After more than three decades as a Holden dealership, newly named Rosetown Motor Group has a complete new look with the arrival of some of the vehicles that make up the new triple franchise offering.
A handful of Renaults are on the yard and the much anticipated Isuzu utility is on the way - but the bulk of the yard is now Hyundai.
With electric and hybrid variants, SUVs, cars, sedans, vans and performance vehicles, Hyundai has much to offer.
I don't believe I have ever driven a Hyundai - but it is fair to say I have noticed the rise of the South Korean company over the past four decades.
Hyundai Motor Company formed from the large Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company in 1967. Its first offering was the Cortina, manufactured in co-operation with Ford.
In the 70s Hyundai manufactured its first in-house car - the Pony - although the project was headed by a team of British engineers, the design was Italian and the powertrain was Japanese.
1982 Hyundai Pony GLS
By the 1980s the company was established as a serious contender to Japanese brands, and by the turn of the century was rated second in build quality. The company also bought a 33.88 per cent share of fellow South Korean car manufacturer Kia.
As the new century progresses, Hyundai grew to become the world's fourth largest vehicle manufacturer behind GM, VW and Toyota.
South Korean made vehicles come from the world's largest automobile manufacturing plant in Ulsan, South Korea, with production of over 1.6 million vehicles annually. The company also has world-wide production and research and development centres.
It is from this huge multi-national that the newest SUV offering comes from - the Hyundai Venue.
In New Zealand there are two models - Entry and Elite.
2020 Hyundai Venue 1.6 Elite
It was the latter - in the two-tone offering of Galactic Grey and Acid Yellow - I drove off the showroom floor of Rosetown Motor Group.
The new small SUV sits under the established Kona, Tucson and Santa Fe range.
Power comes from the same proven 1.6 litre, twin overhead cam, CVVT, petrol injected inline four used in the Accent.
In the Venue power is 90kW at 6300rpm and torque 151Nm at 4850rpm compared to the Accent's 91kW at 6300rpm and 165Nm at 4200rpm.
2020 Hyundai Venue 1.6 Elite
But the Venue gets the six-speed automatic with sports shift, while the Accent has a four-speed auto, also with sports shift.
The power isn't overwhelming, but adequate in what is a light SUV. Fuel economy is rated at 7.2l/100km.
What immediately appeals is the funky design. The two-tone makes the car stand out, but after a couple of years it may also look gimmicky. It is just an option.
The Elite rides on 17" wheels with 205/55 rubber, which is a decent size. The base model has 15" wheels and 185/65 rubber which I haven't seen, but might look and feel inadequate. There is an upgrade option for 17" wheels for the Elite which might also stand the test of time design wise, and black 17" wheels available for the Entry.
2020 Hyundai Venue 1.6 Elite
The small SUV is likely to attract both a younger market and middle-agers looking to downsize.
And for the money ($29,990 RRP for the Entry and $33,990 RRP for the Elite - or $34,780 for the two-tone model as tested) they pack a lot of kit.
Regardless, the Venue packs a lot of kit in for a relatively reasonable price.
2020 Hyundai Venue 1.6 Elite
All models feature camera-based autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, high-beam assist, driver attention monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a rear-view camera with dynamic guidelines, a 3.5-inch TFT driver's multifunction display, six airbags, leather-appointed steering wheel and gearshift, roof rails and daytime-running lights.
The Elite model adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, chrome front grille, heated steering wheel, extra speakers, climate control and proximity key and push button start/stop.
The Venue is fractionally taller than its bigger brother, the Kona, and with its boxy design it looks quite substantial.
In fact for a small vehicle, it does provide decent interior space and there is plenty of space for four adults.
I've driven one other new Hyundai - the Kona - and I can say they share dashboard DNA. I guess I'll see a theme here as I get into more of the range.
2020 Hyundai Venue 1.6 Elite
It has an 8" touchscreen which dominates the display. I have to say it looks a little awkward between the air vents and protruding slightly above the dash line - like it is a tilt screen stuck in position.
I know we want bigger screens and more functionality, which is difficult to accommodate in a smaller vehicle, but I prefer the flush mount cleanliness.
The steering wheel has a bunch of controls which are pretty intuitive and the level of information is good. Materials also feel pretty good, and there weren't any annoying rattles or squeaks.
On the road the cabin noise was evident, but not noisy or annoying.
It can be combatted by the pretty decent sound system with plenty of source choices.
Storage behind the rear sets is 355 litres, nearly as much as the Kona and more than a Toyota Corolla or and Mazda 3.
As well as the 60/40 folding seat option, the boot floor level is adjustable to provide more space.
The drive is comfortable, and can be fine-tuned. There's Normal, Eco and Sport mode to alter throttle response and Snow, Mud and Sand modes will help if the surface gets tricky.
It is especially good around town, but not out of its depth on the open road.
On the down-side the Venue has a 4-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult and child occupancy safety is rated highly, the model let down by pedestrian and cyclist safety and on-board safety assist systems.
In New Zealand the Hyundai venue is covered by a 10 year/200,000km anti perforation corrosion body warranty, three year/100,000km mechanical warranty and three year/100,000km roadside assistance package.
