We at Nepal Drives are interested in all things that run on wheels, so it was a no-brainer when we quickly said yes when Hyundai said they had a new ambulance they’d like us to look at.

This isn’t your everyday review unless you own a hospital and want an ambulance fleet. This is, however, an impression of Hyundai’s newest ambulance that you might see in the streets of Kathmandu from here on out.

Okay, this ambulance is based on the Hyundai Staria MPV. The Staria is a luxury MPV that is sold in Korean, Australian, and other markets. This ambulance version will come with an exterior and an interior that is tuned more to the ambulance functions rather than your usual luxury van aesthetics.

Up front, you get a smooth silhouette where the A-pillar, bonnet line and front bumper fall downward seamlessly. You get blacked-out bumpers with a large Hyundai logo in the centre. The passenger version of the Staria gets a light bar DRL, like a Robocop visor light which looks so cool. We are bummed that the Robocop light didn’t make it to the ambulance version.

Over to the side is where this ambulance looks massive, it goes on and on. You get large windows that are blacked out, sliding doors for the rear, and rugged 17-inch steel wheels on 215/65 tyres. The rear of the Staria ambulance features slim taillights, a large rear windscreen, and black bumpers.

Apart from that the ambulance bits on the outside include one large beacon light on the top towards the front and two little ones towards the rear. There is also a vent outlet in the centre, and the ambulance is finished in the classic white colour with AMBULANCE letterings in necessary places.

Inside, the Staria Ambulance is surprisingly good. We didn’t expect it to be so comfortable. Starting with the seats, you get 3 seats in the front row. The driver seat comes with loads of adjustment and the seat position is just amazing, better than your regular SUV.

You sit so high up that your arm falls on the window line. The view out is confidence inspiring and everything from the steering wheels, gear lever, and control buttons, falls into place ergonomically, it is so easy to operate everything from in here. You get to control everything from your large center console. Full of buttons it is here where you get controls for your beacon lights, siren, microphone, ceiling ventilator and patient air conditioning.

Over on the patient side of the cabin, you get ample space, a stretcher for the patient and a bench seat for medical professionals, family or friends. You get tons of storage spaces here, with dedicated slots for oxygen tanks, and fire extinguishers among others.

Powering the Staria Ambulance is a 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that makes a healthy 175 hp and 430 Nm of torque. And just like an ambulance, the Staria Ambulance drives like it is in a hurry, but does not forget to remain calm. It is fast and linear, carries speed quickly but also remains planted and confident while doing so.

The view out is crystal clear thanks to large windows and equally large rear-view mirrors. You feel like a King, looking down on your subjects while driving this down the road. Pair that with a healthy dose of power and all the ambulance siren aids you can’t help but speed up a little. Apart from that, the Staria Ambulance comes with a Sport driving mode, we know!!!

Put it in Sport mode and what you get is an extra shot of torque that makes this Ambulance drive like a sports SUV. Everything livens up and works seamlessly to give you one of the best driving experiences ever…. which isn’t something we thought we would say about an ambulance. Rest assured, if you happen to find yourself in the back of one of these, you will get to the hospital just fine.

After an exciting morning, we returned the Staria Ambulance to the Hyundai and walked out reminiscing about all the fun we had driving this amazing ambulance, and also realised how important these new and improved ambulances are making emergency care safer for everyone.