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Categories (out of 5)
Exterior
Shape : The Esteem's Shape has remained unchanged since its intoduction in the early 1990's till its Production stopped in late 2007. But an elegant one.
Headlamps : I changed the Bulbs to 100/90. Pretty powerful, especially on Highways.
Rear Lights : The Rear Lights combined with that on the Rear Spoiler glow very brightly and the Car can be detected from a good distance.
Bumpers : Both Front and Rear ar Body Coloured and are good fits in their own areas.
Doors : Practical. But lack the soft "thud" which today's cars exhibit.
Body Quality : OK, for the Price the Esteem commanded during her days. But could have been much better (there is nothing that can done now, anyway!)
Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)
Space : Decent for 4 Adults. Appropriate Leg Room in both Front and Back Seats for medium-height persons.
Seating Comfort : The Driver's Seat (With Height Adjustment is the best I have ever experienced. It offers very good view of the front, even for Persons who are a bit short, just around 5 Ft. tall. The Front Seats are more comfortable than those in other Current Date Cars. I drive my Esteem on really long drives, often stretching over 14 hours non-stop and not even for a minute do I experience any pain in the back or discomfort. The Centre Arm-Rest in the Rear Seat allows to rest rear passengers' arms comfortably.
Cabin Noise : Yes, it is there and you can hear outside noise pretty clearly.
Amenities : A Kenwood Radio and CD Player is all you get - No USB, No AUX. But with 4 Speakers. The Speakers behind the Rear Seat have awesome output. The two Cabin Lights (one above the Windshield and one in the middle of the Roof) throw good light. Cup Holders, Door Pockets, etc are okay (not great). ESTEEM VXI (the one I have) is the Top-End Model of the Car and this has all 4-Power Windows, with One-Touch Up and One-Touch Down Window on the Driver's side.
Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox
Ride Quality & Handling
Final Words
Areas of improvement
Has all things you need to DriveCannot be compared to the current day Gizmos in Cars!
Exterior/Styles
Comfort & Space
Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)
Fuel Economy
Value for Money/Features
Purchase New | Driven forIts my mate since ages | Mileage18 kmpl |
Exterior
A good looking car - it was a premium car of its time. The styling was ahead of its time with its long dropping nose/bonnet and narrow/sweeping headlight. It have one of the best boot space - making the rare heavy if loaded. The door close with nice "thud" giving confidence on safety aspect. It was built to last - I just sold my 15 year old Esteem (in good/running condition) and the buyer was impressed with its build quality. The sheet metal used was heavy and added to the weight of the car - it was supposed to keep the passengers safe. Overall it was a Fantastic car to live with in 1998-2007s
Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)
It was decent for 4 persons as the width was less compared to other in the segment. Headroom could be an issue for taller person. The most pathetic AC that I have ever seen on any car - even after monthly refills, it failed to cool the cabin everytime. Had to replace the compressor and still it did not deliver satisfactory results. It has decent legroom in front but cramped for rare passengers.
Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox
The most exciting part was its Engine (1.3 L Vxi) was a delight to drive. It still had the might to take on most of the day-to-day cars and can beat them in drag race. The rev happy engine never shows signs of retiring - once I pushed it till 140 km/h (Hyd Bng highway) and it performed just fine. With a light foot you can expect 14 kmpl within city and 20kmpl on highways. The headlights were bit washed out as the clear glass lights were new launched.
Ride Quality & Handling
The suspension was tuned for comfort and was soft. The ride on highways is just breeze - floor the pedal and it will almost fly. As a result there was a lot of body roll when cornering. At low speeds the suspension could soak in all of bumps and pot holes but due to its low ground clearance, it would scrap the bottom frequently (when fully loaded).
Final Words
Fantastic car of its time and keen drivers still use it (along with M Lancer) in rallys.
Areas of improvement
Design was old school and very poor Aircon.
Solid performance, Super pickup, Comfortable ride, Fuel economyDated design, Unavailability of spares, Poor AC, Body roll
Exterior/Styles
Comfort & Space
Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)
Fuel Economy
Value for Money/Features
Purchase Used | Driven forFew thousand kilometers | Mileage15 kmpl |
Exterior/Styles
Comfort & Space
Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)
Fuel Economy
Value for Money/Features
Purchase Used | Driven forDid a short drive once |