Hyundai will transform its Bayon crossover into a larger and more expressive mini-SUV in the next generation of the model, Autocar reports.
The car will become longer, taller and wider, will have a more angular design, and for the first time it will be equipped with a hybrid powertrain. Thus, the manufacturer intends to more clearly distinguish the Bayon from the related i20 hatchback.
The new model will be made in accordance with Hyundai's design concept called Art of Steel. It assumes clearer body lines, pronounced contours and angular shapes, which should emphasize the SUV nature of the car.
“Today’s Bayon is too similar to the five-door i20,” said Eduardo Ramirez, Hyundai’s European design chief. “We recognized that we needed to really separate these two products, and it started by defining the Bayon more clearly as a compact SUV with its very distinctive, more robust character, while the i20 remains an i20,” he added.
The aforesaid changes will concern not only the exterior. Hyundai intends also to increase the interior space, especially for rear passengers. The wheelbase will grow by 20 mm and will reach 2.6 m.
The rear seats will be able to occupy two positions: upright and slightly reclined. The middle seat will be able to be transformed into an armchair with cup holders for other passengers. Boot space will measure 440 liters.
The front panel will have screens borrowed from the larger Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car. But the new model will not support the Pleos operating system, which is used in some of the brand's newer cars.
Therefore, it will not be possible to install additional apps and receive software updates over the air. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard.
At the start of sales, the Bayon will be offered with a 1-liter three-cylinder gasoline turbo engine with two power outputs: 89 and 113 horsepower. Both engines will be combined with a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch “robotized” transmission.
Later, the first hybrid version in the history of the model will appear, with a 136 horsepower. As noted by Christopher McKinnon, Hyundai Europe’s head of product, the need to accommodate the hybrid powertrain was one of the reasons for the increase in the size of the car. In particular, engineers had to add to the front overhang in order to fit the powertrain.