The compact SUV based on the latest-gen Hyundai i20 has been unveiled.
Hyundai has showcased its new offering in the sub-compact-SUV segment, which has been dubbed the Bayon. The name ‘Bayon’ is inspired by the city of Bayonne located in the southwest of France, which seems to suggest that the Bayon is a product for the European market.
But if it ever comes to India, Hyundai could place the Bayon in between the sub-4-metre Hyundai Venue and the Compact-SUV, Hyundai Creta. It could be a more apt rival to the Renault Duster, Nissan Kicks, and the upcoming MG Astor, i.e, the petrol-powered MG ZS EV.
That said, the styling of the Bayon follows Hyundai’s design language, like the 2021 Hyundai Tucson, which is available in the international market. The front fascia sports a cascading grille, which blends in with the aluminium-finished skid plate. The headlamp design is more angular, and the LED-DRL runs along the crease of the hood.
The sides sport a swooping shoulder line, which extends all the way up to the C-pillar and meets the roof, which sports a dual-tone colour scheme. The tail, on the other hand, has an unmistakable crossover-SUV appearance. The rear windscreen is scooped into the rear roof-spoiler and angular taillamp, which accentuates the SUV-like proportions of the Bayon. Frankly, it has a more crossover-like stance than that of an SUV. The creases and folds in Bayon’s design seem to a kind of depth in its overall character.
The cabin has a familiar air to it, as the dashboard layout is similar to that of the Hyundai i20. The fact that air ducts run across the length of the dashboard and that the climate control system sits below it hints at Bayon using more than just the platform of the Hyundai i20. The touch-operated 8-inch multi-media screen gets Blue-link, and the Bayon gets a 10.25-inch all-digital instrument cluster.
The boot space is 411 litres with the seats up and 1,205 litres with the rear seats folded down. Other cycle parts include 17-inch alloy wheels. Also, the Bayon has a ground clearance of 165mm.
On the mechanical front, the Bayon borrows its underpinnings and engine options from the Hyundai i20. The engine on offer will be a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor, which will come mated to a five-speed manual transmission. But the engine of choice for most markets will be the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol that we see in the Hyundai i20, Grand i10 Nios, and the Hyundai Venue.
However, this time the petrol motor will come mated to a 48V mild-hybrid tech and will be offered in two states of tune – 98.6bhp and 118.3bhp. The torque for both is rated the same at 171Nm from 1,500rpm to 4,000rpm. The gearbox on offer will be a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and a six-speed iMT.
The Hyundai Bayon is expected to go on sale in the European market later this year. Regarding its possibility of coming to India, well, it's too soon to say if Hyundai India could plan on bringing another Sub-compact-SUV to the Indian market.
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