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Hyundai Santa Fe Top Performer in 40-Mph Crash Test

    FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., April 24 The Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicle earned the highest rating in the
40-mph frontal offset crash tests conducted recently by the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).  The Santa Fe was given the rating of
"Good" and heads the list of 10 current small SUVs tested by IIHS.

    Following the testing at the IIHS facilities in Ruckersville, VA the Santa
Fe was rated above the Ford Escape and the Toyota RAV4 which earned only
marginal ratings.  In a news release the IIHS said, "The 2001 Hyundai (Santa
Fe) held up very well in the Institute's 40-mph crash test.  There wasn't much
intrusion into the occupant compartment, so the space around the dummy was
maintained well."

    "We are pleased that our new Santa Fe performed so well in the IIHS
tests," said President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America Finbarr O'Neill.
"Each new vehicle Hyundai brings to the U.S. market is designed to provide
customers with the best quality and value in class. We know consumers are very
concerned with the safety of the vehicle they purchase and we are very proud
of the rating from the IIHS."

    The IIHS crashworthiness evaluations are based primarily on results of the
frontal offset crash test.  Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on
three aspects of performance: measurements of occupant compartment intrusion,
injury risk measures from a Hybrid III dummy positioned in the driver's seat
and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system
controlled dummy movement during the test.