The Maruti Esteem was the larger-engined saloon that took over from the Maruti 1000 in the mid-1990s. Built in India from 1994 to 2008, it used a 1.3-litre 16-valve engine from the Suzuki Cultus family.
Maruti Esteem at a glance
| Maker | Maruti Suzuki, India |
|---|---|
| Production | 1994–2008 |
| Class | subcompact saloon |
| Related to | Suzuki Cultus / Swift family |
| Body | four-door saloon |
| Engine | 1.3-litre G13BB SOHC 16-valve |
| Power | about 85 bhp in MPFI form |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual |
| Drive | front-wheel drive |
| Later replaced by | Maruti Baleno |
The Esteem has no dedicated English Wikipedia article; this page uses the Suzuki Cultus, Swift and Baleno articles, so it is shorter than the other Maruti articles.
History of the Maruti Esteem
A bigger saloon
The Esteem was introduced in 1994 as the larger-engined companion to the Maruti 1000. It came from the same Suzuki Cultus family as the 1000, but used a 1.3-litre engine instead of the one-litre unit, giving the car performance and refinement that the smaller saloon could not match. The engine was the all-aluminium G13BB, a single-overhead-camshaft 16-valve four-cylinder; the same engine later appeared in the Gypsy King, where it made 60 bhp in carburetted form.
Through the 1990s
The Esteem was sold as a conventional four-door with a five-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive. Early cars used a carburettor, and later versions received multi-point fuel injection, which raised output to about 85 bhp and brought the model up to date with tightening emission rules. It became a common sight as a family car and as a taxi in some markets, and it stayed in the range long after the 1000 had been dropped in 2000.
The end of the line
The Esteem was produced in India until 2008. Its place was eventually taken by the Maruti Baleno, a larger saloon from the same Suzuki lineage that was produced and sold in India until 2007. The Esteem’s 1.3-litre engine lived on in the Gypsy King and, in later multi-point form, in other Maruti models, making it one of the company’s most widely used power units of the period.
Design and features
- 1.3-litre engine: the G13BB SOHC 16-valve four-cylinder, later shared with the Gypsy King.
- Five-speed gearbox: a step up from the simpler four-door cars of the period.
- Family saloon: a conventional four-door body with a proper boot.
- Long service: in production for 14 years, with carburettor and fuel-injection versions.
Maruti Esteem versions
- Early carburetted cars: the original 1994 specification.
- MPFI versions: later cars with multi-point fuel injection and about 85 bhp.
- VXi: the better-equipped trim level seen on surviving cars.
- Gypsy King: the off-roader that used a carburetted version of the same 1.3-litre engine.
The Esteem replaced the Maruti 1000 in the range and was later succeeded by the Maruti Baleno. Its engine also powered the Maruti Gypsy King. More cars are in the Maruti collection.
Video: Maruti Esteem VS Hyundai Verna
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki Swift, English Wikipedia: G13BB engine as used in the Maruti Esteem
- Suzuki Cultus, English Wikipedia: Cultus family and body styles
- Suzuki Baleno, English Wikipedia: Indian Baleno produced until 2007
