2010 Hyundai Accent: A new base trim level is added called "Blue." It offers the highest mileage figures through revised gearing, a slightly lower ride height and a manual transmission only. All Accents receive minor changes like new wheel moldings and improved alternator management to help boost efficiency. Inside, all trim levels switch to blue interior lighting and add a USB port. Steering-wheel audio controls are now optional.

2010 Hyundai Azera: There are no changes this year for Hyundai's largest front-wheel-drive sedan.

2010 Hyundai Elantra: A new base trim level called "Blue" is added. It offers a manual transmission only and delivers the highest mileage figures of any Elantra through revised gearing and a recalibrated engine. All other trim levels of the Accent get an automatic transmission only and receive minor changes like improved alternator management and low-friction oil to help boost efficiency.

2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring: GLS is now the base trim level. Some content has been removed from last year's model to bring the base price down. The only other changes are the addition of roof rails to the options list and a switch to standard 15-inch wheels.

2010 Hyundai Genesis: A touchscreen navigation system with integrated Bluetooth is now standard on V8 models and V6 models with the Premium package.

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: Although it shares its name with the top-of the-line Genesis sedan, the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe is a less expensive sport coupe that's more focused on performance than luxury.

CHICAGO — Full-size sedans are duking it out at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, with a revised 2011 Hyundai Azera making its debut on Wednesday. The Azera gets a horsepower boost and a new six-speed automatic transmission.

Yesterday, the 2011 Toyota Avalon, rival to the big, front-wheel-drive Hyundai, got its own round of nips and tucks. The 2011 Azera arrives in dealerships in the spring. Pricing has not yet been announced.

The 2011 Hyundai Azera GLS gets an enhanced 3.3-liter V6 with variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust side; previously it was only on the intake side. The result is an estimated 260 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 233 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm — this is up from 234 hp and 226 lb-ft in the 2010 Azera.

Hyundai predicts the revised V6 will return 20 mpg in city driving and 28 mpg on the highway — up from 18/26 on the 2010 version. Also helping economy is the new six-speed automatic transmission, which the company engineered in-house. Hyundai says it's 26 pounds lighter than last year's five-speed automatic. It's standard on all 2011 Hyundai Azeras. Expect to see it used widely in Hyundai's line, as this transmission is compatible with just about any transversely mounted engine.

The 3.8-liter DOHC V6 in the 2011 Azera Limited also gets a horsepower bump, again thanks to the addition of variable valve timing on the intake side. The revised engine delivers an estimated 283 hp at 6,000 rpm and 263 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm — up from 263 and 257, respectively.

Hyundai said it also expects fuel-economy gains with the bigger V6. The previous 3.8-liter V6 returned 17 mpg in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. The revised version is expected to return 19 mpg in city driving and 27 mpg on the highway.

The 2011 Azera models also get a fuel economy indicator that displays a green light to indicate when driving habits are contributing to good fuel economy.

Cosmetic changes on the 2011 Hyundai Azera include a new front bumper fascia, redesigned headlamps, a new chrome grille and round foglights. The rear gets new LED taillights and a redesigned bumper. Cabin changes are minor and include aluminum graining on the center console.

For drivers who seek to buy models with the least depreciation in prices, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS might be the perfect fit as it is found to have the best-in-class residual value.

For drivers who seek to buy models with the least depreciation in prices, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS might be the perfect fit as it is found to have the best-in-class residual value. The Automotive Lease Guide (ALG), the industry consultancy in the United States, gave a 36-month residual value of 54 percent for the 2011 Sonata, one of the highest among the mid-size car category.

This means buyers of the Hyundai vehicles can resell them at 54 percent of the initial price tags, three years after the purchase. For example, if a U.S. citizen snaps up the model today at $20,000, he or she will be able to dispose of it at around $11,000 in 2013. Hyundai said that the high residual value, which marks a progress of more than 10 percentage points from the previous survey, topped the models of its competitors such as Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Chevrolet in addition to premium brands such as Lexus, BMW and Mercedes. ``Hyundai's model lineup continues to evolve and the completely redesigned 2011 Sonata punctuates the tremendous evolution in Hyundai performance, design, safety and quality,'' Troy Saito, manager of Hyundai Motor America, said in a statement.

