Hyundai's sleek, futuristic Staria van has been destined to make a cool, little camper van since it first emerged in 2021. And it didn't take long for that to happen, at least not in South Korea. Now, a couple days after revealing the all-electric Staria, Hyundai is previewing what a Staria camper van might look like in the Western world. And despite not having the slide-out rooftop deck of some clever Korean campers, it looks quite good, especially coming directly from Hyundai. Is it convincing enough to take on the likes of the Volkswagen California and Ford Nugget?
Hyundai mentioned the prospect of a Staria camper during the MPV's initial reveal, and it followed through about a year later with two different camper van configurations: a roomy premium four-seater with kitchen and an 11-seat passenger-moving sleeper van. Both models also included a pop-up sleeper roof for an additional two sleeping berths.
Unfortunately, those campers were developed solely for the Korean market and never made it farther west. We've been waiting for a third-party camper manufacturer or conversion shop to build out a Staria camper van for the European market ever since, but it seems Hyundai had to step in to get that done, four years later.
On Friday, Hyundai revealed a pair of Staria Camper Concepts at the ongoing 2026 CMT camper and travel show in Stuttgart, Germany. Reworked with the European market in mind, the concept duo loses the crowded 11-seat configuration and focuses in on the four-seater.
More than just a pair of fun show concepts, Hyundai is presenting the Staria camper van with the possibility of production in mind. The automaker says if it does give the Euro-market camper van the green light, the production version will be built on the all-new Staria Electric that made its world premiere at this month's 2026 Brussels Motor Show. Hyundai believes such a production model could meet growing demand for vehicles that combine everyday usability with long-distance travel amenities while simultaneously sating Europe's hunger for electric mobility.
The base electric Staria van will pair a 215-hp front-wheel-drive motor with an 84-kWh battery pack for up to 249 miles (400 km) of estimated driving range. That's a decent figure for an electric camper, but we do hope Hyundai ultimately offers an ICE model or hybrid for those who don't wish to be tethered to the charging grid. On the plus side, Hyundai's 800-V DC fast-charging architecture would move e-RVing a little closer to ICE convenience with its estimated 20-minute charging (10 to 80%) speed.
The Staria Camper Concept vans Hyundai has in Germany this week look unchanged from the four-seat Korean-market camper van it revealed in 2022. In fact, a number of the photos are identical. That isn't a bad thing, as the design looks as fresh now is it did back then.
A four-seat layout wouldn't be as much of a family hauler as some might prefer from the everyday side of their MPV, but it would work perfectly as a four-person camper van, providing two sleeping berths on the folded bed in the cabin and two in the electric pop-up roof.
The Staria Camper kitchen is located along the driver's side wall holding a sink and top-loading fridge below a single lid that closes to create a long, continuous shelf/countertop in a glossy piano black. Presumably there's some kind of a stove somewhere, too, perhaps a portable induction cooker to power off the Staria Electric's battery.
A pegboard-like wall panel over the rearmost section of worktop next to the kitchen provides flexible space for hanging cooking utensils, everyday accessories, and even houseplants and decor. A little farther back, the console doubles up in height, extending from the floor to the ceiling to store clothing, towels and other provisions. The drop-down cabinet face also works as a makeshift entertainment center, holding a tablet for easy viewing from bed.
Speaking of tablets, Hyundai hangs a color touchscreen near the B pillar to serve as a smart home-style control center. The unit offers fingertip control of the usual systems, including climate, pop-up roof and lighting and also works to switch the electrochromic rear glass from clear to dark for privacy and ambiance. Hyundai says the smart glass performs better at UV, thermal and acoustic insulation than regular rear automotive glass.
The dining table is attached to the face of the kitchen block via a hinge so it can fold up during meals or games, supported by a single leg, and fold away to clear leg and elbow room for the drive. Hyundai also shows a second table in the trunk area that slides outside to create an outdoor dining area under the lifted tailgate. That table also appears ready to double as a luggage slide, allowing campers to pull it out for easier loading/unloading.
Other features included on the Staria Camper Concept include 520 watts of solar charging, an outdoor shower, a shore power hookup, and a passenger-side Fiamma awning.
Hyundai plans to solicit feedback from CMT visitors to help guide its decision on whether to pursue a production Staria camper van and what form it will ultimately take. We'll be tempted to file an emphatic "YES, please!!" but will hold back since we're not a part of the European customer base Hyundai is targeting. We will, however, be taking a closer look and getting any additional information they're willing to give, perhaps even a tentative base price range.
As for the (non-camper) Staria Electric van, Hyundai plans to launch the e-MPV in South Korea and Europe in the first half of 2026, expanding to additional markets sometime thereafter.
Source: Hyundai Europe
