Hyundai Bayon Revealed Ahead Of 26 October Launch

Hyundai Motor India has unveiled the Hyundai Bayon, a midsize SUV that launches on 26 October with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. Bookings are open at Rs 11,000, online and at Hyundai dealerships.

Prices for the Hyundai Bayon will be announced on 26 October, and the SUV is expected to cost between Rs 9 lakh and Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom). Deliveries start during the festive season, with timelines due at launch. The type approval certificate is applied for.

Positioned between the Venue and Creta, the Hyundai Bayon takes on the Maruti Victoris. It is also the first Hyundai in India to offer a generative AI voice assistant, alongside dual 12.3-inch displays and over-the-air updates.

The 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated MPi petrol engine in the Hyundai Bayon makes 115PS (84.4kW) and 144Nm (14.7kgm), and is the same unit used in the Creta. It is paired with a 6-speed manual or Hyundai's Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT).

Hyundai Bayon - Exterior Design

The design of the Bayon follows Hyundai's latest "Art of Steel" language. A layered fascia carries split headlamps, with slim LED DRLs in a black trim along the leading edge of the bonnet. The DRLs resemble Hyundai's "H" motif split in half, and there is no full-width light band. The main headlamp units sit in the bumper, which has chunky black and silver cladding.

In profile, the Hyundai Bayon's flared wheel arches with cladding, sharp character lines and petal-style alloy wheels stand out. The door handles are conventional pull-type units rather than flush ones, and gloss-black pillars give the roof a floating look.

At the rear, a slim black band houses the tail lamps, with "Bayon" lettering centred on the tailgate. A pronounced roof spoiler sits above, and the dual-tone black and silver bumper houses additional lighting elements.

Hyundai Bayon - Interior, Features and Technology

The layered dashboard carries dual 12.3-inch curved panoramic displays, 62.5cm combined, plus a central drop-down HVAC panel that appears to retain physical dials and knobs. A wireless charging pad sits at the base of the vertical centre console.

The four-dot steering wheel, the vertical AC vents flanking the centre panel and the door pads are similar to those on the new i20. Paddle shifters are mounted on the steering wheel.

The generative AI voice assistant in the Hyundai Bayon uses Intelligence by Perplexity and Voice AI from SoundHound AI. It responds to conversational requests instead of predefined commands, and works in English only. Drivers can ask it to prepare a road trip itinerary, check real-time weather, suggest hotels and restaurants, list the top five shopping destinations nearby or share sports scores.

Tarun Garg, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, "With Hyundai BAYON, we are introducing an Intelligent Utility Vehicle that places technology and convenience at the heart of the customer experience." He added that "BAYON represents the next generation of intelligent mobility for Indian customers."

The Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) is accelerated by NVIDIA. It offers online onboard navigation, a personalised control panel, split-screen functionality and smartphone-like quick controls, with individual user profiles across the displays.

More than 500 embedded voice commands in English, Hindi, Hinglish, Tamil, Bengali and Telugu work without an internet connection. The infotainment and cluster screens support 10 regional and 2 international languages.

Hyundai Bluelink brings more than 70 connected features, including remote start/stop, connected vehicle information, remote vehicle controls, smartphone and smartwatch connectivity, location and navigation services, and safety and security features.

Up to 19 controllers support over-the-air updates, which allow remote feature rollouts without a dealership visit. Updates are at Hyundai Motor India's discretion and subject to network availability.