Hyundai used the Paris stage to present two of its new models in Europe, the all-new Tucson, which made its premiere earlier this month, and the second-generation Bayon, which was revealed to the public at the exhibition in the French capital.
The new Bayon will use the “Art of Steel“ design language, which relies on more angular surfaces and a more rectilinear shape. According to Eduardo Ramirez, Hyundai's European design director, the previous model was too close to the i20. To increase the space in the cabin, the wheelbase has grown by 20 mm and now reaches 2.6 meters. The rear seats can be placed in two positions – upright and slightly tilted back, and the middle seat will fold and become an armrest with cup holders for rear passengers. The trunk will offer a volume of 440 liters, thus Hyundai is looking for a better balance between the compact dimensions of the model and the practicality expected from a small SUV.
At its launch, the new Bayon will be available with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine. It will have a power of 89 or 113 hp and can be combined with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Later, the company will add the first hybrid powertrain for the Bayon. The system will develop 136 hp, and according to Christopher Mackinnon, head of product development at Hyundai Europe, it is one of the reasons for the car to grow in size. The interior will use screens borrowed from the larger Ioniq 5. However, the Bayon will not receive the Pleos operating system that Hyundai is implementing in newer models. This means that it will not support over-the-air updates and installation of additional applications. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard equipment.
The new Tucson was also shown on stage with it. It also follows the same design language, expanding significantly in all directions - it is longer by 5 centimeters to 4.56 meters, wider by 3.5 centimeters to 1.90 meters and gains 2 centimeters in height, with the wheelbase extended by 4 centimeters to 2.72 meters. This elongated architecture is emphasized by bulging wheel arches and a light signature called “H-Edge“, which echoes the characteristic styling elements of the Ioniq 3, while prioritizing impressive horizontal proportions. At the rear, advanced light modules with up to 25,600 individual LED pixels provide sophisticated animation sequences, complemented by fresh alloy wheel designs ranging from 17 to 20 inches and expressive new paint options such as Moonlake Blue and Ignite Red.
Under the hood, the fifth-generation model range marks a decisive change in strategy, completely eliminating diesel options and instead relying on an advanced range of electrified and internal combustion engines. Buyers can choose between a 1.6-liter T-GDI turbocharged gasoline engine, a reliable 238 horsepower full hybrid engine, or a powerful plug-in hybrid that combines the 1.6-liter turbo engine with a 17.1 kWh battery pack, providing an estimated 81 kilometers of pure electric range, as well as a new “HEV Stay Mode“ for air conditioning when the car is stationary.