Suzuki Esteem Overview

For most carmakers, 1.8-liter engines mark the bottom end of the model line. But at Suzuki, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine powers the largest sedan the company builds. Although it sells the V6-powered Grand Vitara sport-utility, the 2000 Esteem is as big a car as we get from Suzuki.

That said, the Esteem meets the standards of the subcompact class in size and economy. It is offered as both a sedan and wagon. Both are front-drive, four-door, five-passenger cars. The wagon provides substantial cargo-hauling potential, carrying up to 24 cubic feet of cargo, at a base price less than $14,000. You're not getting a Mercedes wagon, in either size or features, but you're paying about one-third of a Mercedes wagon price.