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Suzuki Esteem subcompact sedan promotes economy with a punch
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Big Muddy, mighty Mississippi River, boiled in massive spring flow below the I-40 freeway bridge which leads into Memphis, but one driver dared not scope that scene because the view through the windshield revealed far too many vehicles jostling through multiple lanes as we all rolled across the river.
Huge 18-wheel semi-rigs of interstate haulers, outnumbering commuter cars and maintaining rapid speeds while leapfrogging in elaborate lane-changing dances, became the denizens to watch due to their massive bulk and surprising agility.
So why, you may wonder, was I passing such behemoths in the subcompact confines of my econo-car?
The new Esteem, a sedan squeezed from Suzuki's pint-size Swift hatchback and cast in a shapely format which includes a genuine trunk and conceals a wee 98 horsepower 4-in-line engine, ranks as that rare 4-door whose base price slips below $12,000.
Esteem also generates superb fuel economy figures.
But my dash across the Mississippi River in a "Polar White" edition of the top-end Esteem GLX confirmed that this Suzuki also stocks an asset I had not anticipated: Reasonable peddle power.
In fact, when teamed with its standard 5-speed manual shifter, Esteem pops off the line at stop lights and through lower gears behaves aggressively when racking the revs up to higher rpms.
Even in overdrive fifth gear at freeway pace, a driver gets a kick when pushing the pedal, prompting this car to lunge ahead of lesser traffic.
The optional 4-speed automatic transmission will dim this liveliness only slightly but it also takes a small bite out of Esteem's fuel economy figures.
Beyond the reasonable base price and thrifty engine management, I also liked this little sedan's slick shape.
The front hood slants sharply forward to a pair of corner-mounted aerodynamic headlamps, which remind me of oblong eyes dotting Esteem's face with that below-bumper air vent in a low oval mouth.
A sharply raked windshield rises to a flat roofline terminated by the smooth descent of C pillar and followed by a final flat deck of the trunk. Low protective molding and scooped shaping of side doors accent horizontal lines of Esteem and make it appear stretched and perhaps larger than physical dimensions actually indicate.
Beneath Esteem's shell, chassis and suspension hardware compare to those parts of Suzuki's 3-door subcompact Swift hatchback, which was redesigned two years ago with a longer wheelbase and more safety assets, such as dual airbags.
In an alliance with General Motors, Suzuki constructed a North American production facility in Canada to supply many of Suzuki's products for the United States market, as well as several labels in GM's Geo line.
Swift comes off of this Ingersol, Ontario, assembly line, yet Esteem ships ashore after production at Suzuki's Japanese plant at Hamamatsu.
For Esteem, designers further extended Swift's wheelbase by 4.5 inches, which shows up most notably in the cabin where there's 12 more cubic-feet of space including two inches added for passenger legroom in the back seat.
In addition, Esteem's sedan trunk brings a secure enclosure measuring to 12 cubic feet.
The expanded wheelbase for Esteem affects more than cabin space, since it also results in a smoother and more stable ride quality that's particularly evident when tackling road bumps like the thump-thump-thump which I experienced coming from expansion-joint jolts while driving across that Mississippi River bridge.
The most important elements of Esteem cannot be seen.
For instance, the framework of the sedan consists of a steel safety cage that wraps around the passenger compartment and includes front and rear crumple zones and extra braces added to side doors. The A pillar represents a single strong and rigid piece, while B pillars have been fortified to impart rigidity to the overall structure.
Safety assets include dual airbags, front seat head restraints, firm anchors in the rear to secure a child's safety seat, laminated safety glass for the windshield and breakaway dual exterior side mirrors.
Anti-lock control for brakes, perhaps the most important of all safety items, appears on the option list.
Mechanical hardware standard for both of Esteem's trims ranges from 4-wheel independent suspension featuring MacPherson strut design to front and rear stabilizer bars and crisp power-assisted rack and pinion steering.
Navigating sharp sweeps of S curves encountered on 2-lane routes threaded through mountainous Tennessee terrain during my week of steering an Esteem, the sedan exhibited a spry personality which meshed with the driver's desire to work out twisty road maneuvers. We powered through these curves, this Esteem and I, ripping out of each apex as if trying to race some expensive 2-seater.
Esteem's 4-pack engine-with-a-kick certainly helped.
The 1.6-liter plant, outfitted in sophisticated format with 16 valves, overhead cam and electronic fuel injection, may only muster 98 hp, but don't let the midget horsepower rating fool you because tight gear ratios on the manual shifter and a curb weigh of less than 2,300 pounds work in Esteem's favor for zippy action.
Inside, in a layout with twin bucket seats set in front of a rear bench that fits up to three riders, you won't feel squished and crammed into a mobile sardine can because Esteem manages to deliver the impossible: Elbow room.
The interior measurement of shoulder space tallies to 51.8 inches up front and 52.1 in the rear. Bucket seats with firm side bolsters seem ideally placed to keep you from bumping against either a fellow rider or the door panel.
Esteem skews to the two trim levels of GL and GLX.
Standard features on base GL range from air conditioning and power steering to reclining front bucket seats and rear folding seatback, remote fuel door and trunk releases, intermittent wipers, rear window defogger and daytime running lights.
Esteem GLX adds power interior controls, a sound package, tachometer, and split folding rear seatback.
1997 SUZUKI ESTEEM
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1997 SUZUKI ESTEEM Specs |
| Description: |
Subcompact sedan |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
97.6 inches |
| Overall Length: |
165.2 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 1.6-L I4
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/opt. ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
M/5: 31/37 mpg
A/4: 27/34 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 12,000 to $ 15,500 |
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