A few shortcomings, but remains surprising and impressive
Those looking for an all-wheel drive SUV that can carry 7 passengers should check out the XL7. This criterion makes the Suzuki one of the least expensive on the market. Its reasonable price is due to a few factors, including an important one: the XL7 shares numerous elements with the compact SUVs from General Motors.
When we tested the XL7 last year, we called it "GM's best small SUV", which obviously didn't please Suzuki all that much. And with reason, since they are very proud of their product. They were still pretty kind to lend us one for an extended period of time.
This XL7 arrived on our doorstep with 15,000 km on the odometer; we would've preferred to get it brand-new, but we're still happy to get to try it out longer in our everyday grind.
The Japanese automaker wanted to point out the source of what makes up an XL7. The 252-horsepower 3.6-liter V6, although conceived by GM, is actually assembled in Saraga, Japan. The 5-speed automatic and the electronic management of the AWD hardware also come from the home country. The outside design was penned by Suzuki Motors, not GM. The XL7 is assembled in Ingersoll, Ontario.
Pleasing looks and performance
As soon as the XL7 arrived at Auto123.com, we sent it out on its first missions. The Suzuki immediately got thumbs-ups for its exterior appearance; one person even said that it doesn't look at all like the Equinox or Torrent, and that the dual exhaust speaks volumes about the vehicle's pretensions. To no one's surprise, the headlight design drew mixed opinions.
Performance-wise, the SUV got only positive comments. The power and sound of the V6, during acceleration or passing, were highlighted. Its stable and confidence-inspiring road manners were also celebrated, and one person even said it drove like a car. The brakes are powerful, but certain people noticed that the nose dives quite a bit during hard braking.
Inside, many talked positively about the amount of space and general ergonomics. The two first rows of seats are easily accessible, and the third one is naturally more difficult to reach. The cockpit has proved itself to be pretty quiet, apart from some engine noise during hard acceleration. The sound system also received good marks by the quality of its sound and speaker output.
Those looking for an all-wheel drive SUV that can carry 7 passengers should check out the XL7. This criterion makes the Suzuki one of the least expensive on the market. Its reasonable price is due to a few factors, including an important one: the XL7 shares numerous elements with the compact SUVs from General Motors.
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| The XL7 shares several of its elements with, amongst others, the Chevrolet Equinox. |
When we tested the XL7 last year, we called it "GM's best small SUV", which obviously didn't please Suzuki all that much. And with reason, since they are very proud of their product. They were still pretty kind to lend us one for an extended period of time.
This XL7 arrived on our doorstep with 15,000 km on the odometer; we would've preferred to get it brand-new, but we're still happy to get to try it out longer in our everyday grind.
The Japanese automaker wanted to point out the source of what makes up an XL7. The 252-horsepower 3.6-liter V6, although conceived by GM, is actually assembled in Saraga, Japan. The 5-speed automatic and the electronic management of the AWD hardware also come from the home country. The outside design was penned by Suzuki Motors, not GM. The XL7 is assembled in Ingersoll, Ontario.
Pleasing looks and performance
As soon as the XL7 arrived at Auto123.com, we sent it out on its first missions. The Suzuki immediately got thumbs-ups for its exterior appearance; one person even said that it doesn't look at all like the Equinox or Torrent, and that the dual exhaust speaks volumes about the vehicle's pretensions. To no one's surprise, the headlight design drew mixed opinions.
Performance-wise, the SUV got only positive comments. The power and sound of the V6, during acceleration or passing, were highlighted. Its stable and confidence-inspiring road manners were also celebrated, and one person even said it drove like a car. The brakes are powerful, but certain people noticed that the nose dives quite a bit during hard braking.
Inside, many talked positively about the amount of space and general ergonomics. The two first rows of seats are easily accessible, and the third one is naturally more difficult to reach. The cockpit has proved itself to be pretty quiet, apart from some engine noise during hard acceleration. The sound system also received good marks by the quality of its sound and speaker output.
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| The cargo capacity is enormous when one folds the back seats. |