Overview

The Hyundai Bayon isn’t the first small SUV to be produced by the Korean firm. It already has the Kona, but the Bayon is smaller still – think of it as the SUV equivalent of the i20 supermini, while the Kona is closer to the i30.

Confused? We hope not, especially since the Bayon looks more like a jacked-up hatchback than an SUV. Under the skin it shares the same platform as the i20, but it’s larger in most directions to make it appealing to small SUV buyers.

It certainly has a tough fight on its hands because the sector is packed with talented rivals. These include the Renault Captur, Ford Puma, Peugeot 2008, Vauxhall Mokka and Citroen C3 Aircross. Plus there’s the Nissan Juke, SEAT Arona, Skoda Kamiq, Volkswagen T-Cross, Toyota Yaris Cross, Kia Stonic, DS 3 Crossback or even the larger but cheaper Dacia Duster.

The Bayon stands out thanks to its funky styling, although there are some familiar Hyundai cues: split headlights at the front like the Kona and Santa Fe, and a dashboard that’s shared with the i20 supermini. This latter point means that there are some hard plastics on show inside, but build quality itself can’t be faulted.

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Model options are straightforward – there’s a single petrol engine in two power outputs that drives the front wheels, both available with the choice of manual or auto gearboxes. Hyundai offers three trim levels – the higher of which isn’t offered with the lower-powered engine – and if you want more kit, you need to move up a trim level, since the only extra you can add is metallic paint.

Over the next few pages we’ll be thoroughly reviewing all aspects of the Hyundai Bayon and rating them in our verdict. Our scores will take into account the driving experience, how pleasant the interior is, the practicality on offer and what it’ll cost you to run.