First Drive: Experiencing the Hyundai Stargazer X lifestyle
Hyundai Philippines already has a successful product in the form of the Hyundai Stargazer, the same way that Mitsubishi has a successful product with the Xpander, and Toyota with its Avanza and Veloz. While the brands I’ve mentioned have two renditions of a successful product, Hyundai has a void that needs to be filled despite how great the Stargazer is in its class.
Before we start, there is a reason why this particular segment of vehicles has been growing in popularity here in the Philippines. And that is because they present excellent value for money, yet retain style, space, and comfort which is great for your whole family. There is a reason why the Hyundai Stargazer is doing very well locally. It ticks all of those boxes, but of course, there are those that are still after those rugged and “brusko” looks.
This is where another certain MPV has been doing quite well for quite some time now, thanks to its more rugged looks. This is in the form of the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross. It has added body cladding, and raised ride height that also appeals to a further spectrum in the market. But this time, it has a direct competitor. Enter the Hyundai Stargazer X, which uses a similar philosophy. Spoiler alert: It’s much better, and it definitely proved its place when Hyundai brought us out to a media drive to Clark to experience and gaze (see what I did there) upon a possible Stargazer X lifestyle.
Out of the city:
Our meetup place is called The Mess Hall, found in Chino Roces, Makati, where we had quite a sumptuous brunch, or so I was told. Now, I would have liked to experience that great brunch the rest of the media was talking about, but I kind of got lost picking up our Creative Director, Kelvin, as he needed to hitch a ride with me on the way to the meetup point. Anyway, that’s beside the point, as our main thing here was to drive the Stargazer X.
The Hyundai Stargazer X units are all lined up for the drive ahead
As we hit the road, I settled into the rear passenger seat, ready to soak in the experience. The journey took us through the varied terrain of Makati’s streets before transitioning seamlessly onto the smoother roads of Skyway Stage 3 and NLEx. The comfort level? Top-notch. I could have sworn the NVH levels were so good that even the potholes fell asleep beneath us. Space? Incredible. You could definitely stretch out your legs for a long road trip, and sure enough, the other passengers in our assigned Stargazer X fell into a deep snooze, myself included.
Smooth and comfortable in the city and out on the highway
I soon woke up at Pampanga Pottery where Hyundai Philippines arranged for us to design our own pots, providing us with paint and brushes so we could design our pots as we see fit. Violet is my favorite color, so I decided to paint my whole pot with only one color. Violet. This is despite the fact that we were provided with multiple paint colors to choose from. It even came to a point that I was using so much violet that I had to beg other media friends for their unused violet paints. The end result? A pot that belongs in Barney’s house. I will explain no further. As a matter of fact, just look at the photos below.
A fresh pot just waiting to be painted
A pot that Barney would definitely be proud of
Yes, I got their violet paint, for my monstrosity
Drive time:
After that Barney pot fiasco I had, it was my turn to drive the Stargazer X to our final stop, The Mansion, where we would spend the night. I was curious, as it is my first time really being able to drive the Stargazer X extensively, aside from a few rounds around the venue of its official launch late last year.
Related: Hyundai PH officially launches 2024 Custin and Stargazer X
The Stargazer X does quick work of tight provincial side streets, and before I knew it, we’re already back on the national highway. The moment we reached open stretches, I got to speed up and go heavier on the pedal by a bit. I was pretty surprised with its power delivery since this thing only packs 113hp and 144Nm of torque via a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine, which pairs exceptionally well with its Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). Whoever tuned and married the engine and transmission together definitely knew what they were doing, especially with its Smart Drive Mode, wherein the ECU can detect if you need the car to be in Sport or Comfort. There’s plenty of useable torque to go around, and overtaking traffic to chase the convoy ahead of us was done without any issue—and that’s with five grown men and a considerable amount of cargo in the back, just so you know.
Tight provincial streets are a breeze with the Hyundai Stargazer X
As we went further along, Kelvin pointed out something I wasn’t actually able to notice when I was sitting at the back earlier: the dashboard. The layout is the same, but the material is new, and it now tapers along the instrument cluster. Hyundai has opted for a gloss-black finish on the panel that houses the instrument cluster and the infotainment system, and it looks so much better now. Even the plastic trim surrounding the A/C controls has been given the same gloss-black treatment. It provides the interior with a touch of sophistication, and it makes for a much more pleasant atmosphere inside the cabin. Now, I know what some of you are thinking: Won’t it be a fingerprint magnet? While I agree that it will take more effort to clean it up compared to the matte finish found on the regular Stargazer, I’m not going to deny that I do like it better visually, which is a worthy tradeoff, in my opinion.
Not me driving, but a good view of the new gloss black surfaces of the infotainment and climate control
My only qualms during my drive are that the infotainment system could definitely use a bit of fine-tuning. It could also use better optimization with Apple CarPlay, as it kept disconnecting multiple times throughout the drive. I also would have preferred the gauge cluster to have a different appearance as compared to a calculator-like display for the tachometer and speed. If only Hyundai stuck with a traditional analog counter paired with a screen in the middle if they couldn’t commit to having a full digital display. But hey, you really can’t complain, especially with the available competition in the market.
Destination and realization:
The Mansion Hotel
As we rolled into our final destination, The Mansion Hotel, I couldn’t help but marvel at the day’s journey. Korean BBQ dinner, a movie night under the stars, and of course, some good old-fashioned stargazing with the Stargazer X. It was then that I realized the true essence of the Stargazer X lifestyle: it’s not just about the destination but the journey itself. And with Hyundai’s latest offering, that journey is bound to be one for the books.
Preparing the Hyundai Stargazer X for the night of activities
So, if you’re in the market for a family vehicle that’s more than just a means of transportation, look no further than the Hyundai Stargazer X. It’s not just an MPV; it’s a lifestyle. And trust me, you will want to take advantage of this cosmic adventure for your next family road trip.
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