``Strong residual value has become another element in Hyundai's overall value equation, reducing the overall cost of ownership and allowing us to offer strong lease options to our customers.'' Other Hyundai models also advanced. The 2010 Genesis sedan chalked up residual value of 47.5 percent according to the ALG. The figures were 52.3 percent and 49 percent each for the all-new Genesis Coupe and the 2010 Veracruz. Residual value is one of the most important criteria for U.S. customers to select cars because trading of second-hand vehicles remains high in the world's largest economy.

The shape of the 2010 Hyundai Tucson neatly conceals the fact that this compact SUV has grown 3.3 inches in length and 1 inch wider..

According to the unerring wisdom of the Web, the name "Tucson" originated from the Pima Indians. Apparently it comes from the word "schookson," which means the spring at the foot of a black mountain. We have to wonder what word they'd have used for the compact CUV at the end of the driveway.

We'll probably never know, but the CUV at the end of Hyundai's driveway is the all-new 2010 Hyundai Tucson, flaunting chiseled planes and crisp edges aplenty, courtesy of its tailors in Frankfurt. The new look is called fluidic sculpture, according to Hyundai's president John Krafcik, and it seems as good a label as any.

One thing's for sure. It's a big, flamboyant step away from the humble look of the outgoing model, which (with the possible exception of its hexagonal rear window) did not deviate much from the two-box orthodoxy of the day. This new Tucson rolls out with a bumper-free grin at the front, a sculpted and creased profile, and a cheeky rear end with raked rear glass.

It's a pretty cosmopolitan effort, and it gives the Acura RDX and Honda CR-V some serious competition.

Everything's Bigger in America
The shape of the 2010 Hyundai Tucson neatly conceals the fact that this compact SUV has grown 3.3 inches in length and 1 inch wider, yet is claimed to weigh 61 pounds less than its predecessor. In the process, its interior dimensions have expanded the passenger cell to an extent that Hyundai staff happily claim is larger than that of a BMW X3, despite the fact that the Tucson has a smaller footprint. It is, they claim, also 38 percent more structurally rigid than a Nissan Rogue.

Well, we can't verify that, can we? What we can attest to is that the Tucson certainly exhibits symptoms of a very rigid body shell, able to smother surface ripples without the slightest secondary vibration detected through the structure or the doors. That's a pretty good achievement, given the large aperture in the roof necessary for the new, full-length panoramic sunroof.

Going Down the Road
The chassis holds its end up, too, with MacPherson struts in front and multilink rear armatures offering a surprisingly good compromise between ride comfort and body-motion control. Although spring rates are up in the new 2010 Hyundai Tucson, the ride is sufficiently compliant on surface breaks that the vehicle does not hop off line, yet it's damped well enough to suppress unnecessary bobbing and rolling motions.

Hyundai is currently brewing up a high-power variant that will rival the Acura RDX and Mazda CX-7.

Part of that is the new 1-inch hollow antiroll bar in front, which represents a 19 percent increase over its forebear, and the 18mm rear stabilizer, which is 29 percent larger than before, and this adds up to a lot more body control than before aside from the basic tuning of the vehicle's handling balance. But the best part is the way in which all these components have been tuned by Hyundai's U.S. chassis engineers for what we laughingly refer to as local roads.

Propulsion
Propelling this artful collection of bits down the road is Hyundai's Theta II 2.4-liter inline-4, which cranks out 176 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, and 168 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. While it isn't exactly overpowered when unraveling the sinuous canyons of Malibu, where we were introduced to the Tucson by Hyundai, the twin-cam four feels entirely adequate on normal roads, and its exertions are never thrashy or intrusive in nature.

