Hyundai Bayon launched in India at ₹9.99 lakh; to be exported to 50+ countries

Hyundai Motor India has launched the Bayon in India at a starting price of ₹9.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The Bayon is being manufactured in India and will also be exported to more than 50 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, and Asia Pacific.

The new SUV is positioned as an “Intelligent Utility Vehicle” and combines AI-based voice interaction with connected-car technology, over-the-air software updates and a dual-screen digital cockpit.

The Bayon is powered by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder MPi petrol engine that produces 115 PS and 144 Nm of torque. It is offered with a six-speed manual transmission and Hyundai’s Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT).

The biggest technology highlight is Hyundai Motor India’s first generative AI voice assistant. The system combines intelligence from Perplexity with voice AI from SoundHound AI and is designed to understand conversational requests rather than relying only on fixed commands.

Drivers can use the system to ask for real-time weather information, prepare travel itineraries, suggest hotels and restaurants, find nearby shopping destinations and access sports-related information, among other requests. Hyundai says the system is intended to make interaction between the driver and vehicle more natural.

The Bayon also gets Hyundai’s Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), powered by NVIDIA. The system brings online navigation, a personalised control panel, split-screen functionality and quick controls into the cabin. The SUV features dual 12.3-inch curved panoramic displays, bringing together driving information, navigation, entertainment and connected functions. Individual user profiles and personalised controls are also available.

Hyundai has equipped the Bayon with more than 70 Bluelink connected features. These include remote start and stop, connected vehicle information, remote vehicle controls, smartphone and smartwatch connectivity, location and navigation services, and safety and security functions. The SUV can also receive vehicle software updates over the air. Up to 19 controllers are capable of receiving Controller Over-the-Air (C-OTA) updates, allowing Hyundai to roll out software enhancements remotely.

Bayon gets Level 2 ADAS, six airbags as standard

On the safety front, the Bayon gets Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), with features including Forward Collision Warning, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Following Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist and Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go.

Hyundai is offering six airbags as standard, along with a 360-degree camera, Blind-Spot View Monitor, Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management and Hill-start Assist Control.

The SUV also gets a multilingual interface supporting 10 regional and two international languages. More than 500 embedded voice commands are available across English, Hindi, Hinglish, Tamil, Bengali and Telugu, including commands that can work without an internet connection.

Tarun Garg, Managing Director & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, “Built around our philosophy of ‘Intelligence That Moves,’ Bayon brings together meaningful innovation, advanced safety, intuitive technology and modern design in a way that enhances everyday life. As HMIL's first SUV with an in-built generative AI voice assistant and Hyundai SmartSense Level 2 Pro ADAS, Bayon represents a new benchmark for intelligent mobility.

He also that the new car will be manufactured in India, it will also be exported to more than 50 markets globally, reinforcing India's growing role as a strategic manufacturing and export hub for Hyundai.