2007 Suzuki XL-7 Review

Welcome to the Big Leagues Suzuki

Take a close look at this new SUV. Is this the new face of Suzuki? It certainly is the new face of Suzukis 2007 XL-7, the largest, most powerful sport utility vehicle to ever wear the Japanese companys stylized S badge. But before you make your mind up about whether you like Suzukis radical design departure or not, lets find out a bit more about just what makes it tick.

Suzuki is unlike most other automakers in that it relies on a number of external partners to cooperatively develop and produce many of its vehicles. Its entry-level Canada-only Swift+, for instance, is the product of a unique relationship with General Motors, in which the two automakers purchased the assets of South Korean carmaker Daewoo, and formed GMDAT. A quick glance at a Swift+ and Chevrolet Aveo5 side-by-side and youll see that theyre identical other than a few minor trim pieces. You can guess which one outsells the other; yes, Chevys Aveo at about a five to one ratio. A similar story is true for Suzukis midsize Verona, identical to Chevys Canadian-only Epica although now discontinued, and the compact Forenza sedan and wagon, plus the attractive five-door version dubbed Reno, sold in Canada in bowtie guise as the Optra sedan, wagon and Optra5. Its a unique setup, between Chevrolet and Suzuki, but unfortunately for the smaller Japanese brand thats probably known best for its motorcycles, the heartbeat of America is the clear winner in sales tallies.

Outside of North America, mind you, Suzuki hasnt set itself so directly against such a formidable competitor. Certainly it faces many rivals in the subcompact and compact segments it normally targets, but due to developing its own proprietary product it can attract and retain customers based on the unique attributes of its distinct brand and models, not having a Goliath “partner” competing for the same consumers with the very same product after luring them to their retail outlets via incentive driven ads.

Even in North America, Suzuki is trying to change this situation, however, with its latest SX4 compact crossover, not shared with Chevy or any other brand, paving the way for a more independent future. Its recently redesigned Grand Vitara is another example of just how good its in-house products are, a compact SUV thats considered by many to be one of the best 4×4-capable sport utility vehicles in its segment.

Its interesting, therefore, that Suzukis North American operations decided to once again rely on its relationship with GM when it came time to reinvent a vehicle thats been based on the Vitara platform since its inception. The XL-7 was little more than a stretched and lowered Grand Vitara when it debuted, with Suzuki somehow managing to cram a rather tight but still functional third row in back for what might have been the worlds smallest seven-occupant SUV. It enjoyed a nice mid-cycle upgrade a couple of years back that made a big difference to interior design and the quality of materials used, but overall it was still the same Grand Vitara based XL-7.

The new model, introduced just north of Toronto at the picturesque Inn at Manitou, is loosely based off of the very popular Chevy Equinox and recently introduced Pontiac Torrent, although unlike the Sprint+ or Verona, youd be hard pressed to see any similarity between the XL-7 and either GM SUV at first glance. Most noticeable are its somewhat odd but nevertheless attractive multi-angular headlight clusters, followed by a tri-ribbed grille adorned with Suzukis big S at center, and just below that a racy black matte bumper dividing a painted side extension that houses circular driving lights at either side, and underneath a silver painted air splitter. This ability to visibly forge its own way, not only amid an onslaught of GM sport utes but also within the overcrowded midsize SUV segment, is critical to the XL-7s success.

Its longer dimensions - the XL-7 is stretched when compared to the equivalent GM models - has made for visual changes to the rear of the vehicle too, including a more vertically shaped liftgate - better for carrying cargo and necessary for its third row of seats - featuring an unorthodox curved rear window that goes further to separate the XL-7 from the masses. The taillights arent as radically drawn as the lenses up front, but still tie the entire design together quite nicely. Overall, from front to back its a crossover SUV that you wont have to make purchase excuses for, like, “It was such a steal that I couldnt pass it up,” or “You wont believe how many years Im getting this thing at no interest”. Yet, despite being made at the CAMI plant in Ingersol, Ontario, right next to the Equinox and Torrent, the XL-7 also doesnt carry that domestic stigma that is frowned upon in some circles (the opposite in others) and often drives down resale values. After all, the sign of its imported pedigree is right up front and center, with the Suzuki belt buckle.

Ironically, where the Equinox and Torrent source their 3.4-liter V6 from China and/or Mexico (its a GM design mind you), the XL-7 uses one of GMs best engines, the 3.6-liter, 24-valve, DOHC V6 found in Cadillacs base CTS, Buicks top-line Allure and now, Saturns flagship Aura sedan, but its built in Japan in a Suzuki facility to the Japanese brands high tolerances and featuring a unique ECU. Its a great engine, and mated with GMs five-speed automatic gearbox with manual mode is as smooth as it is efficient; besting the old drivetrain with an estimated 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The engine makes a satisfying rasp as it pulls up to its 252 maximum horsepower, available at a spirited 6,400 rpm, while 243 lb-ft of torque comes on a lot sooner at 2,300 rpm. Compared to the old XL-7, at 183-horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque, its a veritable supercar, but when put side by side with many in this class, its merely better than average; still a claim worth bragging about.

