Hyundai Bayon review

From £23,1257

Is the Korean brand's smallest crossover a worthy alternative to the Ford Puma and Nissan Juke?

It’s easy to forget about the Hyundai Bayon. It’s not a model that the brand tends to shout about, perhaps because it’s one of the older, more traditional cars in its line-up, forgoing hybrid or electric power and jazzy screens.

However, that character allows it to be reasonably priced – a key advantage in a segment that tries to offer SUV practicality and feel in supermini-sized and -priced cars.

It's always nice when a new car comes in a range of colours and not just monochrome shades.
Alex Wolstenholme
Editorial Assistant

It hasn’t set the sales charts alight, but perhaps that’s unfair, because while rivals like the Ford Puma, Nissan Juke and Vauxhall Mokka are hot sellers, the Bayon is better than them in some ways.

Hyundai Bayon range at a glance

Hyundai released the Bayon in 2021, then treated it to a nip and tuck in 2024 and has since slimmed the model range. 

Originally available in a plethora of trims and 99bhp or 118bhp petrol and mild-hybrid forms, it now makes do with just an 89bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine paired to a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox (for a £1200 premium). 

The loss of a mild-hybrid option has reduced the Bayon's best official fuel economy from 53.3mpg to 47.9mpg and increased its official CO2 emissions from 121g/km to 133g/km for the manual version (the auto is roughly 1mpg more efficient on paper). 

Advertisement
Back to top

Choice of trims is restricted to Black Line at just under £24,000 and Tech Line at just over £25,000 - very competitively priced for the class. Previously you could choose between SE Connect, Advance, Premium and Ultimate. 

New Hyundai Bayon cars in stock

 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Advance DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£23,433
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Ultimate Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£24,105
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Tech Line Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£23,945
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Tech Line Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£24,647
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Tech Line Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£25,945
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Tech Line Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£25,945
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Tech Line DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£25,855
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Tech Line DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£24,485
 Hyundai BAYON 1.0 T-GDi Tech Line DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr opens in a new tab
£24,485
View all 37 cars
Advertisement

DESIGN & STYLING

7
7 hyundai bayon uk 0226 19

The Bayon’s look is surprisingly restrained for a modern Hyundai, yet it still manages to stand out in a pretty unexciting class. 

Distinctive daytime running lights, an interesting shape to the tail-lights and a tapered rear end give it an original look. While it might not be a handsome crossover, it certainly isn’t anonymous.

A key for the ignition on Black Line models is surprising but not unwelcome.
Alex Wolstenholme
Editorial Assistant

Black Line trim gets dark touches like black 16in alloy wheels and privacy glass. Standard equipment includes two 10.25in displays, LED headlights and tailights, a rear-view camera, heated seats, a heated steering wheel and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

Tech Line gets 17in diamond cut alloys, front parking sensors, ambient lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and keyless ignition.

A £1000 Tech Pack adds an opening sunroof, acoustic film for the front windscreen and a premium sound system from Bose.

Both variants are fitted with a suite of active safety features, such as intelligent speed limit assistance, lane keeping assistance and forward collision avoidance.

Within the Hyundai range, the Bayon sits between the i20 supermini (which is £750 cheaper like-for-like) and the Kona small SUV (which is £3500 more expensive). 

The Kia Stonic is a very close relation and has recently been updated with a striking new design. It’s cheaper than the Bayon too. 

INTERIOR

7
hyundai bayon 29 jpg bfc off

You sit surprisingly low down, given this is a crossover, like you do in an i20 supermini. However, the driving seat has plenty of adjustment, so you can jack it up high to get a good view out. The steering wheel does likewise, allowing you to find a really comfortable driving position. 

More good things include a very logical dashboard layout. There are plenty of buttons for controls like the climate, heated seats and steering wheel and the touchscreen infotainment is easy to use. That said, the driver's display is a little hard to read and quite dated in terms of its graphics.  

The driving seat offers good lumbar and lateral support, and while the base is a little firm, its length ensures there's plenty of comfort for longer-legged drivers.
Sam Phillips
Staff Writer

In the age of the techy EV, it's rather comforting to return to a no-nonsense ICE car like the Bayon and simply toggle a switch to adjust the temperature or fan speed and (in the Black Line at least) turn a key to fire up the engine. 

Our only complaint inside is the lack of design flair. It’s all quite dark and the plastics are hard and scratchy. We will give Hyundai some credit for adding some pudgy, elbow-friendly materials to the door cappings, though. 

Space is best described as adequate in the rear: there’s enough leg room but the sloping roofline will limit comfort for taller passengers and its a squeeze to slide your feet under the front seats. 

