Maruti Esteem
05 Jul 2007
Looked at against other cars in the Indian market in the mid-size segment, the Esteem seems a bit ordinary. For one, it definitely needs a new look as it is the replica of the earlier Maruti 1000 introduced in the mid-eighties. The Maruti 1000 was withdrawn as it was an extremely underpowered vehicle, and no one can deny that the Esteem has a great engine under its hood.
The fact remains, though, that the design has been around for close to two decades and a new look could do wonders for the car. This is because the Esteem's main asset is its engine, which leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that the Japanese make the best petrol motors on this planet. The all-aluminium engine with its hollow camshaft, which cuts down rotational inertia, is extremely light and responsive.
The Esteem typifies Suzuki's expertise in using the four-valve-per cylinder, multi-point fuel-injection combination to create a power machine. The mid-size Esteem can reach 100 kmph speed from standstill in just 11.4 seconds — quicker than the Lancer and the Astra.
The power-to-weight ratio of the Esteem is also the most favourable for a mid-size car. The power steering in the variants is quick and direct with a certain degree of feel. This is a boon in tight city driving conditions. The gearbox is slick and shifting a real joy.
The Esteem is available in a large number of variants. New Euro 2 variants of the Esteem LX, VX and AX are the biggest attraction now. As for the diesel variants there is the Esteem Di and the base Esteem D version. Then there is the Esteem Vxi and the Esteem LX Euro 1 version.
The Euro 2 versions are a definite upgrade on the earlier versions as they come with 85 bhp against the earlier weaker 57 bhp variants. Among the two diesel variants, the Di is the top-of-the-line version with power steering, windows, rear defogger and halogen lamps, to name a few features.
The Vxi version and the Euro 2, VX and AX come well equipped with power steering and power everything. But the VXI version is a step ahead as it has a rear defogger, a laminated windshield and a number of extra add-on features such as protective mouldings on the side.
Esteem Vxi and LX Euro 1:
| Specifications | Esteem VXi | Esteem LX EURO-1 |
| Three Box 4 door Saloon | Three Box 4 door Saloon | |
| Antilock brake system | n.a. | n.a. |
| Front | Booster assisted ventilated 194 mm disc | Booster assisted ventilated 194 mm disc |
| Front track | 1365 mm | 1365 mm |
| Ground clearance | 170 mm | 170 mm |
| Kerb weight | 860 kgs. | 860 kgs. |
| Overall Height | 1395 mm | 1395 mm |
| Overall Length | 4090 mm | 4090 mm |
| Overall Width | 1575 mm | 1575 mm |
| Rear track | 1340 mm | 1340 mm |
| Tank capacity | 40 litres | 40 litres |
| Wheelbase | 2365 mm | 2365 mm |
| Bore & Stroke | 74 x 75.5 mm | 74 x 75.5 mm |
| Brake Horse Power | 85 bhp @ 6000 rpm | 85 bhp @ 6000 rpm |
| Compression ratio | 9.0:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Construction | Aluminium alloy | Aluminium alloy |
| Displacement | 1298 cc | 1298 cc |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Ignition | Multipoint fuel injection | Carburated |
| Layout | 4 cylinder in-line | 4 cylinder in-line |
| Torque | 106 Nm @ 3000 rpm | 99 Nm @ 4300 rpm |
| Valve gear | 4 valves per cylinder | 2 valves per cylinder |
| City | n.a. | n.a. |
| Highway | n.a. | n.a. |
| Overall | n.a. | 10.5 kmpl |
| Transmission | Manual- 5 speed | Manual- 5 speed |
| Type | Front wheel drive | Front wheel drive |
| Type | Rack-and-Pinion, Power assisted | Rack-and-Pinion |
| Front | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring |
| Rear | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring |
| Tyres | 155/80 R13 | 155/80 R13 |
| Wheel make | Pressed steel | Pressed steel |
| Wheel size | 4J x 13 | 4J x 13 |
On road prices
Esteem Vxi
| City | Ex-Showroom | Registration & Service Charges (Individual) | Registration & Service Charges (Company) | Comprehensive Insurance | Total (Individual) | Total (Company) |
| Calcutta | 573,883 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 573,883 | 573,883 |
