• Similar to the i20 inside
• Hard plastics in obvious places
• But Bayon feels well built

How is the quality and layout?

Since its dashboard is shared with the i20 supermini, the Bayon’s interior is by no means the plushest in the class. Look past the swoops and strakes and you’ll find plenty of hard plastics making for a fairly sombre interior. Sure, all the buttons and switches work with appealing precision, yet you’ll find a Skoda Kamiq’s spread of squishy materials and convincing chrome highlights make for a far classier interior.

At least the Bayon offers a decent driving position with plenty of adjustment for the steering wheel and driver’s seat. You won’t find a particularly lofty driving position though; the Bayon doesn’t feel much taller than a regular hatchback, although that’s by no means unusual for the class.

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Infotainment and tech

Entry-level versions of the Bayon get an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Upgrade to a high trim level and this is upgraded to a 10.25-inch system with built in sat nav. Both systems are mounted high up on the dashboard, so you don’t have to take your eyes too far from the road to use them. So far, we’ve only sampled the bigger system that impressed with sharp graphics, logical menus and easy to follow navigation. All cars come with a 10.25-inch digital dashboard layout, too.

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It also comes with the latest version of Hyundai’s Bluelink online connected set-up, which gives you real-time data for journey planning, you can create user profiles for all the people who drive it and there’s even a calendar to which you can add your Google and Apple meetings. You can locate, lock and unlock the car remotely using the Bluelink app on your smartphone as well.

Comfort

• Reasonable space for four
• Decent passenger comfort
• But rivals are plusher still

While hard plastics dominate the Hyundai Bayon’s cabin, the seats themselves are reasonable. All cars come with black cloth upholstery – which does nothing to lift the cabin’s ambience – but at least the fabric trim feels hard-wearing and sturdy. Top-spec models add some grey interior trim inside to give the cabin a bit of a brighter feel.

Move up to a top-spec model and heated front seats are fitted, while coloured ambient lighting gives the cabin a bit of glamour at night. In the back, there aren’t many luxuries, with no air vents and just a single USB charging socket to fight over.

On the road, the Bayon isn’t as softly sprung as some small SUV rivals, so it feels positively sporty in comparison. It’s not uncomfortable, though, with a decent ride that irons out bumps pretty quickly.

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