Hyundai Motor India launched the Bayon on October 26 at an introductory ex-showroom price of Rs 9.99 lakh, with bookings open at Rs 11,000 and deliveries expected during the festive season.
The strategy is to load a sub-Rs 10 lakh entry point with technology. The SUV brings a generative AI voice assistant, two 12.3-inch curved screens, a panoramic sunroof, six airbags and Level 2 ADAS on higher variants, positioned between the Venue and the Creta.
The caveats are practical. An introductory price can rise, variant prices differ across reports, and torque is given as 143.8 Nm in one report and 114 Nm in another.
A CNG version is planned for 2027, which matters for buyers who weigh running costs.
The engine is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol, according to ETV Bharat.
The reports give the power as about 113 bhp, and differ on the torque, with 143.8 Nm in one report and 114 Nm in another, so the official figure should be checked.
Before launch, Hyundai’s confirmed figures were 115 PS and 144 Nm, according to Carlelo, which also differs from the launch reports.
The gearbox is a 6-speed manual or Hyundai’s iVT automatic, according to ETV Bharat.
A CNG version is planned for 2027 and is expected to pair only with the 6-speed manual, according to ETV Bharat.
ETV Bharat says the Bayon is the first Hyundai in India with a generative AI voice assistant, running on the ccNC system with NVIDIA technology.
There are two 12.3-inch curved screens, one for infotainment and one for the digital instrument cluster, according to ETV Bharat.
The car has over 70 connected features through Bluelink and interface support for 10 regional and two international languages, according to the same report.
Other features are a panoramic sunroof, leatherette upholstery, wireless charging, ventilated and powered front seats and an auto-dimming interior mirror, according to ETV Bharat.
Hyundai Bayon, European-market model (file image, not the India-spec car), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0