single line LED fixture that looks particularly impressive when it illuminates in the dark. Somehow, Hyundai engineers made the vehicle look both classic and futuristic, which isn’t an easy thing to do.

Photo by PJ Cana.

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And it’s not just the front. The Stargazer’s rear side features eye-catching boomerang-shaped LED signal lights that gives it a more youthful, vibrant look.

And that’s saying something because, as an MPV that can seat seven, the Stargazer is practically a van, which, of course, appeals more to young and growing families.

Photo by PJ Cana.

But I had the Stargazer for a few days and I’m here to tell you that it’s not just built to be the family car for the weekly trips to the supermarket or shopping mall, or a service vehicle that ferries the kids to school, or even the daily driver from the home to the office and vice versa. Sure, it functions well for all of those things, too, but the Stargazer also works for single folks who need a dependable carrier for those spontaneous weekend excursions to places like Batangas or Baguio, alone or with the entire barkada. 

And that goes for areas in those places with less-than-ideal road conditions. In Baguio where I ended up the weekend I had it, the Stargazer practically glided over rough terrain and never had any issues going up those steep inclines. The 1.5-liter engine delivers, while fuel economy ranged from 11 to 14 kilometers per liter depending on whether I was driving on city roads with heavy traffic or unrestricted along the expressways. I made it to Baguio on a full tank of gas with plenty left to spare and only needed to refuel once when it came time to drive back down to Manila.

Photo by PJ Cana.

Even for an MPV designed to carry more than the typical number of passengers, the Stargazer has space for days. Both headroom and legroom in the second row and the third row with adjustable seats were adequate. Storage is also surprisingly plentiful: there’s even one hidden in plain sight—a long shelf revealed by pushing a depressed part in the upper left corner in front of the front passenger seat and immediately to the right of the AC vents.

There’s also wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, which should take care of all your entertainment and navigation needs. The infotainment screen is user-friendly and has a responsive touchscreen display, although tactile buttons on the side work, too. The instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is all-digital, which takes some getting used to, but I guess this really is where things are headed.

Photo by PJ Cana.

For those concerned about safety, you’ll be glad to know that Hyundai did not scrimp on the safety features here, including collision avoidance systems, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control, just to name a few

After a few days, I must admit I developed a fondness for this Hyundai, which, I realized was the first I’ve ever driven made by the South Korean car company. Granted I was alone for most of the time I had it, but it wasn’t hard to imagine it filled to capacity with friends and family members on a long drive, engaging in sing-alongs or everyone quiet and asleep while I negotiated the roads as the designated driver. It made me realize that that’s probably what the name is referring to: when you’re in the Stargazer, the people in the vehicle with you are the stars you see and admire.

Photo by PJ Cana.

(Okay yeah that’s a bit of a stretch, but, really, the Hyundai Stargazer gets top marks for looks, reliability, fuel efficiency, and overall performance).

The Hyundai Stargazer starts at P1.038 million while the top-of-the-line is P1.258 million.