2008 Suzuki XL7

2008 Suzuki XL7 – Click above for high-res image gallery Suzuki's swapped the ladder frame architecture of the past to create a more civilized XL7, a welcome change from the Vitara roots of the original. The XL7's unitized Theta II platform, on loan from General Motors, also serves as the basis for the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent. Suzuki also borrows the General's 3.6 liter V6, trying its very best in this application. The XL in the name is an apt descriptor, this is a lot of vehicle, and the price makes it a lot of value. So, what had to be sacrificed to bring such family friendly acreage in for the $22,000 of our trial unit? %Gallery-22807% Photos Copyright ©2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc. Suzuki's styling people have done well differentiating the XL7 from the other vehicles on same architecture, and added length in the XL7 makes the available third row more palatable. For passengers in the rearward dungeon to be the most comfortable, though, the XL needs a bit more width. Leave the seat at the dealer and there's a swell amount of cargo space instead. The two-box paradigm limits the design leeway, but this big slab has its own identity, and even carries a bit of visual interest. Out front, gestural headlamp clusters frame the wide slatted chrome grille, the largest piece of the minimal brightwork on the XL. Wheelarches flare boldly high above the wheels and add some muscle. At the rear, the liftgate bows out without looking bulbous, and the raked three-quarter windows distract from a D-pillar that's more squared off than suggested at first glance. No matter where the underpinnings are from, the XL7 makes good use of them. The structure is solid, and while you're aware of the size of the vehicle, the ride and reflexes suggest muscle, versus a winded fatty. Bumps and thumps that would send a body on frame vehicle into a fit of jiggles are swallowed with little more than a tire thwack. Judicious ride tuning smothers the road into submission without porpoising motions, though a tick or two more plushness in the ride wouldn't be unwelcome. There's no mistaking this vehicle for a sports car, but handling is competent without excessive roll, dive, or squat, and it clings well to the tarmac. With such a stretch between the axles, some maneuvers might require a harbor pilot, but at least there's stability control and a full complement of airbags to keep you on course and safe. From behind the wheel the impression is weighty, but the XL7 isn't the road crusher you might think. Weighing between 3,800 and 4,100 pounds is certainly substantial, but not very porcine when considering the space the XL7 offers. Acceleration is plenty quick, Consumer Reports managed to sprint one through the quarter mile in 16 seconds flat, and they found 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. Corvettes were once slower than the XL7, though it doesn't leave the impression of a scorching drag …
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