My plans/ideation resto-modding a Maruti Suzuki Esteem.

A baleno (the real one made before 2006) would be a simultaneous better but worse financial decision

04-05-2026 14:19

Some more notes on this “project”

Baleno - Still “livable”

Seeing the discourse across a bunch of threads in the team BHP forum, it could be said that the OG Baleno is a livable vehicle in 2026. The scarcity of spares aside. Well BOODMO could help, but the clock is ticking.

Thread

SX4 - The underdog

Along with the Swift Dzire of the cars that later tried to fill the void left by the Baleno and the Esteem being discontinued was the SX4 sedan. I never thought about the SX4 as a good project car but on paper it seemed to check a lot of boxes.

For starters, the SX4 was sold until 2013 a giving it a headstart of a few more years on the Esteem’s and quite a lot more on the Baleno’s lives. Additionally, it was offered with a 1.6L DOHC engine the M16A.

What amuses me is that for the kind of fanbase the G16B has the M16A has been largely ignored. Maybe its not as mod and swap friendly as the G16B or the G13BB but still 1.6L DOHC is 1.6L DOHC. Some more research later, I’ve even found claims of this engine being overhauled by rally teams into producing ~200 BHP without a turbo or any forced induction.

Somehow the SX4 does not have a fan base, all I can spot are thrashy mods far from the sophasticated , clean, concourse driven mods you can see with the Balenos and Esteems. I guess its all down to what warms up people’s hearts and what doesnt.

Anyhow, looking at what these engine builds costs I dont think that petrol as a fuel would even be around by the time I can sensibly afford such a project. The best I can hope for is a haphazard junkyard build thats been polished enough both aesthetically and mechanically for livability .