Hyundai has just revealed the name of its upcoming midsize SUV that’s going to be positioned between the Venue and the Creta. It’s going to be called the Bayon – a name, Hyundai says, is inspired by a city in the French Basque Country. Notably, Hyundai already uses the Bayon nameplate for an i20-based crossover in markets like Europe and Central Asia, but the India-spec model will be different from that.
- Upcoming midsize SUV could be just over four metres long
- To sit below Creta; 1.5-litre petrol and CNG powertrain options likely
- Expected to launch this festive season
Hyundai Bayon Exterior and Interior details
The upcoming Bayon SUV has been spied testing on our roads several times, giving us a reasonable idea of what it is going to look like. It has the overall stance of a crossover rather than a boxy, upright SUV. Camouflaged test mules have hinted at a split headlamp setup with a full-width LED light bar positioned at the top. The main headlamp unit on the bumper appears to be very Verna-like, and there’s a two-part air intake with the registration plate holder positioned in the centre.
In profile, the midsize SUV has a rising window line with a distinct kink at the C-pillar. It also gets regular pull-type door handles, functional roof rails and prominently flared wheel arches, much like the Exter, but seems devoid of heavy body cladding. At the back, there’s a slim LED light band mimicking the front LED signature and a pronounced roof spoiler.
Recently, we also got our first sighting of the interior of the India-spec Bayon. Like most modern Hyundais, it was spotted with a twin-screen setup spanning the dashboard. These could be the latest 12.3-inch units seen on top-spec variants of the Venue. A dual-tone steering wheel with the four-dot motif signifying ‘H’ in Morse code could also be observed. The cabin is likely to have a dual-tone black-and-white colour scheme, and as with most Hyundais, expect it to be loaded to the gills with features.
Hyundai Bayon Powertrain details
The Bayon SUV will differ from the Creta in powertrain offerings. We exclusively reported in July that the Bayon is expected to get the Creta’s 115hp 1.5-litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine with 6-speed manual and CVT options. However, this engine will also be offered with a CNG option, likely with an underbody tank, making the Bayon-based SUV the first Hyundai model over four metres long to be powered by CNG.
Much like Maruti, this upcoming SUV will give Hyundai a two-pronged approach to tackle the burgeoning midsize SUV market. In terms of price, it will be more affordable than the Creta, likely ranging from Rs 9 lakh to Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom).
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Dipan Sur
Dhruv Dhaka
