Vehicle Overview
A new Clarion stereo with an in-dash CD player is the major change for the Esteem, a front-drive subcompact that comes in sedan and wagon body styles — the latter is covered in the 2001 Station Wagon Buying Guide. All models get the new sound system with the CD player, and the top-shelf GLX+ model adds a cassette player.
A redesigned Esteem line is expected for the 2002 model year, when Suzuki may drop its smaller Swift.
Exterior
A new grille gives the Esteem a fresh face for 2001. The Esteem sedan is 166 inches long — 17 inches longer than the Swift but 9 inches shorter than the Honda Civic sedan. The Esteem also is wider than the Swift by nearly 4 inches and is 4.5 inches longer in wheelbase.
Interior
All models seat five with the usual two front bucket seats and a folding rear seat. Standard equipment includes some items not expected in this price range: air conditioning, a CD player and a rear window defogger. GLX models add power locks, windows and mirrors.
Under the Hood
All models use a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 122 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and a four-speed automatic is optional.
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