The transmission options are a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic (with manual override) that was designed and developed in-house by Hyundai itself. Well, once you've built locomotives and ships, what's a gearbox here or there? We did not get to try out the one manual vehicle on Hyundai's introductory drive, but we can confirm that the compact new autobox performed seamlessly throughout, and we failed to mystify or discombobulate it in any way.

There will be no V6 option for this generation of Tucson, but there may be a version of the turbocharged, direct-injection 2.0-liter inline-4 that we've seen in the Genesis Coupe that Hyundai is currently brewing up, so the company will likely offer a high-power Tuscon variant at some stage that will rival the Acura RDX and Mazda CX-7. In the meantime, this powertrain with its 2.4-liter four will do just fine for the needs of the Tucson's likely customers. We never felt impatient at any point, and the vehicle's overall balance probably makes up for any perceived deficit in the 0-60-mph department.

Bending This Way and That
While the 2010 Hyundai Tucson boasts a tighter turning circle than some of its rivals (34.7 feet compared with a Honda CR-V's 37.4), it employs an electric power-assist system that may be the new CUV's most controversial aspect. Because electric systems provide no boost in the straight-ahead position, the transition off-center is tricky to calibrate.

As with similar systems on Toyotas and other makes, the Tucson's wheel comes off-center with a slightly artificial feel. It also offers fairly persistent self-centering torque while turning that has an almost magnetic sense to it. None of this is of real concern to owners, who will doubtless get used to it and then forget all about it. Besides, feel at the wheel actually improves when you're hustling the little wagon through carsick canyon as fast as its four cylinders can pedal.

A bit of an irony there. The electric PS helps the car achieve 31 mpg on the highway, but feels better when you're caning it at 15-mpg speeds. Such is life in the Tucson, and protecting that life is Hyundai's usual array of safety gizmos, including electronic stability control with a rollover sensor that keeps the curtain airbags inflated when you turn turtle; traction control; ABS and six airbags. In addition to these, the Tucson now offers hill-start assist and downhill brake control, just like the big SUV players do.

Standard front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions are offered, and the new Tucson's AWD unit is electronically controlled to engage the rear wheels once front-wheel slippage is detected. A switch locks the axles together at a 50 percent front/50 percent rear torque split when desired. In normal use, we couldn't detect any substantial difference in control feel between the front- and all-wheel-drive models.

The Malibu Factor
And, of course, we didn't try any of the 2010 Hyundai Tucson's extreme terrain equipment in the wilds of Malibu, but we feel reasonably sure they'll all work as advertised for that minuscule portion of the public that actually needs this stuff.

What we are sure of is how well the Tucson fits into its intended suburban role. With an eye-catching new interior design, comfortable seats, climate control and opulent available equipment levels (including navigation, a back-up camera and a premium 360-watt stereo with iPod/USB inputs, Bluetooth phone connectivity and all the rest), the new Tucson has good urban street cred. Hyundai is keeping model variations to a minimum. With GLS and Limited levels, two transmissions and few options, ordering a new Tucson will be a simple process.

Although the 2010 Hyundai Tucson wears a Pima name also used for that town in Arizona, the vehicle we see here was initially intended as a European model. Hence the design input by the Frankfurt studio. Clearly, the U.S. and Europe are moving closer in terms of design language, and we'd argue that the new Hyundai looks as good over here as anywhere.

We'd also bet that American consumers get the better deal. Starting at $19,790, including $795 for destination, the Tucson undercuts its serious stateside rivals as well as those infamously steep Euro stickers. With an interior that compares favorably with Honda's CR-V and puts the Toyota RAV4 to shame, and with curb appeal to spare, the 2010 Hyundai Tucson could do a lot better than the 2 percent of segment share it is currently enjoying.

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2010 Hyundai Accent: A new base trim level is added called "Blue." It offers the highest mileage figures through revised gearing, a slightly lower ride height and a manual transmission only. All Accents receive minor changes like new wheel moldings and improved alternator management to help boost efficiency. Inside, all trim levels switch to blue interior lighting and add a USB port. Steering-wheel audio controls are now optional.