The instrument panel is directly ahead of the driver with a prominent speedometer and a tachometer with a 6700 rpm redline. Behind that is a traditional pull-type handbrake lever. The wagon has a taller roof than the sedan, and there's plenty of headroom and adequate legroom for front and rear passengers - but three adults in the back seat is cramped. From a standing start, it virtually jumps off the line - low first gear transmission gearing helps here. The automatic transmission in my GLX test car shifted smoothly most of the time, but there was a noticeable 'bump' under hard acceleration.
Fuel consumption is excellent.
The Esteem is one of the few small cars with a fully independent MacPherson strut suspension, and this is evident in the Esteem's nimble handling, excellent damping characteristics, and predictable cornering behaviour. If you've got the extra cash, go for the GLX with the 1.8 litre engine, automatic transmission, ABS, and two-tone paint.