The 411-litre boot is more than suitable for the Bayon’s duties (it’s one of the larger spaces in the class) and there’s 1205 litres of luggage capacity to play with when the rear seats are folded flat.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

7
3 hyundai bayon uk 0226 21

The updated Bayon goes without mild-hybrid assistance. It's unusual for a brand to backtrack and switch to an unelectrified engine when most manufacturers are hell-bent on reducing emissions, but it does at least keep prices low.

If you’re worried that 89bhp and 127lb ft sounds a little anaemic in a modern crossover, you needn’t worry. With the Bayon weighing little over 1000kg, it’s just enough, even when accelerating at motorway speeds. 

Realistically, 90bhp is all you need in a car of this weight.
Alex Wolstenholme
Editorial Assistant

Hyundai reckons it will reach 0-62mph in just under 10sec, which is impressive if true. It certainly feels punchier than the Citroën C3 Aircross. 

While mechanical refinement dips a little when revved hard, we like the Bayon’s throaty three-cylinder engine note, and at a cruise the engine settles down into the background, with enough torque so that it doesn’t need to be revved to make progress very often. 

If anything the manual gearchange is the main highlight, despite it being light: it offers more feedback and resistance than that of the Volkswagen T-Cross, Nissan Juke or Renault Captur.

RIDE & HANDLING

8
4 hyundai bayon uk 0226 20

Comfort and easy drivability are at the core of the Bayon’s dynamic priorities, and it manages to deliver on both.

On 16in alloys wheels, it strikes an ideal balance between ride and handling: through corners it maintains reassuringly consistent body control, while it manages to remain comfortable with good absorption of bumps and potholes. 

Its composed ride and tidy handling are perfect for British roads.
Alex Wolstenholme
Editorial Assistant

It's not perfect, but for a cheap car on normal suspension it irons out more lumps and bumps than you might expect. 

On 17in wheels there's a reasonable amount of firmness at town speeds, which is one reason to choose the cheaper Black Line with the smaller wheels. 

Either way, the Bayon is enjoyable to thread down a winding road. It may not have as accurate and feelsome steering as the Ford Puma, but it’s better than the Toyota Yaris Cross or Skoda Kamiq. 

We would stick with the manual gearbox, because it gives the Bayon a sense of engagement and fun that's missing in many cars, especially in the crossover segment.

In fact, the Bayon’s chuckability makes it feel more like an i20 estate than a jacked-up mini-SUV. 

Another boon is how easy it is to turn off ADAS functions using buttons on the steering wheel.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

7
1 hyundai bayon uk 0226 05

Both the entry-level and mid-level trims present good value for money, especially when compared to the Ford Puma and Volkswagen T-Cross. That said, on finance the Puma and T-Cross are only a few pounds more expensive per month. The Kia Stonic and Citroën C3 Aircross are cheaper, but the latter isn't as nice to drive. 

All versions of the Bayon promise generous levels of kit, but the Black Line makes more sense, with its smaller wheels and lower cost. That said, if you can’t live with wired Apple CarPlay or a slightly tinny stereo, Tech Line is still good value. 

Removing the option of mild-hybrid power was slightly strange of Hyundai.
Alex Wolstenholme
Editorial Assistant

Fuel economy is key to the success of any compact crossover, and while the Bayon doesn’t look particularly good on paper, we did at least match the claim of high-40s MPG in the real world, which isn’t always a given. It seems that 50mpg is a realistic proposition on faster, flowing roads, with 45mpg likely on more urban runs.

VERDICT

7
5 hyundai bayon uk 0226 01

The back-to-basics Bayon is a refreshing antidote to the tech and touchscreen-heavy EVs that we so commonly associate with modern-day motoring. 

Hyundai Bayon news

Time to buy a Hyundai Coupe? £1k wonder could be a classic
Time to buy a Hyundai Coupe? £1k wonder could be a classic
Alien concept: Driving a Hyundai pick-up to Area 51
Alien concept: Driving a Hyundai pick-up to Area 51
Hyundai Ioniq 2 due as affordable EV to rival Renault 4
Hyundai Ioniq 2 due as affordable EV to rival Renault 4

It's well-equipped, practical, good to drive, comfortable and reasonably priced. A very recommendable car, if not quite as good as the Ford Puma. It's cheaper and more usable, however. 

And that’s the Bayon's biggest strength. If you’re just looking for a car, a simple tool to get you from A to B, it excels. It never annoys or frustrates, rather does the job as well as most people will need it to.

 

Alex Wolstenholme

Alex Wolstenholme
Title: Editorial Assistant

Alex joined Haymarket, the publisher of Autocar, in 2023. A car fanatic, he loves to delve into the spec-sheet, especially when it concerns something obscure or quirky. He currently drives a 2007 Alpina D3 estate but is often seen in his mum's Ford Fiesta (much to her annoyance). 

In his current position, as an editorial assistant, Alex mainly assists in managing Autocar's presence on MSN, but also writes features for the magazine.

Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips
Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website. 

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport. 

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.