The Hyundai Bayon is expected to world premiere in the coming days with Europe as its primary market
Hyundai has been teasing the Bayon compact crossover for several weeks now. The high-riding derivative of the new i20 is destined to succeed the previous gen i20 Active in Europe. Following a brochure leak, accurate renderings of the car have surfaced online.
Hyundai Bayon
The market for hatchbacks with rough road packages such as the Hyundai i20 Active has vanished as more and more crossover SUVs with compact footprints started flooding the market. The Hyundai Bayon aims to cater to this niche with a tall riding stance, unconventional design and familiar components.
Aimed primarily at the European market, the Bayon is reported to be based on the new generation i20 premium hatchback. The car subscribes to the automaker’s Sensuous Sportiness design philosophy, same as the new gen i20.
This design language of 2021 Hyundai i20 SUV has been characterized by a prominent grille, arrow head shaped headlamp cavities, sleek LED DRLs and a silver chin plate at the front, and boomerang shaped LED taillights at the rear. Profile is the only conventional aspect of the exterior design.
Interior
Being a Hyundai i20 derivative, the upcoming Bayon will borrow most of the interior components including the dashboard from its hatchback sibling. This has been confirmed by the leaked brochure. Feature highlights include a touchscreen infotainment system and a configurable color instrument display. The equipment level is expected to match that of the new i20.
Highlights include wireless charger, energy recovery system, Bluelink Connected Car suite, Lane Follow Assist, Blindspot Collision Avoidance, Reverse and Cross Collision Avoidance, Front Collision Avoidance, Adaptive Cruise Control, speed-limit adaptive system and so on.
Powertrain
Named after the French city of Bayonne, the new Hyundai compact crossover for the European market is expected to derive its powertrain lineup from the i20. The base 1.2-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine puts out 84 hp and 117 Nm of torque when mated to a 5-speed manual transmission while the 1.0-liter turbocharged petrol unit develops 100 hp and 171 Nm of torque, and is supported by a 48 volt mild-hybrid system. This motor can be specified with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DCT.
Will it come to India?
The Hyundai Bayon will slot below the Kona as the South Korean company’s smallest and most affordable crossover in its European lineup. As far as India is concerned, Hyundai’s SUV lineup starts with the Venue SUV which already has the sub-4m crossover segment covered.
It would be extremely challenging to achieve sufficient price differentiation between the Bayon and Venue if the former is launched in India. Moreover, the Venue has been one of the best sellers in this space and Hyundai India has no reason to introduce another model to play the support role.
