On that latter point, you can actually toss the XL-7 a bit, though no amount of tinkering with the MacPherson struts up front and a 5-link live-axle setup in the back is going to get you past all the issues related to a high-ish centre of gravity.
More people will care that the XL-7 delivers a steady and comfortable ride on the highway, at speeds well above any maximum allowed in Canada. As well as being composed and easy to drive at high speeds (even on an extremely windy bit of desert north of Sin City), the XL-7 was actually quieter than an Acura MDX I'd recently been in.
In any situation I encountered, the 2.7-litre V6 was pleasantly capable of hauling the 1680-kg vehicle around, with easy access to the horsepower (170 at 5500 rpm) and torque (178 pound-feet at 4000 rpm) at all times.
Some people will be impressed by the general idea of the XL-7 but still have a big question mark in the back of their minds. Suzuki is known to be a purveyor of inexpensive vehicles, after all, and they aren't spoken of in the same voice as Lexus when the discussion concerns quality.
Those people need to think about leasing, which allows you to walk away from the vehicle at exactly the same time as the warranty runs out, so if the quality doesn't hold up you're not obligated to keep it. If it does hold up, you can buy it out or re-lease.
My time in the XL-7 was restricted to about four hours, but on every kilometre of road (including several of which were rough and unpaved) it gave me a strong sense that it was designed and assembled to be tight and stay tight.
Suzuki's done a solid job of designing an SUV to fit a large market demand and early impressions suggest the execution of that concept is just as good.
If you're a family with a few young kids and you want a capable and high-value SUV, you absolutely have to check out the Suzuki XL-7.
More people will care that the XL-7 delivers a steady and comfortable ride on the highway, at speeds well above any maximum allowed in Canada. As well as being composed and easy to drive at high speeds (even on an extremely windy bit of desert north of Sin City), the XL-7 was actually quieter than an Acura MDX I'd recently been in.
In any situation I encountered, the 2.7-litre V6 was pleasantly capable of hauling the 1680-kg vehicle around, with easy access to the horsepower (170 at 5500 rpm) and torque (178 pound-feet at 4000 rpm) at all times.
Some people will be impressed by the general idea of the XL-7 but still have a big question mark in the back of their minds. Suzuki is known to be a purveyor of inexpensive vehicles, after all, and they aren't spoken of in the same voice as Lexus when the discussion concerns quality.
Those people need to think about leasing, which allows you to walk away from the vehicle at exactly the same time as the warranty runs out, so if the quality doesn't hold up you're not obligated to keep it. If it does hold up, you can buy it out or re-lease.
My time in the XL-7 was restricted to about four hours, but on every kilometre of road (including several of which were rough and unpaved) it gave me a strong sense that it was designed and assembled to be tight and stay tight.
Suzuki's done a solid job of designing an SUV to fit a large market demand and early impressions suggest the execution of that concept is just as good.
If you're a family with a few young kids and you want a capable and high-value SUV, you absolutely have to check out the Suzuki XL-7.
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