5 Things We Learnt After Driving The Hyundai Bayon: Does Safe And Premium Win The Race?
The crossover SUV is everything you’d expect from a Hyundai badge. Premium, comfort, refined but maybe a little expensive.
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The latest entrant in the country’s fiercely competitive compact SUV segment is the Hyundai Bayon. The Bayon has an interesting purpose, which is to bridge an upcoming tiny gap between the Venue and the soon-to-grow-in-size Creta. The Bayon sits at the lower end of the compact SUV segment and yet brings value in features and premium-feeling interiors.
Having spent time driving the Bayon, we have come up with a list of the top things we learnt about it that you need to know before buying one.
Ride Quality
The Bayon scores highly in this regard. Given its crossover shape and wide footprint, it essentially feels like a more planted Creta. Moreover, the Bayon’s suspension has a bias towards comfort, and this makes it a comfortable car to travel in even on broken roads.
Despite Hyundai usually not being the segment-best in ride and comfort, the Bayon impressed us with its comfy suspension on typical broken Indian roads.
Dash Mode - For A Quick Burst Of Power
CVTs have a reputation for laggy acceleration and the widely known rubber-band effect. However, Hyundai’s IVT (its name for CVT) eliminates a good amount of the rubber-band effect and puts the power to the wheels and gains speed quickly. Furthermore, the Dash mode in the Bayon helps to give some extra power when the car senses that you need a burst of power during overtakes.
The CVT in the Bayon also mimics gears, which gives the driver a sense of familiarity and a connected feel of driving.
The Badge Delivers What You’d Expect
Being a Hyundai, the Bayon is indeed packed with a strong list of modern features. A curved dual-screen setup consisting of two 12.3-inch screens, one for the infotainment and the other for the driver’s display, gives the cabin a premium look.
Moreover, it features a panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, wireless chargers, a useful AI voice assistant, keyless entry, ambient lighting and a 360-degree camera, giving the Bayon a premium appeal.
Want A Specific Powertrain?
If you’re looking for a naturally aspirated engine with a manual or CVT, you’re in luck with the Bayon. However, unlike most options in the segment, the Bayon does not offer a turbo-petrol, a diesel or a hybrid powertrain option. However, Hyundai has confirmed the arrival of a CNG powertrain for the Bayon by January 2027.
That said, the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine is a decent all-rounder with a potent punch, reasonable efficiency and good refinement.
Is It Unique?
As mentioned earlier, the Bayon sits on the lower end of the price spectrum and hence also plays it safe and has turned out rather vanilla. While it does have good features and comfort, there is nothing unique about the Bayon that stands out and can be pointed out as a unique selling point.
However, if you are looking for a crossover-like SUV that is easy to drive in the city and does a comfortable job on the highways, the Bayon can be at the top of your list.
CarDekho Says…
The Hyundai Bayon is a handsome-looking SUV that packs a long list of features, and this makes it feel premium. Given the competition in the segment and the expectations it has brought, the Bayon may feel like it has played a bit too safe to stand out. However, its strengths of comfort, refinement and premium interiors are things Hyundai excels at, and these have translated well into the Bayon.
What do you think of the new Bayon? Let us know in the comments below.
