As the late Fall leaves of the Central Valley trees continued to fall off, covering most country roads, I opted to test-drive the Santa on freeway 99 as far south as I could. After all, Hyundai brought to the elite group of SUVs an addition that is a head turner. As I was driving by some small cities along the Freeway, I could help thinking that this Vehicle is equipped with some of the latest features in the automotive designing and manufacturing. Hyundai wants to take all the precautions to come up with a hit. The company has been saying bye-bye to the "dud years" that brought marginal profits on its vehicles.

Driving with peace of mind: New Option of side air bag helps protect your brain

Tests done by the insurance institute for high Safety reveal that head protection devices protect against fatal head injuries

Since 1997, major US automotive manufacturers have figured out that it's high time to protect their customers' brain by cushioning their head in case of collisions that could result in head injuries. They have decided to add this option even though they know they are not going to be rewarded by NHTSA. In fact, what they did was just to join the majority of European car manufacturers who had installed the side air-bag for head protection. What has come to be referred to as head bag can be found in most state-of-the-art European imports such as Volvo, SAAB, Porsche, Boxster etc. In fact, they are standard. While Hyundai put this equipment as standard on Sonata and XG300, it offers it as an option on Santa Fe.

What do you need to know in the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe?

My advice to you is to get the option of side-air bag for your new Santa Fe. Who knows that it may not come handy while driving on off-roads and the jungles of South America and the desert of Death Valley, for example? If you are going to pay this much money for a new vehicle, why can't you request a safety device that can protect your brain for about $300.00 or so! At least, this is my remark. It makes sense.

What's the hoopla on 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe?: Get the lowdown on it now

Well, let's try to dig the Santa Fe by looking at some of its features. First things first, it comes in 6 models: Base, GLS, LX in either 2WD or 4WD. I test-drove the Santa Fe 4WD 4 Dr Sport Utility.

Standard Features

* Cruise Control

* Keyless remote entry system

* Power locks

* First aid kit

* Power heated mirrors

* Leather bucket seats

* Auto day/night lamps

* 4-wheel discs brakes on all models.

This 2.4 6 cylinder engine with a a 4-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission will get the job done for you. If you intend to run your errands around town, you will be able to do that. It can be a good commuter vehicle. I had a lot of fun test-driving it. In fact, I am surprised by how sleek the Santa Fe is. It has a bundle of technology in it.

If you are looking for an affordable vehicle, then you can find one here.