New Hyundai Bayon Review – Big on Tech and Safety

New Hyundai Bayon Review Hyundai Motor India has expanded its SUV lineup with the new Bayon, positioned between the Venue and Creta. It combines distinctive styling, a spacious cabin and a substantial technology package with Hyundai’s familiar 1.5-litre petrol engine. We drove the top-spec IVT variant in Goa to find out how this package comes together on the road. Prices for Hyundai Bayon start from Rs 9.99 lakh and it undercuts almost all of its immediate rivals. What Hyundai Bayon is, is a weapon forged in Hyundai crucible with its crosshairs on the chunk of the market occupied by Maruti Victoris.

We drove the Bayon at the media drive in Goa and compiled our thoughts to tell you all about it. https://​​youtu.be/W8-aHssl55s Hyundai Bayon Review – Design Bayon is the latest iteration of Hyundai’s ‘Art Of Steel’ design language. It follows an Urban theme, made for younger audiences looking for a confident SUV stance to arrive in style. Bayon stands out, rather than blending in. The signature H-Edge LED DRLs along with high-intensity dual LED projector headlights look stunning. The bold and sharp character lines, sculpted bonnet, flared wheel arches, wide rear haunches, machined 17-inch alloy wheels all lend a youthful and modern SUV appeal.

At the rear, we can see a flared spoiler with Aero-style vertical high-mount stop lamp. There are no connected tail lights, for a change, which is a good thing. New Hyundai Bayon Review There are six monotone colours, two dual tone colours and then two Matte colours with Bayon. The colour choice is important because they dictate the interior colour theme. If you go for dual-tone colours, they get an all-Black interior theme with Red contrasts for a sporty look, while other colours get a lighter Black and Olive Grey colour theme.

Premium Digital Cabin Speaking of interior, Hyundai Bayon gets a premium Digital Cabin dominated by the ‘Command Centre’ consisting of two 12.3-inch displays housed in a curved panoramic housing. The front seats get premium leatherette upholstery and then Hyundai has given soft-touch elements on door trims and then a fabric insert on dashboard to uplift overall cabin ambience. New Hyundai Bayon Review There’s smart storage on dashboard and this is where we can see the ambient lighting, which also extends to door trims. The D-cut steering wheel gets Hyundai’s new quad dot branding and the steering wheel also houses the Drive Mode selector. Panoramic sunroof lets in a lot of light into the cabin making it feel luxurious and even rear quarter glass is appreciated too.

This tech-laded cabin is stuffed with features, creature comforts and modern amenities. For starters, there is wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, built-in navigation, Bose premium audio with subwoofer, powered driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, electronic parking brake, 360 cameras, blindspot alerts, blindspot monitoring, software-defined architecture with OTA updates on 19 controllers, auto-dimming IRVM, rear AC vents, wireless charger, auto AC and more. New Hyundai Bayon Review Space & Comfort Hyundai Bayon is a case study for space and comfort. That is because it measures 4,245 mm in length, which is shorter than Victoris. However, it packs much more room than Victoris if we bring numbers into the equation.

This holds true for both front and rear rows. This is thanks to the 2,600 mm long wheelbase and then the ingress and egress is quite easy too. Rear bench can recline, providing extra comfort and headroom for rear occupants. The fully automatic climate control works brilliantly, keeping Goa’s heat and humidity at bay. Even the front ventilated seats did an exceptional job.

Rear occupants are further pampered by adjustable headrests and centre armrest. The boot at the back is up to 505L, if you load it beyond the parcel tray and it is squarish in shape and accommodating. There is a boot light and a spare wheel as well. New Hyundai Bayon Review Intelligent Technology & Safety Hyundai Bayon is all about its intelligence and human-like thinking capabilities, powered by generative AI. Bayon is Hyundai’s first-ever offering with a generative AI voice assistant powered by Perplexity and Soundhound AI.

The NVIDIA commuting comes alive to initiate an almost natural conversation with real-time data and situational awareness. There are 500+ embedded voice commands too, which is supported by multiple regional languages. Intelligence also come from 70+ Bluelink connected features and OTA updates that can influence up to 19 controllers. Hyundai’s Level 2+ Pro ADAS suite with up to 23 autonomous features including navigation-based adaptive cruise control works reliably and it inspires confidence and makes occupants feel cocooned and protected. Safety is further consolidated by Global K enhanced platform, which is engineered for 5 Star rating.

New Hyundai Bayon Review Reliable Performance, Sophisticated Ride Quality Bayon is powered by Hyundai’s tried and tested 1.5L 4-cylinder NA Petrol engine that is trusted and celebrated by over 6 lakh consumers at this point in time. Peak power is 115 PS and peak torque is 143.8 Nm, mated to either a 6-speed MT or a stepped CVT gearbox with paddle shifters. There are three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport. Engine responds differently in each mode, suiting the driver’s needs and mood. This engine also comes with Dash Boost mode that allows for improved acceleration on demand, beneficial for sudden bursts of power during overtaking.

Even though performance metrics are similar to Creta’s, this engine in Bayon feels much more performant and exhilarating. Even with the CVT rubberband effect, performance is brisk and there is a sense of lightness and excitement in Bayon that people usually do not associate with an NA Petrol engine. New Hyundai Bayon Review On Indian roads, Bayon handles well, with the underlying sense of firmness in the suspension ensures that it does not sag with a full house. 205 mm ground clearance is plenty for Indian roads and we did not encounter any underbelly scraping even in mild off-roading situations in Goa. Steering response is quite sharp too and it lends confidence.

Despite the ground clearance, there is not a lot of body roll, which felt like European sophistication. Overall ride and dynamics is composed. Braking is sure-footed as there are disc brakes all around. The brake pedal feel is quite positive and there is not a lot of nosedive under hard braking. New Hyundai Bayon Review Should You Buy One?

Bayon’s strengths are its comfortable ride, refined petrol engine, practical cabin and extensive technology package. The IVT also makes it an easy SUV to live with in daily traffic. It is easy to drive in the city and good handler at higher speeds. Sure, we would have liked rear sunshades and a few other features, but that would be nitpicking now. But for buyers prioritising comfort, convenience and features, it deserves a place on the shortlist.