Suzuki Esteem GLX Wagon
With most of the import compacts on the market moving up the scale
in size, refinement and price, Suzuki finds itself in a position to
fill the needs of compact-car buyers who have perhaps grown out of a
Tercel or Swift, but aren't ready&emdash;or aren't willing&emdash;to
move into something as big or as expensive as a Corolla or Civic.
Enter the demi-compact Esteem, available in both four-door and
wagon models, sporting an interesting balance of features and ranging
in price from $13,895 for the base-model GL sedan to $18,095 for the
fully-loaded GLX wagon I tested.
There's a purposeful chunkiness to the Esteem's design that gives
it a rather unique look. From the muscular-looking alloy wheels
(standard on GLX wagons) to the grille, right through to the
sausage-shaped armrests and grab handles, there's a strength to the
car's design that, despite its rounded contours, keeps it from being
overly cutesy.
It's a pretty well-made piece as well, judging from the way my
test car was screwed together: even my dad, who generally doesn't
notice such things, commented on how tightly and accurately all the
body panels fit.
Inside, it's the same story, though the materials being worked
with here aren't up to the same quality as its more-expensive rivals.
The plastics are hard and shiny, and the seat and door fabric is a
gaudily-patterned rough cloth.
The dash design has been revamped for 1998, with easily reached
ventilation controls and a high-mounted radio. (The Blaupunkt system
fitted to GLX models sounds good, but has the tiniest buttons I've
yet seen; it also doesn't have a volume knob, instead relying on +
and &endash; buttons.)
The front seats are firm and comfortable, with good lateral
support, but you sit very low in the Esteem; low enough, at least for
me, to negate much of the visibility advantage provided by the
wagon's large glass area. Rear seats are mounted higher, and are
surprisingly comfortable for this price class. Headroom is good all
around.
On the road, the Esteem's a nimble urban runner, with a torquey
engine and a wonderfully tight turning circle. On the highway, it
never feels underpowered despite its 95-horsepower rating, though the
engine's refinement isn't great&emdash;it grunts, groans, wheezes,
and sounds like a diesel at idle.
It handles well, though, with good steering feel, and a surprising
amount of grip for such a small car. It doesn't lean much in turns
and handles quick transitions well, though passengers might tire of
its relatively stiff suspension which crashes over larger bumps. The
brake pedal, unfortunately, has very little feel, though the brakes
themselves are decently powerful.
Despite my lack of need for carrying space, I'd go for the GL
wagon, which lists at $14,495&emdash;it's the only wagon available
with a manual transmission, and has the same running gear, right down
to those fabulous tires, as the equally versatile but more expensive
GLX. I love its mini-Audi Avant look, and the intelligent design of
its rear compartment, with its side closets, cargo cover, and false
floor that hides a myriad of storage compartments and cubbies.
It also makes a lot more sense than the optioned-up models, which
despite their power gadgets and fancy wheels, are hard to stomach in
light of the increased size and refinement you can buy for just a few
hundred dollars more. But for less than $15,000, the Esteem, in
either sedan or wagon form, is probably more car, and more fun, than
you'd expect to be able to buy.