Summary
The Hyundai Bayon is the smallest SUV/crossover in the Hyundai range, which is essentially a taller and boxier version of the Hyundai i20 hatchback.
While the Bayon’s bigger brother, the Kona, has a wide variety of powertrain options to choose from – including the Kona Electric and Kona N performance model – the Bayon has only two 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines to choose from, either 99hp or 120hp; both being fitted with mild-hybrid assistance. The Hyundai Bayon is available with either a six-speed manual or a seven speed automatic.
The Bayon has received a mixed bag of reviews from the UK media, ranging from very good to fairly average ratings. Auto Express concludes that the Bayon is “bang on target” for what a compact SUV should be, explaining that “It nails its brief of being practical, it’s well equipped, packed with features, comfortable and easy to drive.”
Top Gear add that it would fit into everyday life with ease, but sum up their review by commenting that the Hyundai Bayon “manages to be pretty good at everything without being exceptional at anything.”
Carbuyer come to a similar conclusion, explaining that the Bayon does not have any defining features that help it stand out it what is already a very competitive compact SUV/crossover market, and therefore it faces “an uphill struggle against rivals like the Ford Puma and Renault Captur.”
As of January 2025, the Hyundai Bayon holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 68%. It scores highly for its low running costs and CO2 emissions, while its safety rating is also good – especially for a small car. The score is dragged down somewhat by poor media reviews, and we don’t yet ave reliability data, but the Bayon should be a very affordable car to own.
Bayon highlights
- Good fuel economy
- Generous amount of tech as standard
- Roomy and practical interior
- Simple and comfortable driving experience
Bayon lowlights
- Digital clutch takes some getting used to
- Bland performance
- Interior trim has some cheap plastics
- Low driving position divides opinion
Key specifications
Body style: Small SUV/crossover
Engines: petrol, mild-hybrid
Price: From £20,530
Launched: Autumn 2021
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s not flawless, but the latest Hyundai i20 is the firm’s most competitive entrant into the supermini market yet.” (Paul Adam, Shane Wilkinson)
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Hyundai i20 is a serious contender like never before. The cabin is disappointingly dull but this is also a car with an entertaining, accomplished chassis, a smooth and efficient powertrain, solid in-car tech and some appealing finance offers.”
Read review
Auto Trader
Score: 7 / 10
“Hyundai has improved the quality for this new i20 and it is very well equipped with plenty of tech, which offsets the relatively high purchase price.”
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual
Score: 8 / 10
“Cash prices look scary but keen finance deals and predicted rock-solid residuals mean the monthlies aren’t too bad. Add the tech experience, the best-in-class safety systems and five-year warranty, and the Hyundai i20 is a hugely appealing supermini for very sensible people.”
Read review
Car Keys
Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual
Score: 8 / 10
“The third-generation Hyundai i20 is another hit from Hyundai, bringing a great combination of efficiency, a good driving experience and impressive interior. It doesn’t quite wipe the floor with its rivals and go to the top of this class, but it’s a solid all-rounder that doesn’t really disappoint in any area.”
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The latest i20 is well-equipped, stylish and is worth considering for supermini buyers.” (Ben Custard)
Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Hyundai i20 is still a supremely sensible and practical car, but it feels firm over bumps and there’s only one engine option.”
Read review
Company Car Today
Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual SE Connect
“Improved and more striking looks, decent interior space and good emissions all count in the i20’s favour, although a surprisingly harsh ride quality is a negative point.”
Read review
Daily Mirror
Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual SE Connect
Score: 8 / 10
“The Hyundai i20 is one of the surprise cars of the year, a car that turned out to be far better than expected.”
Read review
Fleetworld
Score: 8 / 10
“There is no doubt the new Hyundai i20 is up against tough opposition in the supermini class, but the car is talented enough to stand out.”
Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“Ten years is a long time in the car world and the Hyundai i20 is a small car that shows you just how far things have come, thanks to an equipment list that would match a top-of-the-range saloon from a decade ago.”
Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“There’s nothing massively wrong with how the Hyundai i20 goes about its business but then, aside from its rear-seat space, there’s nothing astonishingly good either, making it hard to recommend against near-perfect rivals like the Volkswagen Polo.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Small Hyundai crammed with tech”
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol (mild hybrid) manual SE Connect
Score: 6 / 10
“While the Hyundai i20 has been given some eye-catching new looks, beneath the skin it remains somewhat middle-of-the-road; decent in some areas, but a bit disappointing in others. In the face of plush-feeling rivals such as the Renault Clio, SEAT Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo, that’s a hard sell.”
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“A big improvement over the old car, in that you might actually remember it. The new Hyundai i20 looks the part and drives nicely. Moreover, the n1.0-litre engine and high-tech manual transmission are impressive and the level of kit on offer is very good.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: October 2021
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 76%
Child protection: 82%
Vulnerable road users: 76%
Safety assist: 67%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
Model tested: Bayon 1.0 T-GDI 48V
Overall score: 2.5 stars
Date tested: July 2022
Read the full Green NCAP review
Energy Efficiency Index: 5.4 / 10
Greenhouse Gas Index: 4.1 / 10
Green NCAP tested the emissions of the Hyundai Bayon in Summer 2022, awarding the car a two-and-a-half star rating. These scores apply only to the mild-hybrid versions of the Bayon, not the petrol-only variants.
Addressing this mild-hybrid system, Green NCAP commented that it “is not enough to balance out the problems of the three-cylinder (petrol) engine”, and that “in all tests it produced particles that are close to exceeding the limits at which positive points are scored.”
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of January 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Hyundai Bayon to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Bayon, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Fuel consumption | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Diesel models | 53 mpg | B | 52 – 53 mpg | B – B |
| CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Diesel models | 120 g/km | A | 119 – 121 g/km | A – A |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 15 | A | 10 – 18 | A – A |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £172 | A |
| Year 2 | £466 | A |
| Year 3 | £752 | A |
| Year 4 | £948 | A |
| Year 5 | £1,236 | A |
| Overall | £3,574 | A |
The Hyundai Bayon is a very affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Servicing and insurance bills should be very competitive, while fuel consumption is also very good for day-to-day driving.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Hyundai Bayon, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Audi Q2 | Citroën C3 Aircross | Dacia Duster | Fiat 500L | Fiat 500X | Ford Puma | Honda HR-V | Hyundai Kona | Jeep Renegade | Kia Stonic | Mazda CX-3 | MG ZS | Mitsubishi ASX | Nissan Juke | Peugeot 2008 | Renault Captur | SEAT Arona | Skoda Kamiq | SsangYong Tivoli | Suzuki Vitara | Toyota Yaris Cross | Vauxhall Crossland | Volkswagen T-Cross
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