Vehicle Overview Though it shares the name, the 2007 XL7 is a whole new vehicle and philosophy than the XL-7 produced up to 2006. Once a rear-wheel-drive truck-based SUV, it’s now a car-based crossover sport utility vehicle with front or all-wheel drive and up to seven seats. The unibody platform is from General Motors, part owner of Suzuki.
There are two trim levels, Premium and Luxury, both of which come with front- or all-wheel drive.
Exterior The XL7 is based on the Concept-X2 concept car from the 2005 New York auto show (which itself was based on the Concept-X from that year’s Detroit show), with simpler, more conventional side mirrors, cleaner bodysides and a standard roof rack. Compared to the previous-style XL-7, the 2007 is 9.3 inches longer, 2.1 inches wider and 0.9 inches taller and it has 2.2 inches more wheelbase. Chrome twin tailpipes are standard. The Premium trim level’s wheels measure 16 inches, and the Luxury’s are 17 inches. Both are aluminum alloys.
Interior The XL7 can be equipped with five seats in two rows or seven seats in three rows. Leather upholstery is optional. The interior quality is a step up from the previous-generation XL-7, with more luxurious materials overall and chrome, faux wood and satin nickel trim.
Options include a moonroof, a navigation system and a DVD video system. Unfortunately, buyers can pick only the nav or the video system; they can’t have both.
Under the Hood The XL7’s engine is a 252-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 designed by GM and built by Suzuki. It teams with a five-speed automatic transmission with a clutchless manual mode. Though the new model and its engine are larger than the previous generation, the lighter construction results in as good or better gas mileage. Suzuki predicts 18/24 mpg (city/highway) with front-wheel drive and 17/23 mpg for all-wheel drive. The towing capacity is rated at 3,500 pounds, which is 500 pounds more than the previous generation’s.
Safety The XL7 comes with side curtain-type airbags, but there’s no mention of separate torso airbags for front occupants. Four-wheel antilock brakes and an electronic stability system are standard, as is a tire pressure monitoring system.
