Nostalgia Alert: Looking Back Fondly At The Maruti Suzuki Esteem

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The Maruti Esteem has a chequered past, without a doubt. Even today, many Esteem models can be spotted on Indian roads, many of them in mint condition. And why not? Such was the craze around this car once upon a time! In fact, after Maruti Suzuki launched its epoch-breaking 800 hatchback and then the popular Gypsy SUV, it decided to foray into the sedan category. This led to the introduction of the Maruti Suzuki 1000 in the year 1990.

In 1994, the Maruti Esteem launched as a replacement for the 1000 model, and that too at the Auto Expo. Dr. Manmohan Singh, then-Finance Minister of the country, attended this special event along with Maruti's RC Bhargava. The Maruti Esteem steadily climbed the heights of popularity, with soaring demand from Indian families, even though it came at a hefty INR 3.81 lakh back then. The Esteem turned into a status symbol overnight, offering a thrilling driving experience with its neat power-to-weight ratio as well.

This is also one of the reasons why Indian rally drivers started gravitating towards the Esteem. The sedan launched with a petrol 1.3 litre engine that made 65 PS and 90 Nm of maximum torque. The second-generation model arrived with a slightly more powerful engine, making 85 PS. Electronic fuel injection was introduced while the four-speed transmission system was updated to a five-speed manual transmission setup.

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Hydraulic power steering was first offered by Maruti Suzuki in this car while top-end variants came with electrically powered windows, climate control, and space for the 2-DIN audio unit. An affordable non-AC Esteem variant was also launched by Maruti Suzuki and this was largely chosen by Government officials. This was priced at INR 3.08 lakh in those days. The Esteem Standard started doing well in this category quite swiftly, with officers preferring it as their ride of choice. Senior officers started using the air conditioned version. In 1994, the Esteem got front disc brakes.

In the late 1990s, the versatility and driving dynamics of the Esteem made it a favourite for enthusiasts, hobbyists and rally drivers. People started turbo-charging the engine and modifying the Esteem extensively for this purpose. The Esteem was certainly one of the undisputed superstars in the 1990s automotive landscape in India. Most enthusiasts and owners look back at the sedan fondly even today, recalling a time when luxury car ownership was a different thing altogether!