SEAT Arona vs Hyundai Bayon: Cheap 'n' cheerful small SUV showdown

Does somebody at SEAT UK have a sense of humour? If you listen to commercial radio, you may have caught ads promoting finance offers on the firm’s Arona SUV and Ibiza supermini that are underscored by the eighties hit ‘Forever Young’ by Alphaville. This is pretty ironic when you consider that they’re two of the oldest models currently available anywhere on the new-car market.

But SEAT is soldiering on with its dynamic duo, and has given them some handy updates to keep them competitive. We’ve lined up the Arona here, and with its upright looks, 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine and lack of hybrid tech, it feels like an old-school small SUV – but is that necessarily a bad thing?

To find out how it fares, we’ve lined up another facelifted small SUV, the Hyundai Bayon. The Korean model has been around for five years, so is a spring chicken next to the nine-year-old Arona. As well as a fresher look, the Bayon has also benefitted from the arrival of a new Black Line trim level.

Both cars have their work cut out to stand out in the competitive small SUV class, but they have low running costs and practicality on their side. The question is, which one do we think offers the best option at this price point?

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SEAT Arona

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Launched in 2017, the SEAT Arona is one of the longest-running new cars still on sale. The small SUV shares its platform with the Ibiza supermini, and it’s currently offered with a 1.0 TSI three-cylinder petrol in two outputs, or a 1.5 TSI four-cylinder petrol.

The former comes in SE, SE Technology, FR First Edition and FR Sport guises, while the latter is only in the FR variants. These cars come with SEAT’s twin-clutch DSG auto gearbox, while the 1.0-litre can be had with either the DSG or a six-speed manual.

Tester’s notes

We’d recommend doing some sums before choosing the 1.5 TSI over the smaller 1.0-litre unit. While the extra power of the 1.5 is nice to have – it shaves 1.6 seconds off the 0-62mph time and makes motorway work easier – it costs an extra £1,000 over the 113bhp unit. If you mostly spend your time in town, then the three-cylinder has more than enough performance to cope.

Officially there’s little between the two engines in terms of fuel economy, with both offering a claimed figure of 50.4mpg, which should be enough to deliver a range of more than 400 miles from a tank.In an effort to keep the Arona feeling fresh, SEAT has upgraded the circular air vents at either end of the dashboard with Art Deco-looking ivory trim with backlighting. 

However, much like VW’s touch-sensitive temperature and volume controls, we wonder if this feature was ever tested on the road at night before being signed off for production, because the soft white glow from the vents reflects in the side windows. That’s fine in most instances, but when there’s no street lighting, it means the view of the door mirrors and to the rear is impaired.

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Hyundai Bayon

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As with the Arona, the Bayon is a small SUV based on a supermini, in this instance the popular i20. There’s more of a crossover look for the Hyundai when compared with the upright SEAT, while the most recent update introduced a new front-end design.

Under the skin, the powertrains were also revised so only the 90PS version of the 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol is now offered, although there are manual and auto gearboxes available. The model line-up was simplified to comprise Black Line and Tech Line trims.

Tester’s notes

One of the main reasons why buyers are keen to step into small SUVs is the ease of access that they offer, but the Bayon is more like a supermini than many of its closest competitors. We measured a sill height of 370mm for the Hyundai, which isn’t much different from the i20 on which it’s based, while the SEAT Arona is 50mm higher, at 420mm. 

That’s enough of a difference to ensure that the Spanish SUV is easier to get into, plus it means it has a taller driving position even when the height-adjustable seat is at its lowest setting.

The Bayon line-up has been reduced to comprise Black Line and Tech Line trims only. Obviously, the Black Line adds black detailing, while extra kit on the Tech Line includes larger 17-inch wheels, automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, front parking sensors, keyless entry, wireless charging and a third USB socket for back-seat passengers.

Both cars get the same level of safety kit, and unless you really need any of the above equipment, we’d save some cash and pick the Black Line model instead.

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Head-to-head

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On the road

The Arona’s 25bhp and 27Nm advantage over the Bayon means it feels much more responsive in real-world conditions, and it’s helped by its snappy DSG twin-clutch transmission. 

In comparison, the Bayon’s six-speed manual gearbox has poorly spaced ratios, especially between first and second gears, which blunts its performance. Both cars feel safe and secure, with the SEAT offering a bit more agility and feedback.

Tech highlights

While the Arona’s touchscreen looks smart, it’s a little frustrating to use because of the shortage of controls. Elsewhere, the digital driver’s display is customisable, but the switch layout on the steering wheel is confused.

The Bayon features the same touchscreen technology that’s found in everything from the i20 to the Ioniq 9. It’s fine to use, although there are a few too many menus to scroll through.

Price and running

Starting prices for the Arona are around £3,000 less than they are for the Bayon, but the Hyundai is better equipped, with the base model featuring more kit than even the FR Sport First Edition version of the SEAT.

Both cars deliver decent efficiency, yet the Hyundai came closer to its official MPG on test. Choosing the auto box in the Bayon delivers better economy, but the Arona’s claimed figures stay the same.

Practicality

The Bayon is wider than the Arona, so there’s more space in the back for passengers, and the boot is slightly larger, too, although it has a higher load lip to lift heavier items over.

Access to the Arona’s cabin is fine, and is more SUV-like, courtesy of a taller ride height. The SEAT is one of the few new cars that offers a space-saver spare wheel (£200). The Bayon has room for one, but it’s not even offered as an option.

Safety

These two cars are at the budget end of the market, so they lack some of the more advanced safety systems that are now available. The Arona still has speed limit and lane- assist systems, and they can be quickly set up via a button on the steering wheel. A long press of the mute button on the Bayon’s steering wheel deactivates the speed-limit warning beep, but the other systems are controlled via a fiddly menu.

Ownership

Neither manufacturer had a particularly impressive result in the 2025 Driver Power ownership survey, with Hyundai placing 20th out of 31 makers, while SEAT was in 24th.

SEAT’s warranty is basic, at three years or 60,000 miles, but it offers two more years/up to 90,000 miles of cover at extra cost (£345). That brings the Arona into line with the Hyundai, which has five years and unlimited miles as standard.

Verdict

Winner: Hyundai Bayon

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These two cars have some clear differences, but overall the Hyundai narrowly edges ahead of its rival here. The longer kit list, greater space inside and Hyundai’s warranty cover are its key selling points, but these are offset by the low seating position for a small SUV, while there isn’t much fun to be had at the wheel.

We wish there was a bit more variety in terms of engines, because some extra power definitely wouldn’t go amiss, and if an automatic gearbox is a must, then the SEAT’s DSG gearbox is far superior to Hyundai’s auto.

Runner-up: SEAT Arona

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As we’ve said in the Bayon’s verdict, these two cars are closely matched overall, but there are some very clear differences between them. The SEAT is a fun car to drive, thanks to its livelier handling, more responsive engines and slicker automatic gearboxes. Yet all this doesn’t come at the expense of efficiency.

Some buyers will appreciate the Arona’s taller driving position, while the greater rear headroom will also hold some appeal. List prices start at a lower point than for the Hyundai, but standard kit isn’t as generous.

Prices and specs

What we would choose

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SEAT Arona

Options are trim dependent. The £275 Safety and Driving Pack adds adaptive cruise control and auto main beam to all models, but the XL version of the pack (£725 on FR cars only) also includes lane keeping, side assist and safe exit.

Hyundai Bayon

Paint is the only extra you can add to Black Line models, including the Lucid Lime of our test car. Tech Line models can be upgraded with the £1,000 Tech Pack that adds an electric sunroof and Bose sound system.

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