The new SUV is heavier than the GM rivals, however, at over 4,000 lbs in all-wheel drive trim, so some of that extra power just goes towards moving the larger vehicle. The undercarriage starts out as GMs Theta architecture, with modified suspension calibration and other upgrades for a smoother ride and what Suzuki claims is better handling. I have to say it feels pretty good at speed; at least it did once I pushed it. At first it felt a bit heavy and too smooth to be sporting, but once I became comfortable, and the need to catch up to the rest of the pack, thanks to the need to film the XL-7 for a new half-hour TV show that Im doing now, I pushed it harder than I word normally have. It transformed right before me, from comfortable family hauler to impressive sport ute, with the emphasis on sport, thanks to a MacPherson strut front setup with coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers and a 26 mm anti-roll bar, plus a multi-link (four link) suspension in the rear once again featuring coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers and a slightly less robust 20 mm anti-roll bar. Seven-passenger models are fitted with Nivomat load-leveling shocks, to keep it level when fully loaded. Its optional P235/60R17 all-season tires on 17-inch alloy rims didnt hurt its on-road dynamics either (base models come with P235/65R16s). Certainly it wont displace the new X5, Porsche Cayenne, Grand Cherokee SRT-8 or MDX, but it can hold its own amongst entry-level midsize crossovers, something the old model couldnt do.

It even held up well when the rain started coming down, and boy did it pour. Lightning started flashing in every direction and streams of water pelted the roof and windshield, the noise was muffled somewhat thanks to lots of sound deadening material between the roof liner and exterior panel, but water gushed in rivulets across the highway, causing concern at the speeds I was going. Fortunately, standard safety features include ABS brakes, which came in handy a few times, plus traction and stability control, the latter especially comforting when the tires started losing adhesion. We didnt need to test the four standard airbags, a good thing, but felt confident knowing that the two up front were the latest smart bags, and that both me and my camera man Ty, plus our camera gear strapped down in the back seat, would be protected in case of rollover via side curtain bags for all three rows. The gear in the cargo area wouldnt be so lucky.

Speaking of cargo, theres a lot more space available than in the GM twins or some of the XL-7s rivals, with almost 14 cubic-feet behind the rear seats; or the size of a regular midsize sedans trunk. If youre not using all of the seats, flip the 60:40 split seatbacks forward and youll extend the cargo area to more than 81 inches for about 50 cubic-feet of luggage space. Not bad. Fold the 2nd row flat and youll get an amazing 95 cubic-feet of load space for those trips to the hardware store. Yes, the XL-7 is big! How big? You can probably see from the photos that its wide, but you might not realize that its a fair bit wider than the already spacious Grand Vitara. Its also longer than many fairly large SUVs such as Hondas Pilot and Jeeps Commander. Its actually a full 8 inches longer than the Jeep and more than a foot longer than a Toyota Highlander or Hyundai Santa Fe, at almost 16 and a half feet, or in metric, more than five meters. Amazingly the XL-7 is only about 5 inches shorter than a Chevy Tahoe.

For this reason all of that aforementioned luggage space doesnt impinge on passenger room, with enough available in the very back for someone of my size (5-foot-8, by the way) to get comfortable, without crushing the legs of those in the more accommodating second row.

As you might imagine, like Saabs 9-7X, also beginning life as a GM SUV, the XL-7 has been dreamed up purely for North American consumption, where large, seven-occupant SUVs have traditionally sold well. I like the fact that unlike domestic full-size sport utilities its relatively compact, and therefore offers the kind of interior roominess needed by growing families without making it cumbersome to drive.

Part of its overall ease of operation hails from GMs parts bin, the instrument cluster being the most obvious to those whove spent time in an Equinox or Torrent. The dash top is original to the XL-7, but not so different to question the source of the substructure underneath, as is the case with the center stack and lower console that use GM buttons, knobs and switches. This reality is a good thing, however, being that the General has put a great deal of effort into upgrading the switchgear on its cars and SUVs, and with close attention paid by Suzuki to make sure fit and finish is up to snuff, the XL-7s interior is pretty well executed. All of the switches are really nicely crafted, for instance, with a quality feel that should please import buyers. Whats more, available features like automatic climate control, an eight-speaker, 253-watt AM/FM/MP3/WMA compatible audio interface with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and XM satellite radio plus a navigation system give the SUV a premium-like experience - incidentally, its auxiliary input jack and satellite radio arent even available yet with many premium brands and is well worth the monthly charge if youre a music lover.

Nothing speaks premium like leather seats, and the leather quality is pretty good while the seats are truly comfortable for short distances, although I could have used more lumbar support during my daylong drive - more of a personal problem that may not be an issue for you, I must admit.

The hard plastics in key areas throughout the interior take away from the premium experience, mind you, which all-round isnt up to the level of others in this category, ironically even some in the compact segment like Suzukis superbly built Grand Vitara.

Just the same I think that Suzuki will do just fine with its new XL-7, keeping its regular loyalists happy while pulling in an entirely new group of fans needed to reach its goals of selling three million vehicles by 2009, raising its global ranking from 11th largest (out of 49) to 10th.

Its new compact SX4 will do more to increase this number than the XL-7, due to its lower price and less crowded field of competitors, but the XL-7 should still do its part when it arrives mid-November.

Priced at $22,899, the XL-7 in base trim undercuts most rivals, while the more luxurious and appropriately named Luxury version starts at $24,599. You seven occupant capacity for a little less at $24,249, while a seven person Luxury XL-7 will set you back $25,949. A full load Limited model will cost you $27,949, which once again is very reasonable for what you get. Fully loaded, with DVD entertainment and navigation it stickers at $31,919.

At the end of the day Suzuki has built a pretty compelling seven-passenger SUV. Of course, it wont be to everyones tastes, but the Japanese brand doesnt need to please the masses in order to make it a success, only give it enough unique visible character to get noticed in a sea of midsize sport utilities, and then follow through with an ownership experience thats good enough to keep customers smiling day in and day out.

The XL-7 should be able to live up to that.