| Chennai | 560,844 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 560,844 | 560,844 |
| Delhi | 557,000 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 557,000 | 557,000 |
| Mumbai | 598,379 | 30,000 | 78,400 | 22,220 | 650,599 | 698,999 |
Esteem LX Euro 1
| City | Ex-Showroom | Registration & Service Charges (Individual) | Registration & Service Charges (Company) | Comprehensive Insurance | Total (Individual) | Total (Company) |
| Ahmedabad | 462,775 | 15,026 | 30,052 | N.A. | 477,801 | 492,827 |
| Baroda | 470,473 | 16,350 | 31,350 | 11,337 | 498,160 | 513,160 |
| Calcutta | 461,725 | 3,955 | 4,855 | 15,019 | 480,699 | 481,599 |
| Chennai | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. |
| Pune | 466,365 | 22,495 | 59,805 | 11,467 | 500,327 | 537,637 |
Esteem AX, VX, LX Euro 2:
Comprehensive technical specifications
| Specifications | Esteem LX EURO-2 | Esteem AX EURO-2 | Esteem VX EURO-2 |
| Body | |||
| Three Box 4 door Saloon | Three Box 4 door Saloon | Three Box 4 door Saloon | |
| Brakes | |||
| Antilock | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Front | Booster assisted ventilated 194 mm disc | Booster assisted ventilated 194 mm disc | Booster assisted ventilated 194 mm disc |
| Rear | Booster assisted 194 mm Drum | Booster assisted 194 mm Drum | Booster assisted 194 mm Drum |
| Dimensions | |||
| Front track | 1365 mm | 1365 mm | 1365 mm |
| Ground clearance | 170 mm | 160 mm | 170 mm |
| Kerb weight | 860 kgs. | 890 kgs. | 860 kgs. |
| Overall Height | 1395 mm | 1395 mm | 1395 mm |
| Overall Length | 4090 mm | 4090 mm | 4090 mm |
| Overall Width | 1575 mm | 1575 mm | 1575 mm |
| Rear track | 1340 mm | 1340 mm | 1340 mm |
| Tank capacity | 40 litres | 40 litres | 40 litres |
| Wheelbase | 2365 mm | 2365 mm | 2365 mm |
| Engine | |||
| Bore & Stroke | 74 x 75.5 mm | 74 x 75.5 mm | 74 x 75.5 mm |
| Brake Horse Power | 85 bhp @ 6000 rpm | 85 bhp @ 6000 rpm | 85 bhp @ 6000 rpm |
| Compression ratio | 9.0:1 | 9.0:1 | 9.0:1 |
| Construction | Alluminium alloy | Alluminium alloy | Alluminium alloy |
| Displacement | 1298 cc | 1298 cc | 1298 cc |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol | Petrol |
| Ignition | Multipoint fuel injection | Multipoint fuel injection | Multipoint fuel injection |
| Layout | 4 cylinder in-line | 4 cylinder in-line | 4 cylinder in-line |
| Torque | 106 Nm @ 3000 rpm | 106 Nm @ 3000 rpm | 106 Nm @ 3000 rpm |
| Valve gear | 4 valves per cylinder | 4 valves per cylinder | 4 valves per cylinder |
| Fuel consumption | |||
| Overall | 12 kmpl | 9 kmpl | 12 kmpl |
| Power train | |||
| Transmission | Manual- 5 speed | Automatic 3 speed | Manual- 5 speed |
| Type | Front wheel drive | Front wheel drive | Front wheel drive |
| Steering | |||
| Type | Rack-and-Pinion | Rack-and-Pinion Power assisted | Rack-and-Pinion Power assisted |
| Suspension | |||
| Front | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring |
| Rear | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring |
| Wheels & Tyres | |||
| Tyres | 155/80 R13 | 155/80 R13 | 155/80 R13 |
| Wheel make | Pressed steel | Pressed steel | Pressed steel |
| Wheel size | 4J x 13 | 4J x 13 | 4J x 13 |
Esteem LX
| City | Ex-Showroom | Registration & Service Charges (Individual) | Registration & Service Charges (Company) | Insurance | Total (Individual) | Total (Company) |
| Ahmedabad | 503,466 | 16,394 | 32,788 | N.A. | 519,860 | 536,254 |
| Baroda | 513,879 | 17,700 | 34,100 | 12,263 | 543,842 | 560,242 |
| Calcutta | 501,201 | 3,955 | 4,855 | 16,242 | 521,398 | 522,298 |
| Chennai | 494,962 | 13,850 | 24,850 | 11,796 | 520,608 | 531,608 |
| Delhi | 490,915 | 4,465 | 4,465 | 16,054 | 511,434 | 511,434 |
| Hyderabad | 514,530 | 36,020 | 36,020 | 12,239 | 562,789 | 562,789 |
| Mumbai | 515,913 | 26,700 | 68,500 | 19,380 | 561,993 | 603,793 |
| Pune | 510,531 | 24,261 | 65,103 | 12,462 | 547,254 | 588,096 |
Esteem VX
| City | Ex-Showroom | Registration & Service Charges (Individual) | Registration & Service Charges (Company) | Insurance | Total (Individual) | Total (Company) |
