Hyundai has showcased its all-new SUV. Meet the 2022 Hyundai Bayon, a small SUV aimed at the European market.

Like Volkswagen, the Korean brands are also releasing a raft of SUVs to tackle all niches and segments. For the European market comes the 2022 Hyundai Bayon, which Hyundai says takes on the B-segment SUV market.

The 2022 Hyundai Bayon is the smallest member of the brand’s SUV family and is named after Bayonne, apparently one of the most beautiful destinations in France and a vacation hotspot.

Visually, the Hyundai Bayon adopts the current Hyundai design language, with a bold grille and minimalist headlight and daytime-running light design. There’s a very angular theme on the car and the rear is dominated by a horizontal light bar.

Hyundai reckons that despite its compact size, the cabin offers a clean and roomy layout, with 411 litres of boot space.

The standard features list looks impressive with a digital dashboard, wireless phone mirroring, Bose audio system as well as advanced safety tech like Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC), Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA), and Lane Following Assist (LFA). The 2022 Hyundai Bayon is available with 15-inch steel wheels or 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels.

The vehicle is 4 180mm long, 1 775mm wide, and 1 490mm tall (or 1 500mm with 17-inch wheels) and offers 183 mm of ground clearance, which Hyundai claims is higher than most of its segment rivals. Speaking of, we reckon the Hyundai Bayon is aimed at the soon-to-be-revealed Volkswagen Taigo.

Under the bonnet is the 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder motor mated to 48-Volt mild hybrid technology. The vehicle is available in two states of tune: 74 kW and 88 kW. Customers can choose between a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. There’s also a naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre engine with 62 kW.

Will the 2022 Hyundai Bayon come to South Africa?

Given the advanced safety features and positioning, we suspect the 2022 Hyundai Bayon will not come to SA, based on a product overlap. Hyundai South Africa already has the Creta and Venue as its entry-level SUV range and a 3rd model might cannibalise sales. We’ll update this article if we hear anything.

Further Reading

Hyundai Venue Launch Review

Volkswagen Taigo Confirmed for SA

Hyundai Creta Review