Suzuki XL-7 wagon fits three rows of seats in stretched cab
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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NEW BRAUNFELS, Tex. -- Water-worn round stones litter a shallow bed of the Guadalupe River, which wiggles southward toward New Braunfels through the hills of Texas.
This rocky chute -- working as a ford across the river -- becomes our slippery playground to test the four-wheel grip of a five-door XL-7, latest sport-utility wagon from Suzuki of Japan.
Riding on a stretched platform borrowed from the Grand Vitara wagon, XL-7 has a healthy V6 engine stuffed below the hood and for off-road adventures conforms in a body design of high stance with front and rear overhangs angled acutely to make approaches and departures easy for scampering over the rough stuff.
For traction on slippery surfaces like the river ford, XL-7 also packs optionally a two-speed transfer case in the four-wheel-drive mechanism, with shift-on-the-fly convenience at highway speed.
But there's more to this sport-utility wagon than simply mechanical hardware: The wheelbase stretches about a foot longer than the Grand Vitara, which provides enough additional room inside the boxy cabin to arrange three rows of seats for as many as seven riders.
That makes XL-7 the first Suzuki capable of carrying all in the family, plus a load of luggage.
Further, the exterior design for XL-7 seems more refined than previous Suzuki iterations, while interior appointments escalate in tone and quality.
In effect, XL-7 amounts to a sophisticated new wagon in Suzuki's stable.
Although it debuted as a 2001 product, XL-7 gains strength in the 2002 editions.
Its engine -- a dual-cam 2.7-liter V6 -- boosts the muscle by 13 hp to achieve 183 hp at 6000 rpm and available torque of 180 lb-ft at 4000 rpm.
It feels downright snappy now when accelerating, and still holds power in reserve when moving at highway speeds.
Transmissions connecting to this engine include a five-speed manual or optional four-speed electronic automatic.
Trim designations begin with a base model labeled Standard, offered with either transmission for rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel drive formats.
XL-7 Standard stocks preferred equipment like air conditioning, remote locking and keyless entry, power windows and door locks, power mirrors, cruise control, a tilting steering wheel and retractable cover over the cargo, plus an AM/FM stereo with in-dash CD deck.
Applying more equipment leads to the up-level Plus and deluxe Touring editions. XL-7 Plus adds rear air conditioning and 16-inch wheels and tires, while Touring installs a power sunroof, foglamps and rear spoiler.
Then a new top trim -- XL-7 Limited -- uses the automatic transmission exclusively.
It also has leather seat upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and transmission lever, woodgrain design for the center console, step-side running boards and, for the 4WD version, heated front seats.
Structural assets of XL-7 begin with a sturdy steel frame with boxed rails extending the length of the vehicle and bracing by ladder-type cross members designed to resist twisting in order to stabilize the platform when navigating through uneven off-road terrain.
Then mount some malleable suspension elements: Front MacPherson-type struts with coil springs and stabilizer bar, a rigid rear axle of five-link design, and large wheels with all-season radial tires.
The platform ends up with a vertical ground clearance of 7.5 inches when equipped with the four-wheel-drive system, which enables XL-7 to avoid obstacles like rocks, stumps and bumps while running on dirt.
Brief front and rear body overhangs also help with off-pavement work -- the front approach angle totals to 28 degrees and the rear departure angle comes to 23 degrees.
Suzuki's two-speed transfer case splits engine torque and applies it to front and rear axles to prevent slippage. It can run in two-wheel-drive mode on pavement, but has both high and low gears for four-wheel-drive, with the latter reserved for serious off-road trekking.
A pneumatic actuator engages the front differential and front axle when shifting from two-wheel to four-wheel mode, and it works while rolling at speed.
The XL-7 has a power-assisted steering system improved with rack and pinion design, with power also supplied to brakes for front discs and rear drums. Anti-lock controls show up on the scant list of options.
For safety, the wagon totes dual air bags to shield front seat riders from frontal crashes.
A steel frame forms a protective safety cage that wraps around the passenger compartment, with front and rear crumple zones built into the chassis, along with reinforced beams in doors.
Additional safety systems include an energy-absorbing steering column, height-adjustable shoulder belts, child seat tether anchors plus latching system and rear-door child safety locks.
All systems apparently work together well to protect riders because the structure of XL-7 recently earned the highest rating possible following crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Test vehicles were rated as either "good," "acceptable," "marginal" or "poor" following a 40-mph offset frontal impact test. The XL-7, along with five luxury wagons listing for as much as $30,000 more than the Suzuki, received an overall "good" rating.
The XL-7 cabin contains up to three rows of seats.
Base Standard issues have two rows, with two bucket seats in the front row and a folding bench in the second row that holds up to three people.
A third-row folding bench for two may be added optionally to other models, but becomes standard equipment with XL-7 Limited.
At the rear, the cargo area contains about six cubic feet of space with all seats in place. Fold down the third seatback and cargo room rises to 37 cubic feet, or to 73 cubic feet with both rows folded.
The chart of prices for XL-7 looks good, starting at $19,599 for the Standard 2WD with a manual transmission and rising to $25,999 for a Limited 4WD automatic. A delivery fee of $520 applies to all editions.
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| 2002 SUZUKI XL-7 VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Mid-size sport-utility
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size sport-utility
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| Wheelbase: |
110.2 inches
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| Overall Length: |
183.7 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.7-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4
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| Drive: |
2WD (rear), 4WD
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| Braking: |
Power disc/drum,
opt. ABS
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| Airbags: |
2 (front)
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| Gas Mileage: |
2WD M/5: 18/20 mpg
2WD A/4: 17/20 mpg
4WD M/5: 17/20 mpg
4WD A/4: 17/20 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
$ 20,000 to $ 26,000 |
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