‘WHO TO CALL: Auto Editor Andrew McCredie 985-2131 (147) . THE NEW Suzuki Esteem “may be this year’s dark horse in the popular compact car’ segment. This all-new four-door sedan from Suzuki was introduced with “very Jittle fanfare in the middle of “the, 1995 modei year — even though it’s Suzuki's newest, biggest, and” ost sophisticated car ever. Suzuki ould have spent more money on promotion — this is definitely the |: “best car they’ve ever made..: “Ss The Esteem is a roomy, five-pas- senger, four-door compact sedan . with excellent fuel economy, lively ‘performance and a fun-to-drive character . that’s comparable to popular Japanese com- * pacts like the Mazda Protege S and Honda ‘Civic sedan. Ranging in price from $12,495 , to $18,495, the Esteem is in the same size “and price class as compacts like the ‘Dodge/Plymouth Neon, Chevrolet Cavalier, “Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. _ cy" The Esteem’s wedge-like shape has pleas- : ‘ing proportions, particularly from the rear ‘where large red tail-lights blend in well with ‘the well-defined trunk architecture. However, "its simple, rounded nose is relatively indistin- “ guishable from other Japanese imports, and the standard P175/70R-13 radials look too ° small for a car of this size. Also, the height <-of the window sills is a little higher than “other cars, giving passengers the impression that they are sitting lower than they, actually are. ' The front-wheel- drive Esteem i is bigger, : ° particularly i in width, than the’ subcompact — Suzuki Swift sedan which has now been dis-.’ HOLIDAY HOURS FRIDAY/SATURDAY 9AM - 6PM MONDAY . continued. The Esteem offers adequate legroom and headroom for four or five pas- » sengers, four large doors for easy entry and exit, and a spacious 340- litre trunk that i is easy to load. Standard safety features include standard dual airbags, side-door beams, three-point seatbelts for outboard passengers, adjustable front shoulder belts, child-proof rear door locks, and rear tether anchor points. But like most small cars, the Esteem's fixed, rear head-restraints are too low and are not height-adjustable. ~ While the standard 1.6-litre four-cylinder ., powerplant is smaller and less powerful than competitors, it makes up for this by its will- ingness to rev up to its 6500 r.p.m. redline and its quiet, unobtrusive nature at highway speeds. The 98 horsepower, 1.6-litre single overhead camshaft 16-valve four-cylinder engine turns over a comfortable 2600 r.p.m. at 100 km-h (62 m.p.t.). However, like Most cars with. small four: ' MEWS photo Cindy Goodman ’ THE 1995 Suzuki Esteem is an all-new model from Suzuki. The compact, five passenger sedan offers a standard 98 horsepower 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine and Starts at $12,495. Inquire about the Esteem at North Vancouver Suzuki, 1695 Marine Dr. . cylinder engines, the Esteem is a bit noisy under hard acceleration —— it's mostly noise though, not annoying vibration or-acoustic booming. Fuel econamy is excellent, 7.7 1/100 kin (37 m.p.g.) in the city and 5.7 1/100 km (50 - ni.p.g.) on the highway when equipped with the standard five-speed manual transmission. I haven't tried the manual transmission, but the optional four-speed automatic transmis- sion offers smooth shifts and has a handy on/off overdrive button on the floor-mounted shifter.” The best quality of the new Esteem, in my . opinion, is the way it drives.’ Handling is nimble, steering is responsive, braking is superb, highway ride is smooth, and outward visibility'is very good..The .’ - Esteem's tight chassis and independent sus- pension offer stable, neutral handling despite the Esteem’s small tires. In addition, the car's small size makes it casy to drive in the city. My one criticism is that the Esteem’s firm ; suspension is 1o0.stiff over bumpy secondary roads. ° .. The 1995 Esteem is available in three trim levels, GL, GLX, and GLX ABS. ~ Standard equipment on th GL q model, which starts at $12,495, includes a five-speed manual trans- mission, dual airbags, power steer- _ing, fold-down reur seat, rear “defroster, variable intermittent. wipers, three cupholders, a centre console, and black rubber bumpers. Absent are radio and air condition- ing which are only available on the GLX model. _, The GLX, which starts at $14,995, adds an AM/FM stereo cassette with four speakers, power windows, power door Jocks; power outside mirrors, tachometer, front seat-back pockets, body-colored bumpers, and a digital clock. A CD player is not offered, For $16,995, the Esteem GLX ABS adds four- wheel anti-lock brakes, air condi- tioning, and cruise control... The Esteem's basic warranty, a three year/80,000 km warranty with standard Roadside Assistance is bet- ter than most three year/60,000 km warranties. However, Suzuki » doesn't offer a standard five- or six- year powertrain warranty like most Japanese cars do. - The new Esteem is worth a test- drive if you're looking for a compact, fun-to-drive sedan with better-than-average fuel econo- “mye Base price: $12,495 ~ . Price as tested: $18.495 | Type: four-door,‘ five- ~passenger compact sedan Layout: transverse front engine/front- : wheel-drive ©! Engine: i.6-litre four-cylinder, SOHC, 16 valves, electronic multi-port fuel injection — Horsepower: 98 @ 6000 r.p.m. ; Transmission: four-speed automatic (std. five-speed manual) Fuel consumption: City — Wd. V106 km (375 m.p.g.); Hwy: — 5.7 1/100 km: (50: MP8.) . A Unique Automobile! Our: GM's company. :car, leather, “loaded “94 Coupe Supreme’. _ MSRP $25,993 Entry Level, But All The Comforis! Exciting new 1995 Achieva MSRP $21,535 Sf 7, 998 -$298/mo. * $2727 down, 36 mos. lease You benefit $5,000 on GM's company car! Yes! 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