It’s middle of the road
HYUNDAI LATEST BETTER THAN ITS RIVALS
SO, WHAT on earth is a Hyundai Bayon? Hyundai tends to use a simple numbering system for its traditional cars, and names for its SUVS and crossovers. For example, i10 for the smallest hatchback, i20 for the next and so on. The Bayon, it transpires, is a new compact crossover that’s similar in size to the i20. It’s a rival, in other words, for the Renault Captur, Seat Arona or VW T-cross.
Hyundai has been showering new cars on us all summer and several of them have been exceptionally good. The fully electric Ioniq 5, for example, is as good as any premium German; better than many and cheaper than all of them, gadget for gadget.
Then there’s the i20n, a hot hatchback that has real-world performance, is affordable to many and is a real cracker to drive.
Needless to say that the Bayon, while it has the stance of a 4x4 and the plastic cladding to go with it, is front-wheel drive.
There’s only one choice of engine a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, direct-injection petrol engine, but you can have it with either 100PS or 120PS. We’re testing a Bayon with the latter installed. It’s also got a six-speed manual gearbox; an extra £1,250 buys you double-clutch automatic.
In Premium trim, which is a rung up from the entry-level model, our Bayon costs £23,745. A fair price considering the amount of kit included.
A small badge on the front wing says 48V. This refers to the mild hybrid system that’s fitted. Hyundai quotes 53.3mpg and 121g/km of Co2. You should be able to achieve over 50mpg if you drive accordingly, which you probably will because this is not a car that will appeal to racers.
Step inside and you will see an instrument panel taken straight from the i20. It means more than adequate quality for the sticker price and, more importantly, a refreshingly simple layout that includes proper switches for the essential functions.
Our Premium spec version gets a 10.25in touchscreen, wireless charging pad, smartphone mirroring and even heated front seats and steering wheel. And you don’t need to plug your blower in with a cable to use Apple and Androids’ magic because mirroring is wireless. There are plenty of luxury cars four times the price of the Bayon that don’t have that feature.
The Bayon has generous interior space and there’s even more headroom than in the i20. The boot is 334 litres and a generous 1,205 litres with the seats folded flat.
Performance is more than acceptable with 120PS propelling 1,200kg. Hyundai quotes 10.4sec for 0-62mph. The three-cylinder engine has a little bit of character and is smooth and responsive. You get even more kit by upgrading to the Ultimate trim, which gives you a snazzy black roof and a Bose hi-fi system.
One gimmick that takes a bit of getting used to is what Hyundai calls intelligent manual transmission.
Normally, the clutch pedal activates the clutch itself via a cable or by hydraulics; in the Bayon there’s just a wire and some electronics. It’s done this way because it speeds up the action of the stop/start system and allows the engine to be automatically disengaged from the wheels when going down hills – saving a bit of fuel. In practice, the action is a bit odd.
The new Bayon doesn’t do anything worse or significantly better than its rivals, and enters a market that’s already well-populated. The bigger Kona is more interesting to look at and the i20 upon which it is based, is a nicer car to drive.
IS NEITHER WORSE NOR