Hyundai Bayon In-Depth UK Review - Is it better than the Kona?

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Hyundai broadens its SUV line-up with a more affordable entry-level model, this car, the Bayon. 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.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00​​​​ Introduction
00:42 Background
02:48 Driving Experience
08:46 Design & Build
20:18 Market & Model Range
31:05 Cost of Ownership
35:56 Summary

Background

Small SUVs used to cost relatively small amounts of money. Most of them no longer do. Which has created a vacuum into which budget priced Crossover models can enter the market - cars like this one, the Hyundai Bayon.

Basically, it's a Crossover version of the brand's i20 supermini. The previous generation i20 included an 'Active'-spec model in its line-up to meet this need, but that was nothing more than an i20 with roof rails and a bit of body cladding. The Bayon is a proper purpose-designed SUV positioned in Hyundai's line-up just below the Korean brand's most well established small SUV, the Kona. With this Bayon, you can own this kind of car at close-to-supermini pricing. If that sounds attractive, read on.

Driving Experience

As with the i20 supermini, the range is 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

The Bayon is much closer in size to a supermini than its Kona SUV showroom stablemate. At 4,180mm long and 1,775mm wide, its dimensions are certainly compact, making this Hyundai slightly smaller, not only than the Kona but also than obvious rivals like Ford's Puma and Renault's Captur. The so-called 'Sensuous Sportiness' design language used here ensures for a reasonably overt dose of pavement presence though and a higher than average ride height of 183mm means the Bayon looks a little more SUV-like than some of its competitors. There are sharp creases on the flanks and lighting is a key theme, with angled headlamps placed below slim running lights, with arrow-shaped tail lamps at the back. Contrasting skid plates front and rear and black lower body cladding provide the necessary crossover cues.

Inside up-front, a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel is standard and a centre dash touchscreen of the same size can be specified as an upgrade over the normal 8-inch display. 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.

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