Having owned and driven Hyundais for nearly 20 years, I must admit I’ve developed quite an appreciation for what the Korean brand brings to the table. Our old 2009 Tucson, for instance, served the family faithfully for 14 years before we finally decided to move on.
Today, we have a first-generation Hyundai Stargazer GLS Premium (not the X), which serves as our family’s daily driver for school runs, errands, and occasional weekend trips. It may not have the same muscle as our old diesel SUV, but its versatility as a family and cargo hauler more than makes up for it.
So, naturally, I was curious to see what Hyundai had done with the updated Stargazer X Premium.
The 2025 facelift gave the MPV a considerably different personality, particularly up front. The redesigned fascia now features a much larger grille, squarer headlights, and a more imposing overall appearance. It’s certainly bolder, although I personally prefer the cleaner styling of the original. The look is even more striking on our test unit, finished in Dragon Red Pearl with a contrasting black roof, prominent body cladding, a bold 3D front grille, and 17-inch alloy wheels. It’s a combination that gives the Stargazer X a more assertive road presence.
The rear, meanwhile, is a different story. Despite retaining its rather substantial lower bumper, the tail looks more restrained and cohesive. The updated taillights work well, too, although I still find the previous arrangement more appealing.
Step inside, however, and the improvements become much easier to appreciate. Hyundai has given the dashboard a substantial redesign, making the cabin feel more contemporary without sacrificing the practical touches that made the original Stargazer appealing. There are still plenty of storage compartments and cubbies, and while hard plastics remain prominent throughout, they don’t feel out of place in a vehicle designed primarily for everyday family use.
Hyundai has also reworked the dashboard’s air-conditioning vents and surrounding trim, giving the cabin a cleaner, more contemporary appearance. Below them sits a glossy black control panel that mixes conventional knobs and toggles with capacitive touch-sensitive buttons. The rest of the front center section, including the gear selector and armrest, carries over from the previous model.
The second and third rows haven’t changed much, but there are a few welcome updates. The second-row passengers now get USB-C charging ports instead of the older connections, while the rear air-conditioning controls receive slightly revised trim. The foldable tray behind the front passenger seat remains, and the third-row seats can still be tucked neatly into the floor when you need more cargo room.
That last feature deserves special mention. The Stargazer X makes carrying groceries, luggage, and other bulky items surprisingly effortless. Loading and unloading cargo is straightforward, even without a powered tailgate. More importantly, the cabin’s flexibility means you don’t have to choose between bringing the family along and making room for their belongings.
As the range-topping Premium variant, our test unit comes equipped with wireless charging, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a generous selection of convenience features. Rather than overwhelming occupants with unnecessary technology, Hyundai has managed to strike a reasonable balance.
Now, as much as I have mixed feelings about the new front-end styling, I do appreciate one thing: visibility is noticeably better. The raised hood is now within the driver’s line of sight, making it easier to gauge the Stargazer’s front overhang. You didn’t get that with the previous version, where the hood simply tapered out of view.
Under the hood, the Stargazer X carries over the same powertrain as before: a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine producing 113hp and 141Nm of torque, paired with Hyundai’s Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). It’s a setup I’ve come to appreciate in the previous model, so I’m perfectly happy that Hyundai left it untouched.
Acceleration feels relatively natural, with the transmission doing a good job of delivering power smoothly. Even with a full complement of passengers, the Stargazer X has enough muscle for everyday driving. Fuel economy is respectable, too. During our mostly city-based drives, with two to three occupants onboard, we averaged around 11 to 12km/L.
The Stargazer X isn’t particularly sporty, but it is easy to maneuver. Its light steering makes city driving less demanding, especially when dealing with narrow streets and tight parking spaces. Ride quality is acceptable, too, although larger road imperfections are more noticeable. Sound insulation remains an area for improvement. Outside noise still finds its way through the windows, much like in our first-generation Stargazer, but road noise coming from underneath the vehicle is noticeably less intrusive.
The Stargazer X Premium gets Hyundai’s full suite of advanced driver-assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping and lane-following assistance, blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors. The downside is that some of these systems can be overly eager with their alerts, especially in tight or congested situations. It’s good, then, that Hyundai allows you to adjust the warning volume and disable certain functions without having to turn everything off.
On the entertainment front, the eight-inch touchscreen supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, backed by a 4+2-speaker audio setup.
Speed says
After spending time with the facelifted Stargazer X, my overall impression hasn’t changed all that much from when I first drove the first-generation. It’s still a practical MPV with a comfortable cabin, a flexible seating arrangement, and a powertrain that works well for its intended purpose. The updated interior is a definite plus, even if I’m not particularly fond of the new exterior design.
There are still a few areas Hyundai could improve in future updates, particularly cabin insulation and the calibration of some of its overly sensitive safety systems.
Nevertheless, the Stargazer X Premium—priced at P1,378,000—remains a solid choice for anyone considering a non-hybrid subcompact MPV. It doesn’t get everything right, but after all these years of driving Hyundais, I still find plenty to like about this one.
