Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Good family car/ great on fuel - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By Mr.Chris - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Traded my gas guzzling Blazer for this car. This is the second esteem I have owned. the first was a 1999. The CV axles are only good it seems for 100- 130k miles. Comfortable, not a powerhouse by any means but good on gas and the A/C is freezing cold. I have almost 150K on it currently and have had really good luck with Suzuki products as a cheaper alternative to Honda with the same reliability. Folks, keep up maintenance to make it last. Simple. Regular oil changes, tune ups etc. That simple. Fun to drive, I have a bad back at age 33 so the firm seats are great. The factory CD player isnt working but the radio does. I really have no complaints. GREAT ON GAS.

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  Outstanding, Reliable Transportation - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By JCRobin - September 26 - 9:30 am

  Ive owned this little car for almost 6 years and drive it to and from work and around town everyday. It runs flawlessly and is actually kinda fun to drive, for a basic economy car. The engine is the best component, typical as with Suzuki motorcycles. Clarion stero is junk but easily replaced. OK its not a Lexus but I have had absolutely no problems, its great on gas and I intend and expect to drive it to 200k+ with only normal good maintenance practices. What more could someone expect from any car especially a value-priced underrated bargain. I will surely buy another Suzuki when the time comes.

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  Best car ever !! - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By western mass fan - June 14 - 12:16 pm

  Purchased new for $10,700 with sticker reading $14,999 and love the car. Its sporty drive (5 speed) and great economy 35 mpg or more place it next to my suzuki motorcyle in fun. Oil changes every 3000 miles and original spark plugs at 93,000 miles and running like a top. Rust is starting on door bottoms, and had to replace the front sub frame this month (big bucks). Still cant complain and wish I could get it back from my daughter.

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  Esteem rises to the occasion - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By Sakura Digital - April 9 - 10:00 am

  After much redesign from the 2000 model I find that the 2001 Esteem drives and handles much like a Mazda Protoge. In 1.5 years I have had NO mechanical failures and aside from car washes and oil changes this is all I have to do. This little car even has punch on the highway. And, especially when trying to park in Boston or Salem the compact size is a must to allow fitting in tight spaces. When sitting inside you do not even realize the compact size outside. Plenty of room for 5.

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  Good value - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By Dawson - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Bought used, 1 year old with high milage. Everything is in good working order and very little wear and tear is visable. AC is cold but may explain my 20 mpg fuel economy. Automatic transmission seems to rev high before switching to next gear. This car is very plain with no power locks, windows, seats, etc.

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  Dont BUY THIS CAR - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By Pazzion - December 7 - 2:00 am

  This car was a terrible buy. Suzuki should have stuck with making motorcycles. The cars handling was ATROCIOUS. After 6 months, my brakes went out. After a mere 4 months, there were electrical problems; my interior lights would not come on. The fuses would go out very frequently. The brakes light would come on at any random time; I would NOT have my parking brake on or my foot on the brake pedal. Even after getting the brake pads replaced, it didnt feel like it. The car would still screech and make a terrible grinding noise. Had I done my research, I would surely have bought a better vehicle, even used, for a comparable price and MUCH better quality.

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  Not a bad little car - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By thorpite - April 12 - 3:00 pm

  Ive owned my Esteem for 5 years and have never had any major mechanical problems with it and it handles like a champ. I like my little car and its great in city traffic and tight spots. I moved from Florida to Chicago and was curious to see how it would handle in ice and snow since it is very light and can be hard to handle in high winds. In snow/ice, it slides a lot in turns. The engine can be noisy but I always have the radio on, so its not an issue for me personally. I replaced the factory CD player because mine stopped reading CDs and my intermittent windshield wipers gave out soon after purchase and now Ive noticed that my wipers dont reset themselves when they turn off.

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  Id like it to last forever - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By dotteddancer - March 8 - 7:06 pm

  My daughter bought the 2001 Suzuki Esteem Wagon in 2004 to drive between college and student teaching. It had 60,000 miles on it. When she graduated I bought it from her to drive to work with 90,000 miles. I have driven it now 5 years and it has 212,000 miles. So far there have been no major repairs required. My husband finds it uncomfortable but I dont have any problems driving it. It is low to the ground and tends to catch flying rocks on the windshield that a taller vehicle would have hit the grill. It averages 30-31 MPG highway, which is the majority of my driving. I would like cruise control. The biggest problem has been an oil leak at the head gasket and the CD doesnt work.

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  Good Cute car - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By ArkMon - February 1 - 10:00 am

  For a subcompact car, this is a great one. We specifically sought a new Suzuki Esteem because it was the end of the model year, the last year of the Esteem. We figured we could strike a deal on one that a dealer wanted to move off the lot. We ended up finding a great deal on a used one, instead. We love this car, and I think of it as a little Subaru. While somewhat conservative, it stands out from others in its class. As a small 4 cylinder, I expect some noise, but once up to cruising speed, its suprisingly smooth and quiet. Extra space of the wagon makes it feel not-so-small. I reccomend it to anyone searching for cars in the category.

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  What are you doing - 2001 Suzuki Esteem
  By richdaddy123 - April 3 - 4:43 pm

  I dont know what the other reviewers are doing to their cars, maybe abusing them, but I have had nothing go wrong with this car whatsoever. My parents had this same car (wagon version) and they had no troubles either. This is not a hot rod car. Its a car to get around town, and it does that very well. By the way, my parents were so impressed with the Esteem, when they traded it in they bought another Suzuki, and have had no trouble with it either.