Fact: Filipinos love road trips with families and friends.
Fact: Vehicles that can seat seven people or more are the most favored for road trips.
Question: So what’s the best vehicle for a long drive with family and friends?
My answer: It depends how many are going. Of course, if you’re bringing eight or more people, you’ll need a minivan or family van. But for a typical family, nothing beats a subcompact 7-seater MPV. They easily accommodate the average family or barkada plus their gear. They’re fuel-efficient. They’re incredibly versatile. And best of all, they’re the easiest to drive, allowing you to arrive at your destination refreshed and invigorated instead of stressed and exhausted.
And among the compact 7-seaters in the market, a top choice would be the Hyundai Stargazer X. Here are five reasons why:
- Standout styling
The Stargazer has always stood out in its segment by virtue of its futuristic and boldly minimalist exterior styling. The Stargazer X continues this design trend, but brings with it a new hood, new front and rear bumpers, roof garnish, roof spoiler, black wheel arches and side molding, front and rear skid plates, and unique 17-inch alloy wheels—all designed to give the Stargazer X a more rugged and adventurous vibe. The Stargazer X takes all the MPV genius of its Stargazer sibling, but amps it up with a more SUV-like feel.
Up front is a black 3D grille with chrome accents while the rear sports Hyundai’s signature H-shaped LED taillamps.
- Fuel-efficient yet responsive powertrain
Under the hood, the Stargazer X is powered by a Smartstream G1.5-liter MPI 4-cylinder DOHC engine that produces 115 ps at 6,300 rpm and 144 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm—enough for a spirited drive to Baguio or a leisurely drive to the beach. This smooth and quiet motor is mated to a lag-free Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), Hyundai’s version of a CVT. Four drive modes are available to suit your driving needs and style: Eco, Normal, Smart, and Sport. Starting the engine is via push-start button with remote start function.
- A cabin with lots of space and functionality
The Stargazer X measures 4,495 mm long, 1,815 mm wide, 1,710 mm tall, and has a long 2,780mm wheelbase, which endows it with a comfortable ride and lots of legroom.
It has a delightfully minimalist and clutter-free interior that’s highly functional and versatile. The synthetic leather seats have sporty accents and red stitching to give an upscale look. The faux leather-wrapped steering wheel tilts and telescopes. The Stargazer X also offers a convenient airline-style backseat-mounted tray table for the second row. The middle row seats split-fold 60:40 while the third-row seats split-fold 50:50 for maximum passenger/cargo configurability.
Other thoughtful features include a hidden tray in the dashboard, rear AC vents and controls, LED room lamps, cupholders on all three rows, and high-gloss panels on the fascia, and on the audio and AC controls. There are charging ports on the first two rows and a wireless charger in the front console.
- Cutting-edge connectivity
The Stargazer X has a fully digital 4.2-inch Supervision TFT LCD instrument cluster, an 8-inch touchscreen 6-speaker infotainment system with USB, Bluetooth (with Voice Recognition), Wireless Android Auto and Wireless Apple Carplay, allowing road trip travelers to effortlessly access their favorite playlists while enabling the driver to readily enjoy hands-free navigation.
- Smart safety features that make sense
Hyundai maintains its commitment to presenting a worry-free driving experience on the Stargazer X by incorporating the latest safety features in Hyundai SmartSense. One of them is Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), designed to detect and warn the driver when a vehicle is approaching and, if needed, will automatically activate the brake.
Driver Attention Warning (DAW), meanwhile, analyzes the driver’s alertness while driving the Stargazer X. If the driver is detected as out of focus, the system will give a notification to take a short break, thereby preventing potential accidents, especially when driving long distances.
The Stargazer X is also equipped with Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA), Forward and Reverse Parking Distance Warning (PDW), Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Safe Exit Warning (SEW), High Beam Assist (HBA), Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and cruise control. Other safety features include dual front, side, and curtain airbags, ABS, ESC, and Hill Start Assist. The Stargazer X also has an electric parking brake with auto-hold to keep the vehicle from rolling once the parking brake is released. The Stargazer X is covered by a 5-year/200,000-km warranty.
All things considered, the Stargazer X is an irresistible choice when you’re looking for a spacious, comfortable, versatile, fuel-efficient, safe, and fun-to-drive 7-seater for your daily drives or for those weekend out-of-town runs. The Stargazer X retails for Php1,348,000.
