Jul 07, 2005 01:50 PM
14779 Views
(Updated Jul 07, 2005 02:28 PM)
No funny comments in this review......for that read my previous two reviews....a serious review for a darn serious car
Maruti Esteem…..i fell in love with this car the moment I saw it and brought a dark-green coloured LX...…It was the sedan of the rich when the entire car range in India consisted of the Maruti 800, Zen and the Ambassador. The car was launched initially as the Maruti 1000, but the problem with the car was that it gave a mileage of only about 10 which in those days of 32 Rs/litre of petrol was very less. (10/litre is still less but acceptable….but in those days the yardstick of mileage was the Maruti 800 which gave 18/20 km/litre)
Anyhow….shortly after the 1000 was launched, the MUL engineers made a breakthrough in the field of automobile engineering, and quickly discontinued the 1000 and with a couple of design changes but a major overhauling of the engine launched it as the Maruti Esteem 1.3. This baby as the name suggests had a 1300 cc (1298 cc) engine and was a carb. breathing unit. That was the first generation Maruti Esteem. Right now we have the third generation Esteem.
The car was a runaway success, If you had a Maruti Esteem, you were considerd rich and spanking rich. One of the major reasons of its success was the fact, that the car had the look of a sedan and a boot. But the main reason was that there was no other car competing with it as it was the first and only car to have both the above-mentioned.. The 800 didn’t have a boot and the Amby-Bamby didn’t have a sedan look.
The first generation Esteem like all cars had a single tail lamp, which when the car was braked became brighter. But the car’s overall looks were essentially the same as the Maruti 1000. But still, it was THE sedan, and we didn’t have anything else to compare it with unless ofcourse you opt for the HM Contessa Classic.
The second generation Esteem came in with an allnew MPFI engine producing 85 bhp @110 rpm. It came in a SOHC engine and had the best power/weight ratio among all the car’s in its class which at that time consisted of the Esteem, Ikon (1.3 Rocam, CLXi), Accent 1.5 SOHC, Corsa 1.4 and City 1.3 DX.
The looks were legendry, and to-kill-for. The Esteem came with the I’m-still-in-love-with-them dual braking lights at the rear and also introduced two new variants of the car, the LXi and the VXi which were launched to match the stiffening competition. Still the Esteem was the best in the class in terms of performance and mileage. Simply Outclassed the competition. The second generation engine as I said before got rid of the carb engine of the earlier car and gave the car more power and torque for the driver to play around with. Which is why even today, you see the Esteem in the rally’s. Ever see a Ikon, Accent or a Corsa???
The iron-cast engine was replaced with an all-alluminium engine bringing down the unladen kerb weight of the car and thus the MUL engineers could use the spare weight to fit in anti-roll bars and side impact bars making it one of the safest cars on the road.
The third generation Esteem- That is the Esteem we have right now. The looks…..once again MUL got rid of those spanking sexy rear 4 tailights and have put in the first generation 2 single tailights. The engine is still the same as the 2nd generation Esteem, but now its grown old and its showing its age as we have a new 1.3 engine for the Swift which a a DOHC unit producing 87 bhp@ 113 Nm of torque. Provides much better acceleration and control than the Esteem even though the Swift’s kerb unladen weight is 135 kgs more than the Esteem. Inspite of this increase in power and weight, the mileage of the Swift is still pretty much the same as the Esteem.
The difference between the Swift and the Esteem is the same difference between a Hyundai Accent 1.5 and a Hyundai Accent GTX Tornado 1.6 DOHC. For more insights on the difference read my Swift review, or you can also check out my Hyundai Accent GVS review.
Summing it up, I’d say the Esteem is a great buy if you want an entry-level-sedan and don’t want heavy Ford Flair maintenance. The LXi variant of the Esteem is the best buy and will put you back by under Rs 5 lac on road. And if MUL is listening, I hope you transplant the DOHC unit of the Swift in the Esteem. Then guys, it will essentially be the end of the road for the Ikon Flair, Accent 1.5 SOHC, and Corsa 1.4.
This I think is a comprehensive review where i've mostly concentrated on the 3rd generation Esteem. As always, any doubts and my M2M will be open to you.
