Suzuki Cultus Crescent

Suzuki Cultus Crescent

Manufacturer	Suzuki
Also called	Chevrolet Cassia (Philippines) Chevrolet Esteem Suzuki Cultus Suzuki Baleno Maruti Baleno Maruti Baleno Altura (station wagon)
Production	1995–2002 (Japan) 1999–2007 (India) 1996-2001 (North America)
Assembly	Colombia: Bogotá India: Gurgaon Indonesia Japan: Hamamatsu Pakistan: Karachi
Predecessor	Suzuki Cultus
Successor	Suzuki Aerio
Class	Compact
Body style	3-door hatchback 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine	1.3 L G13B I4 (gasoline) 1.6 L I4 (gasoline) 1.8 L I4 (gasoline) 1.9 L XUD9 I4 (diesel)
Transmission	5-speed manual 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase	2,480 mm (97.6 in)
Length	Hatchback: 3,870 mm (152.4 in) Sedan: 4,375 mm (172.2 in) Wagon: 4,375 mm (172.2 in)
Width	1,695 mm (66.7 in)
Height	1,395 mm (54.9 in)

The Suzuki Cultus Crescent is a compact car that was produced by Suzuki in Japan between 1995 and 2002, with South Asian production continuing until 2007. The Cultus Crescent was sold as such in Japan until May 1998, when it was renamed Suzuki Cultus due to the sales discontinuation of the previous Cultus in the Japanese market. The Cultus Crescent was also marketed as the Suzuki Esteem in North America, and as the Suzuki Baleno throughout Asia, Australasia, and Europe. In India where it was manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, the Cultus Crescent was sold as the Maruti Baleno. In the Philippines, it was marketed as the Chevrolet Cassia.

1996 Suzuki Esteem sedan (North America)

The Cultus Crescent was introduced in the global market in the first half of 1995 as Suzuki's first attempt in the compact segment. As a North American replacement for the Suzuki Cultus (Swift) sedan (the three-door hatchback remained after it was redesigned in 1995), it was built on a slightly stretched Cultus platform for improved cabin room, but otherwise sharing most of internal components with the smaller model—and marketed as a distinct model.

The Cultus Crescent was initially available as a three-door hatchback and four-door sedan, with 1.3-liter (hatch only) and 1.6-liter petrol engines, with power ranging from 85 to 99 PS (63 to 73 kW; 84 to 98 hp). In 1996, the lineup was extended with the Esteem Wagon (Baleno Break in most European markets and Baleno Altura in India), Suzuki's first station wagon, also with the same 1.6-liter, which also received optional four-wheel drive in the two larger body variants.

Suzuki restyled the Cultus Crescent in 1998 (1999 model year in North America). The car was given a new frontend, with a rounder grille and new headlights, and the engine lineup was expanded to include Suzuki's J18A chain-driven DOHC engine that was fitted to the sedan and wagon. In North America, the Esteem 1.8-liter wagon completely replaced the Esteem 1.6, but in most markets the 1.8 sedan became the sports model. In some European markets, the 1.8-liter was installed in the hatchback and sold as the limited edition Baleno GSR. Europe also gained a diesel version, with a 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp) XUD9 engine supplied by Peugeot.

The Cultus Crescent was replaced in most markets by the new Aerio/Liana, which was launched in 2001.^[1] In Japan, the sedan was discontinued in November 2001,^[2] although the wagon remained until August 2002.^[3] The entire range was pulled from the market in Europe and North American in 2002, after one year of overlapping with the Aerio/Liana. The car remained available in many developing countries, including India and Southeast Asia, where it was sold until 2007, when production stopped at the Maruti factory, with the assembly line giving way to the SX4 Sedan.

• 

  1995–1998 Suzuki Baleno hatchback (Germany)

• 

  1998–2001 Suzuki Cultus sedan (Japan)

• 

  1998–2002 Suzuki Cultus Wagon (Japan)

• 

  2002 Suzuki Baleno Sedan (Indonesia)

References

1. ^ "Suzuki Liana (Liana)". GoAuto. John Mellor. http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/carfamilytree?ReadForm&ID=DF1DFEC05C99353CCA257125001A165F. Retrieved 2011-01-11. 
2. ^ "スズキ カルタス 1989年7月(平成元年7月)〜2001年11月(平成13年11月)　グレード一覧 [Suzuki Cultus grade list: July 1989 to November 2001]". Goo-net. Proto Corporation. http://www.goo-net.com/catalog/SUZUKI/CULTUS/index.html. Retrieved 2011-01-11.  (Japanese)
3. ^ "スズキ カルタスワゴン 1998年5月(平成10年5月)〜2002年8月(平成14年8月)　グレード一覧 [Suzuki Cultus Wagon grade list: May 1998 to August 2002]". Goo-net. Proto Corporation. http://www.goo-net.com/catalog/SUZUKI/CULTUS_WAGON/index.html. Retrieved 2011-01-11.  (Japanese)