For 2008 Suzuki’s midsize SUV remains largely unchanged. Available with third row, seven-passenger seating, XL7 is the largest and most comfortable SUV the Japanese carmaker has ever built.XL7’s engine is a 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 engine rated 252 horsepower. Said powerplant is a technophile’s delight. For it is nothing less than General Motors' High Feature V-6. (HFV6) . Did I just say General Motors? Truth be told Suzuki and GM have had cooperating in manufacturing and joint-venture agreements for a number of years. Also, worthy of note, the HFV6 is a family of DOHC V-6s designed to be expandable from 2.8 L to 4.0 L. Key components include an aluminum block and cylinder heads, Sequential Electronic Fuel Injection, a forged crankshaft and connecting rods, a variable intake manifold, twin knock control sensors and coil-on-plug ignition. It all adds up to strong acceleration and fuel efficient operation.
With this potent V-6 under the hood the XL7 zooms from zero to 60 mph in about eight seconds. Regular fuel burns fine. Standard equipment is a five-speed automatic transmission with manumatic shifting . Towing capacity is a modest 3,500 pounds. Both Front Wheel Drive and electronically-controlled on-demand All-Wheel Drive is available. Except that the base model is only available le with FWD.
Rider comfort is very nice thanks to the fact that XL7 was not derived from a truck. Up front are fully-independent MacPherson struts with a multilink setup in the back. The suspension is tuned moderately firm. That and the relatively long wheelbase lends a smooth ride so the car feels like a big sedan. Self-leveling Nivomat shocks at the rear come standard with the seven-passenger models and help maintain stability when cornering. Nivomat’s self-leveling feature also automatically compensates for heavy loads.
Safety features include dual front airbags along with curtain side airbags for all rows of seats, and anti-lock brakes replete with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Electronic Stability Program with traction control, and side impact beams. XL7 boasts a five-star safety rating in front- and side-impact crash tests. There’s also a tire pressure monitor and daytime running lights.
Head and leg room are abundant. The steering wheel tilts but does not telescope. Power window switches are mounted on the console. I found it annoying at first, but after a couple of days got used to it. Second row headroom is adequate for a car of this class. When the driver slides her seat back, second row leg room diminishes. But to compensate the driver seat sits up high and creates under seat foot room. The third-row seat is intend for kids. Adults would have to be contortionists get back there, let alone to ride.
Cargo space is respectable, with room for about a week’s worth groceries. Fold down the third- and/or second-row seats for an even larger area. Important to note this SUV is fairly narrow. For example the cargo bay is not wide enough to load 4 x 8 sheets of plywood. The lift gate does not have an opening glass window.
One really nice surprise was the rear-view camera. This one is different because it doesn't display its color images on the navigation system screen. Instead, its small screen is embedded in the rear-view mirror, a more intuitive location.
XL7 is available in four different trim levels: Base, Premium, Luxury and Limited. The base model is well equipped with air conditioning with a pollen filter and automatic climate control, cruise control, power mirrors, power windows, power locks, remote keyless entry, an AM/FM/CD player, trip computer, a compass, intermittent windshield wipers, a rear window defogger, a rear wiper washer, rear privacy glass, a theft deterrent system and roof rails. Upholstery is cloth.
The Premium and Luxury models are available in either five or seven passenger seating configuration, while the flagship XL7 Limited features standard seven-passenger capacity
Moving up to the Premium adds air conditioning and the previously mentioned load leveling suspension. The Luxury model gets leather upholstery, heated front seats, a six-way power driver seat, leather cladding on the steering wheel, a power sunroof and redundant radio controls on the steering wheel hub.
The top of the line Limited adds rear air conditioning with rear controls, a very nice Pioneer sound system with satellite radio, a DVD entertainment system or a navigation system with voice recognition, remote engine starting, fog lights, and an automatic day/night rearview mirror.
Suzuki backs the XL7 with a 100,000-miles, seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible power train limited warranty. You also get a free, full tank of gas.
With this potent V-6 under the hood the XL7 zooms from zero to 60 mph in about eight seconds. Regular fuel burns fine. Standard equipment is a five-speed automatic transmission with manumatic shifting . Towing capacity is a modest 3,500 pounds. Both Front Wheel Drive and electronically-controlled on-demand All-Wheel Drive is available. Except that the base model is only available le with FWD.
Rider comfort is very nice thanks to the fact that XL7 was not derived from a truck. Up front are fully-independent MacPherson struts with a multilink setup in the back. The suspension is tuned moderately firm. That and the relatively long wheelbase lends a smooth ride so the car feels like a big sedan. Self-leveling Nivomat shocks at the rear come standard with the seven-passenger models and help maintain stability when cornering. Nivomat’s self-leveling feature also automatically compensates for heavy loads.
Safety features include dual front airbags along with curtain side airbags for all rows of seats, and anti-lock brakes replete with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Electronic Stability Program with traction control, and side impact beams. XL7 boasts a five-star safety rating in front- and side-impact crash tests. There’s also a tire pressure monitor and daytime running lights.
Head and leg room are abundant. The steering wheel tilts but does not telescope. Power window switches are mounted on the console. I found it annoying at first, but after a couple of days got used to it. Second row headroom is adequate for a car of this class. When the driver slides her seat back, second row leg room diminishes. But to compensate the driver seat sits up high and creates under seat foot room. The third-row seat is intend for kids. Adults would have to be contortionists get back there, let alone to ride.
Cargo space is respectable, with room for about a week’s worth groceries. Fold down the third- and/or second-row seats for an even larger area. Important to note this SUV is fairly narrow. For example the cargo bay is not wide enough to load 4 x 8 sheets of plywood. The lift gate does not have an opening glass window.
One really nice surprise was the rear-view camera. This one is different because it doesn't display its color images on the navigation system screen. Instead, its small screen is embedded in the rear-view mirror, a more intuitive location.
XL7 is available in four different trim levels: Base, Premium, Luxury and Limited. The base model is well equipped with air conditioning with a pollen filter and automatic climate control, cruise control, power mirrors, power windows, power locks, remote keyless entry, an AM/FM/CD player, trip computer, a compass, intermittent windshield wipers, a rear window defogger, a rear wiper washer, rear privacy glass, a theft deterrent system and roof rails. Upholstery is cloth.
The Premium and Luxury models are available in either five or seven passenger seating configuration, while the flagship XL7 Limited features standard seven-passenger capacity
Moving up to the Premium adds air conditioning and the previously mentioned load leveling suspension. The Luxury model gets leather upholstery, heated front seats, a six-way power driver seat, leather cladding on the steering wheel, a power sunroof and redundant radio controls on the steering wheel hub.
The top of the line Limited adds rear air conditioning with rear controls, a very nice Pioneer sound system with satellite radio, a DVD entertainment system or a navigation system with voice recognition, remote engine starting, fog lights, and an automatic day/night rearview mirror.
Suzuki backs the XL7 with a 100,000-miles, seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible power train limited warranty. You also get a free, full tank of gas.
Wheelbase - 112.4 inches
Engine - 3.6 L V-6
Horsepower - 252 @6400 rpm
Transmission - 5-spd automatic
Mileage - 16/22 mpg
Fuel capacity - 18.6 gallons
Curb weight - 3886 pounds
Base price - $21,349
As tested - $27,299
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