| Bangalore | 552,797 | 44,133 | 44,133 | 13,102 | 610,032 | 610,032 |
| Calcutta | 549,708 | 4,095 | 4,995 | 17,744 | 571,547 | 572,447 |
| Chennai | 543,874 | 18,600 | 35,200 | 12,901 | 575,375 | 591,975 |
| Delhi | 539,379 | 4,465 | 4,465 | 17,556 | 561,400 | 561,400 |
| Hyderabad | 563,572 | 39,460 | 39,460 | 13,346 | 616,378 | 616,378 |
| Mumbai | 584,302 | 29,400 | 76,700 | 19,700 | 633,402 | 680,702 |
| Pune | 560,177 | 26,247 | 71,061 | 13,584 | 600,008 | 644,822 |
Esteem AX
| City | Ex-Showroom | Registration & Service Charges (Individual) | Registration & Service Charges (Company) | Insurance | Total (Individual) | Total (Company) |
| Ahmedabad | 623,630 | 20,540 | 41,080 | N.A. | 644,170 | 644,170 |
| Baroda | 634,027 | 21,850 | 42,400 | 14,972 | 670,849 | 691,399 |
| Calcutta | 621,072 | 4,095 | 4,995 | 19,955 | 645,122 | 646,022 |
| Chennai | 628,530 | 18,600 | 35,200 | 14,812 | 661,942 | 678,542 |
| Delhi | 610,656 | 4,465 | 4,465 | 19,763 | 634,884 | 634,884 |
| Hyderabad | 630,248 | 44,120 | 44,120 | 14,851 | 689,219 | 689,219 |
| Mumbai | 669,870 | 32,900 | 87,000 | 24,680 | 727,450 | 781,550 |
| Pune | 627,674 | 28,947 | 79,161 | 15,108 | 671,729 | 721,943 |
Diesel variants:
Technical specifications
| Specifications | Esteem D | Esteem Di |
| Body | Three Box 4 door Saloon | Three Box 4 door Saloon |
| Antilock brake system | n.a. | n.a. |
| Front | Booster assisted ventilated 194 mm disc | Booster assisted ventilated 194 mm disc |
| Rear | Booster assisted 194 mm Drum | Booster assisted 194 mm Drum |
| Front track | 1365 mm | 1365 mm |
| Ground clearance | 170 mm | 170 mm |
| Kerb weight | 930 kgs. | 930 kgs. |
| Overall Height | 1395 mm | 1395 mm |
| Overall Length | 4090 mm | 4090 mm |
| Overall Width | 1575 mm | 1575 mm |
| Rear track | 1340 mm | 1340 mm |
| Tank capacity | 40 litres | 40 litres |
| Wheelbase | 2365 mm | 2365 mm |
| Bore & Stroke | n.a. | n.a. |
| Brake Horse Power | 57 bhp @ 5000 rpm | 57 bhp @ 5000 rpm |
| Compression ratio | n.a. | n.a. |
| Construction | Alluminium alloy | Alluminium alloy |
| Displacement | 1527 cc | 1527 cc |
| Fuel | Diesel | Diesel |
| Ignition | Mech. Pump Indirect Injection | Mech. Pump Indirect Injection |
| Layout | 4 cylinder in-line | 4 cylinder in-line |
| Torque | 96 Nm @ 2500 rpm | 96 Nm @ 2500 rpm |
| Valve gear | 4 valves per cylinder | 4 valves per cylinder |
| Transmission | Manual- 5 speed | Manual- 5 speed |
| Type | Front wheel drive | Front wheel drive |
| Type | Rack-and-Pinion | Rack-and-Pinion, Power assisted |
| Front | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring |
| Rear | McPherson strut and coil spring | McPherson strut and coil spring |
| Tyres | 155/80 R13 | 155/80 R13 |
| Wheel make | Pressed steel | Pressed steel |
| Wheel size | 4J x 13 | 4J x 13 |
Esteem Di
| City | Ex-Showroom | Registration & Service Charges (Individual) | Registration & Service Charges (Company) | Comprehensive Insurance | Total (Individual) | Total (Company) |
| Chennai | 571,649 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 571,649 | 571,649 |
| Cochin | 568,749 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 568,749 | 568,749 |
| Coimbatore | 571,808 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 571,808 | 571,808 |
| Hyderabad | 567,447 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 567,447 | 567,447 |
| Visakhapatnam | 569,553 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 569,553 | 569,553 |
Esteem D
| City | Ex-Showroom | Registration & Service Charges (Individual) | Registration & Service Charges (Company) | Comprehensive Insurance | Total (Individual) | Total (Company) |
| Chennai | 543,860 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 543,860 | 543,860 |
| Cochin | 541,315 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 541,315 | 541,315 |
| Coimbatore | 544,020 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 544,020 | 544,020 |
| Hyderabad | 540,097 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 540,097 | 540,097 |
| Visakhapatnam | 542,203 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 542,203 | 542,203 |