A few weeks ago, Hyundai Indonesia seeded a teaser image of what was rumored to be a facelifted Stargazer MPV. Apparently, the rumors are now backed up by the brand’s recent launch of the new Hyundai Stargazer. Dubbed in the region as the Stargazer Cartenz, this MPV has offerings that live up to the SUV aura it now flaunts.
Exterior wise, the predecessor’s sharp and angular fascia is now showing a more demure look. This is complemented by a more pronounced grille, taking hints from the Hyundai Santa Fe design. This is accented with either black or silver trims.
The LED light strip just below the hood is a carry-over from the previous, and is fitted to higher variants, serving as a running light and position lamp. The headlight frame loses the triangular design, in favor of a boxier outline. Below the grille is a restyled garnish that guides the view back up to the grille and then to the side.
Nothing much is new in profile, save for the set of restyled 16- or 17-inch rims wrapped in 205/55R16 or 2050R17 tires. In back, the pair of sizable triangular tail light housings from the predecessor have now been trimmed for a more balanced look. In this new housing is a combination lamp that can be had in regular bulbs or LEDs. A new rear bumper garnish has also been fitted to complete the look.
Inside, the Indonesian spec Hyundai Stargazer Cartenz comes equipped with either cloth or cloth-leather seats, an 8- or 10.25-inch touch screen infotainment system, Bluetooth device connectivity, and either a 4-speaker or 6-speaker sound system. Those who prefer USB device connection can use a single USB-A port. For higher trim levels, a USB-C charging port is also present.
Powering the Hyundai Stargazer is a 1.5L 4-cylinder gasoline engine that delivers 115hp and 143 Nm of torque. This motor is paired with either a 6-speed manual or an IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission), an improved version of Hyundai’s CVT.
For safety, the facelifted Stagazer comes with a host of features, depending on the trim level. These include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Parking Distance Warning (PDW) with Rear View Monitor (Dynamic Guides), and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), among others.
Aside from these, higher variants are also equipped with Blind-spot Collision-avoidance Assist (BCA), Forward Collision-avoidance Assist (FCA) 1.5, Rear Cross-traffic Collision-avoidance Assist (RCCA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW) with Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, and more, all encapsulated in an umbrella term called Hyundai SmartSense (HSS).
News of the refreshed Hyundai Stargazer’s Philippine entry has not surfaced so far. But if all things point in the right direction, the country could soon be given an allocation.
