The 1998 Suzuki Esteem GL is a Front-wheel drive Sedan. It can accommodate up to 5 passengers. It has 4 Doors and is powered by a 1.6L L4 SOHC 16 valves engine which outputs 95 hp @
6000 rpm and is paired with 4 speed automatic gearbox. The 1998 Suzuki Esteem GL has cargo capacity of 340 Liters and the vehicle weighs 1010 kg. In terms of ride assists, the 1998 Suzuki Esteem GL has stability control and traction control in addition to anti-lock brake system (ABS). The vehicle has an optional engine as well It offers and. Safety features also include None and None. The front suspension is while the rear suspension is. The car also features a It has as standard. Electronic features include Cruise Control. For convenience, the car has Power windows and Power door locks. There is also a remote keyless entry feature. Moreover, the car has. The steering wheel has audio control buttons. In terms of performance, the car has 103 N.m of torque and a top speed of 167 km/h. The 1998 Suzuki Esteem GL accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 10.6 seconds and hits quarter mile at 17.8 seconds. Fuel consumption is 8.4 L/100km in the city and 6.2 L/100km in the highway. The car price starts at $ 13,895
Estimates based on a driving average of 12,000 miles per year
Used Condition
Trade In Price
Private Party Price
Dealer Retail Price
Outstanding
$ 983
$ 1,840
$ 2,297
Clean
$ 867
$ 1,626
$ 2,033
Average
$ 635
$ 1,199
$ 1,504
Rough
$ 403
$ 773
$ 975
Sometime during the 1995 model year, the Suzuki Esteem made its American debut. We say sometime because it has been on the market for three years now and we still rarely see them on the roads. After investigating the Esteem, we've figured out why there are so few of them being sold. Although it's a cute little sedan, it suffers from too little power and too much MSRP, competing in a field of cars that offer superior value for the dollar. We don't dislike the Esteem. It's an attractive, well-equipped little car. The problem is that the window sticker makes us think Dodge Neon, while the car itself makes us think Kia Sephia. Get the drift?
All Esteems are powered by a 98-horsepower, 1.6-liter, inline four-cylinder engine connected to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. A four-wheel independent suspension damps irregularities in the pavement. As of 1996, daytime running lights are standard. For 1998, the Esteem Wagon joins the lineup, giving the Esteem some much-needed functionality, with 61 cubic feet of cargo room.
Three trim levels are available: base GL and uplevel GLX and GLX+. Air conditioning is standard on the GL, as well as power steering, rear window defogger, remote fuel door and trunk releases, dual mirrors and a fold-down rear seat. GLX models add better upholstery, power windows, locks and mirrors, as well as a recently upgraded cassette stereo, split-folding rear seat, tachometer and larger tires. An ABS option package is available for the GLX, and it includes cruise control.
Sounds pretty good, right? Well, the Esteem isn't very big inside or out. It offers about as much value as a Toyota Tercel DX sedan, which is to say, not much. The Japanese yen is simply too strong for Suzuki, or Toyota for that matter, to price their subcompact cars at a reasonable level. Domestic and South Korean nameplates offer far better value in this segment, especially when you consider the rather skimpy warranty Suzuki provides for the Esteem.
Like we said, we don't dislike this car. At another time, in another era, we'd wholeheartedly recommend it. In the nineties, however, we feel that there are other small sedans that offer far better value.
Michio Suzuki, the founder of the Suzuki company, started pretty much like Toyota, in the textile industry, producing automated looms in 1909 in a small seacoast village called Hamamatsu. For years, his company was successful, but as time passed, Suzuki realized that he will have to diversify if he wanted to stay in business.
He turned to car making and in 1937 started developing a prototype. Unlike Toyota, who chose to copy an American six-cylinder engine, Suzuki created their own model, a four-cylinder version which put out 13 horsepower. But as WWII began, production of passenger cars became a luxury so Suzuki turned back to loom-making to support Japan's new cotton industry. All that stopped when the market crashed in 1951.
Versatile and ingenious, Suzuki now turned to making engines for bicycles. Unlike other engines that could be mounted to bikes, his motors had a unique feature that allowed the rider to pedal assisted by the engine or completely disconnect the pedals. This captured the attention of the government who granted funds to Suzuki for research.
During the 50s Suzuki released several models: in 1955 the Suzulight SS, a-2 door sedan, the Suzulight SD, a 2-door wagon, the SL – a 3 door sedan and the SP, a pick-up. Out of all of them, the SP proved to be the most successful, being mass-produced and improved during the 60s. Good sales for the SP which was regarded asa commercial type of vehicle, meant that in 1960 the Suzulight Van, the TL, was introduced. Other models from the 60s include the small Suzuki Fronte 360 and the Suzuki Fronte 500.
The famous off-road Jimny came in 1970, which had several variations of chassis and engine. The other cars from the 70s are the Cervo, Alto and the Fronte, also with a number of variations and improvements along the years.
As the 80s rolled in, Suzuki began expanding across the ocean, thanks to a business agreement with GM (in 1981) which gave them an important niche in the western market. Also, they began a partnership with the Indian car company Maruti in 1983 to produce cars there. A year later, in 1984, Suzuki Motor GmbH Deutchland opens up its doors in Heppenheim, Germany.
The Swift and the Vitara models were introduced in the late 80s and Suzuki reached a production of 10 million units. During the 90s, the company continued to expand with factories all over the world and several other 4x4 models were introduced. Right now, Suzuki is listed as being the 12th biggest automotive manufacturer in the world with 35 production facilities all over the Globe and being present in 192 countries.
1998 Suzuki Esteem Consumer Reviews
crispclad, 01/28/2009
Great Car
I have had my car for 10 years. I rarely had any repair work done on it and it is great on gas. Nothing fancy but very reliable and enjoyable.
portbillet, 08/01/2009
Good first car
I had the 5 spd manual and loved it! Gas mileage 35-38. Tranny needed adjusting at 140k and then finally went out at 170K. New brakes were put on. Other than that I made few repairs on it.
memberssporty, 09/27/2013
Great first car
I got this as my first car about six months ago with 134,000 miles on it for about $ 1,500 not including tax and such. The first time i saw it, i thought it was a subaru legacy. It took a lot of getting used to after driving my mothers 2007 Trailblazer since i started driving but now i hate driving anything else. The engine has very little power and its a little loud but once you get up to speed it holds it very well. Definitely doesn't compare to my friends mustang. The turning radius is fantastic. The rides pretty comfortable. The interior is pretty average. But the best part is that with so many miles, i haven't had any problems; other than my alternator dying at 140,000.
portholespace, 08/30/2010
Completely Love this car
I've owned this car for nearly 9 years, I absolutely love it. More reliable than a horse. Never had any problems at all, and absolutely fun to drive. I live in Michigan, and I've learned to have rust proofing on any future cars. I have to consider selling my Suzuki because the undercarriage is starting to rust.
sistonalumni, 03/04/2019
2000 Suzuki Esteem
"This is an awesome little car"
Great gas saver, drives great. I love, love, love the manual shift. Very few problems with the car. The husband and I bought this little gem, used, in 2013. We have had it, driving it nonstop..meaning our main vehicle..our daughter has been through 2 brand new vehicles, and is now on her 3rd, since we have had this one. This car is made very well.
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