Maruti Suzuki Esteem – Why Did This Popular Maruti Sedan Get Discontinued?

Maruti Suzuki has been the top selling car brand in India since its inception. If you look at the data of top selling car brands in 2024, Maruti Suzuki is number one on this list. Cars like Maruti Suzuki Alto, Maruti Suzuki Swift and the OG Gypsy have contributed to Maruti reaching this position.

But there is another car that has brought Maruti in this list of top selling car brands, which is still very popular among the people. And its name is Maruti Suzuki Steam. People are so crazy about this car that even today they are demanding Maruti to launch it again.

Hardly any car could beat this car in races due to its one point three liter engine and its interior was also loaded with luxury and premium features, due to which it was the most liked car in the corporate world at one time.

But brother, what was the reason for Maruti Suzuki to discontinue such a premium and performance car. So in this video we will talk about its journey from popularity in India to its discontinuation. You just give a good like to the video.

Maruti Esteem Variants and Trims Explained

The Maruti Esteem was once one of the most popular sedans in India. The success of this car was due to its various variants, or trims. Each variant was designed according to the needs of the customers. Now let’s look at its important variants and the features they offer.

Esteem LX – Base Variant (1994–1995)

The Esteem LX is the entry-level or base variant of this car line. It had only very basic features. It did not have facilities like power steering, power windows, and offered only a very basic travel experience. Although some models had A/C facility, it was not available in all models. Those who wanted to buy an Esteem car at a low price chose this model. It was a reasonable choice among first-time car buyers.

Esteem LXi / VXi – Mid and Top Variants (1999–2000)

The Esteem LXi and VXi are the advanced versions of this line. They provided more facilities and an improved driving experience to the users. They had facilities like power steering, air conditioning, power windows. Additionally, there were additional features like body-colored bumpers, fabric seat covers, and a well-designed interior. The LXi model was a mid-range variant, while the VXi model was the top-end variant. The VXi got more features and a better-looking interior. It was a better choice for customers looking for comfort and convenience.

Esteem AX / AXi – Automatic Variant (2001–2002)

The Esteem AX and AXi were the rare automatic variants in the Indian market. They came with a 3-speed automatic transmission, which made it easy to drive in the city. Along with this, there were also key features like power steering and A/C. However, since there was not much demand for automatic cars in India at that time, this model did not sell well. Due to this, this variant is a rare choice in the second-hand market at a reasonable price today.

Dominant Cars of the Early Nineties

So in the early nineties, Maruti Eight Hundred, Fiat Padmini and Hindustan Motor Contia Shah were the dominant cars in India.

Customers who had a low budget would either buy Maruti Eight Hundred or a car like Padmini. But over the time, people’s demand started shifting towards sedan cars. They now wanted a car with good performance and good features.

Now at this time Maruti did not have any such car in the Indian market that could fulfill this demand of the people. So they planned to launch the Swift that was available in Japan. Yes, this is the Swift that we used to get in the old times.

The Challenge of Launching a New Model

Now there was a problem for Maruti in launching this car. That was that Maruti could not manufacture it in its India plant. Because if it did so, it would have to change many things in its plant, which would have cost Maruti a lot.

And to solve this problem, it thought it right to import it directly through the C-D route. And after doing all this, finally in 1999, Maruti Suzuki launched its Steam in India. At that time Maruti did not name it Steam but Maruti One Thousand.

Because at that time Maruti Eight Hundred was a very popular car in India. So people thought Maruti One Thousand was its better and upgraded version. The company thought it right to name it Maruti One Thousand.

Now as soon as it is launched, people rush to buy it due to its fresh look and premium interior. And in no time this car captured the entire sedan market. This car became the first choice of every sedan lover in India.

But brother, there was a problem in it just like today’s Maruti cars. Every fiber of the car brothers. Not of safety, but of a very underpowered engine. People were very upset with its underpowered engine.

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Birth of the Maruti Steam

Maruti addressed this thing again and after about four years took the decision to manufacture it in India. And then Maruti Steam was launched in this way, which came with a lot of upgrades from the old version.

And this time Maruti had also removed the name One Thousand. Maruti had given a completely new engine in the new Steam, which was a one point three liter four cylinder engine.

This engine produced sixty five horsepower. Along with the engine, Maruti also updated its look and also introduced a bigger boot space and a new music system.

Due to all these upgrades, there was no stopping Steam. This car was Maruti’s best selling car in India for four consecutive years.

New Emission Norms and New Engines

But then our government implemented new emission norms, in which cars with carburetor engines had to be updated with MPFI engines.

And that is why Maruti updated Steam once again, in which the carburetor engine was removed and a new MPFI engine was installed. This engine gave more mileage than before and also good performance.

It now had eighty five horsepower, which was quite a lot in a budget car at that time. Due to good performance, it had a different dominance in Indian auto racing.

Although Maruti also gave it a one point five liter diesel engine in 2002, but due to BS three norms, Maruti discontinued it in 2004 itself.

Competition in the Market

So till now everything was going well for Maruti Steam. Steam was a good option for people who had a budget of four to five lakhs.

But now bad days were about to start for Steam, because now more cars were launched in the market for competition. Like Hyundai Verna, Ford Fiesta or Chevrolet Aveo. All these cars were much more advanced and powerful than Steam.