Hyundai Bayon Gets A Tough New Look And A 136-HP Hybrid Powertrain

Hyundai’s Bayon used to be easy to overlook in a parking lot. The new one looks determined to make that impossible. Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, the redesigned crossover gets chunky bodywork, sharp lighting, and a new hybrid powertrain. 

The styling borrows from Hyundai’s latest Tucson, with hockey-stick-shaped daytime running lights, flared wheel arches, and a raised hood.

Huge BAYON lettering across the tailgate makes the model name impossible to miss. For the first time, buyers can also choose an N Line version, complete with 18-inch wheels, twin exhaust tips, sportier bumpers, red interior stitching, and metal pedals. 

The cabin gets a little more room thanks to a wheelbase stretched to 102.4 inches, up by 0.8 inches. Available features include dual 12.3-inch screens, ventilated seats, a panoramic roof, surround-view cameras, a Bose sound system, and Digital Key 2, which lets drivers unlock and start the car with their phone.

Physical buttons remain on the console, although the touch-sensitive climate controls still seem like an unnecessary test of finger accuracy.

Two versions of a 1.0-liter turbocharged engine will be offered, producing 89 hp and 114 hp. Both come with a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and both send power to the front wheels. The stronger version reaches 62 mph in 10.8 seconds, compared with 14.1 seconds for the base model. Neither is going to set the road on fire, but the extra power should make merging less of an event.

The real news is a 1.6-liter hybrid producing 136 hp, paired with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Steering-wheel paddles let drivers adjust brake regeneration, though the hybrid system takes up some cargo space.

Hyundai hasn’t released performance or weight figures yet. European sales begin in early 2027, while the Bayon will once again skip the U.S. market, leaving American buyers with the Kona as their smallest Hyundai crossover.