Hyundai Motor India on Monday announced the name of its new SUV that will be launched in the Indian market. The new model, Hyundai Bayon, will be positioned between the Venue and Creta in Hyundai’s SUV lineup. The company says the name is inspired by Bayonne, a city in France’s Basque Country.
The India-spec Bayon will have different specs from the Bayon sold in Europe and Central Asia. The new SUV has already been road-tested by Hyundai, and images have now surfaced offering a glimpse of the car’s exterior and cabin. The SUV is expected to make its market debut during the upcoming festive season.
The Bayon is expected to adopt a crossover-inspired design rather than the upright shape seen on some traditional SUVs. The test cars have shown a split-headlamp design that incorporates a full-width LED light bar above the main lights. The lower headlamps on the Hyundai Verna appear to be the same as those on the car, according to Autocar India.
The rising window line, the noticeable kink in the C-pillar area, the roof rails and the flared wheel arches are the key features of the SUV. The rear of the test mules has a thin LED light bar and a prominent roof spoiler.
The cabin has also been spotted for the first time. It seems to have a two-screen dashboard design. These could be 12.3-inch screens like those found on higher-spec versions of the latest Venue. The two-tone steering wheel with Hyundai‘s Morse code-inspired ‘H’ is also noticeable.
The Hyundai Bayon is expected to use Creta’s 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 115 hp. As previously reported, the engine might be available with a 6-speed manual and a CVT gearbox.
It is expected that a CNG version will also be included in the Bayon range. Another option for the CNG system is an underbody tank, but Hyundai hasn’t revealed details of this version yet. The Bayon would be the first model over four metres to get a factory CNG powertrain from Hyundai.
The new model SUV will likely be priced lower than the Creta, with an estimated ex-showroom price of ₹9 lakh to ₹14 lakh. This would allow it to sit higher than the Venue and have space between the two SUVs in Hyundai’s line-up.
Hyundai has not yet announced the Bayon’s exact launch date, prices or complete specifications. More details are expected to be revealed closer to its market introduction.
