The improved version of Hyundai's Bayon offers yet another option at the more affordable end of the small SUV segment. Jonathan Crouch takes a look
Ten Second Review
Hyundai's entry-level crossover model is this car, the Bayon, here usefully updated. It takes established engineering from the brand's i20 supermini and delivers it with the trendier crossover vibe that customers for small cars increasingly want. Plus there's also the advantage of a more sophisticated and more spacious cabin than you'd get with a conventional small hatch. This is a much-copied formula of course, but this Hyundai delivers it with value and a class-leading warranty.
Background
You'd be forgiven for not knowing that Hyundai has an entry-level SUV, the Bayon. Most of the headlines get taken by the brand's only slightly larger Kona crossover model, but if you don't need that car's Hybrid or EV drivetrains, then the Bayon offers most of what you want at a significant price saving.
It's basically a crossover version of the company's i20 supermini, which used to offer an SUV-style iX20 derivative. Launched in 2021, the Bayon more credibly succeeded that rarely-purchased variant but has been quite a rarely seen sight on our roads since. Perhaps that will change with this facelifted model.
Driving Experience
All the mechanicals here are borrowed from the i20 supermini, which means that unlike the brand's only slightly-larger Kona crossover, there are no full-Hybrid or full-EV drivetrains available. Instead, the range continues to be primarily built around a 1.0-litre turbocharged T-GDi petrol turbo three cylinder engine offering either 100PS or 120 PS and equipped with 48V mild hybrid electrification. This powerplant can be matched either with the brand's clever 6-speed 'iMT' Intelligent Manual Transmission or a 7-speed dual clutch DCT automatic gearbox.
Both versions of the petrol engine have the same torque output - 172Nm. The 100PS variant takes 10.7 seconds to reach 62mph with manual transmission - or a second longer as a DCT automatic. The 120PS derivative is three-tenths of a second quicker to 62mph with either transmission fitted. As usual with mild hybrid technology, the difference this makes out on the road is difficult to feel; there's a fraction more mid-range throttle response; and the start/stop system cuts in a little earlier at urban speeds. That's about it. Whatever your choice of engine, you get three selectable driving modes - 'Eco', 'Normal' or 'Sport' - with the latter offering a rev matching function for the iMT manual gearbox. That iMT set-up allows the car to enter into two possible levels of coasting depending on the conditions, the first leaving the engine idling and the second turning it off completely, though it will of course spring to life again the moment your foot touches the throttle.
Design and Build
From the outside, you might think this facelifted Bayon was an all-new model, because the front end visage is quite different. There is now much more of a Kona-style look, with a new headlight signature that runs the width of the front. Plus the bumper's been revised for 'a more rugged appearance' and the grille's been restyled too. Other changes include revised 16 or 17-inch wheels and a restyled bumper under the arrow-shaped tail lamps. A two-tone roof is optional.
The interior isn't quite the avant-garde design-fest you get in a Kona, but it now looks considerably more sophisticated thanks to the standard inclusion of a pair of 10.25-inch screens. As an option, the instrument display can be configurable with different graphics that change with drive mode. The infotainment screen features 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto', along with over-the-air updates and the latest version of Hyundai's Bluelink telematics system. Plus it can be linked to a premium 8-speaker Bose audio system. LED interior lighting has also now been added, with the option of multi-colour front ambient lighting.
As before, the rear seat reaps the benefit of a relatively long 2,580mm wheelbase, which allows back seat folk 882mm of legroom. As for the cargo area, well there's a 411-litre boot, which can be extended to 1,205-litres with the split-folding rear bench pushed right flat.
Market and Model
Prices start at around £22,000 and there's a choice of 'Advance', 'Premium' and 'Ultimate' trim levels. The Bayon comes in three specification levels, 'SE Connect', 'Premium' and 'Ultimate', with a choice of 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Customers opting for 'Premium' or 'Ultimate' specifications also have the choice of a higher 120PS output combined with either transmission option.
Even base 'Advance' trim gets you quite a lot - specifically 16-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, a rear spoiler, interior mood lighting, air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera and a 'drive mode select' driving modes system. There's also a 10.25-inch 'Driver's Digital Supervision' instrument cluster screen. And infotainment's taken care of by a 10.25-inch 'Display Audio' central screen with a DAB audio system, plus smart device integration including Bluetooth with voice recognition, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Mid-range 'Premium' trim adds to that with 17-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, heat for the front seats and steering wheel, automatic climate control air conditioning with auto windscreen defog, an automatically dimming rear view mirror, LED headlamps with multifaceted reflectors, LED rear combination lamps and electric folding door mirrors. Top 'Ultimate' trim gives you a two-tone black roof, smart key keyless entry, a BOSE premium sound system, Blind Spot Collison Warning (BCW) and Lane Follow Assist (LFA).
Cost of Ownership
The Bayon's efficiency figures are very little different to those of the i20 supermini it's based upon. So, for the volume 1.0 T-GDi 100PS variant, that means WLTP-rated readings of just over 50mpg on the combined cycle and around 120g/km of CO2.
As we said in our driving section, the three cylinder petrol engine in use here has been embellished with the brand's latest 48-volt electrified mild hybrid tech. Unlike a self-charging full-Hybrid engine, the sort of thing you'd get with the brand's only slightly larger Kona Hybrid, mild hybrid engines of the sort fitted to this Bayon can't ever run independently on battery power. Instead, with this kind of set-up, a belt-driven integrated starter/generator replaces the standard alternator and enables the recovery and storage of energy usually lost during braking and coasting to charge a tiny 48volt lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack. The starter/generator also acts as a motor, integrating with the engine and using the stored energy it harvests to provide extra pulling power during normal driving and acceleration, as well as running the vehicle's electrical ancillaries and helping the powerplant's stop/start system in urban traffic.
A strong buying incentive is the five year unlimited mileage warranty that comes as standard. It's backed up by breakdown cover that last the same length of time and free annual vehicle health checks over this duration. True, rival brand Kia claims to better this package by offering a similar seven year deal, but there, you're limited to 100,000 miles. Insurance is group 14.
Summary
With the Kona small SUV selling well in the showrooms, you might question whether Hyundai really still needs this car. It does - and the brand is far from being alone in offering a pair of very compact Crossover contenders in this segment. At the time of this updated model's launch in early 2024, Vauxhall, Fiat, Honda and Toyota were all also taking much the same approach - which works fine providing the two products in question are fundamentally different, as is certainly the case here.
This improved Bayon manages to make good use of its i20 underpinnings and engineering while remaining very much its own car; we'd certainly expect it to out-sell its small hatch showroom stablemate. In recent times, the brand has certainly produced more memorable designs than this, but most of them are far more expensive. This car delivers just enough design flair to satisfy its fashion-orientated target audience and keep pace with an increasingly talented set of rivals. Will that be sufficient for long term success in this rapidly evolving segment? It'll be interesting to see.
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