New Car Reviews : suzuki

2008 Suzuki XL7 Review | New XL7 Reviews | Suzuki Crossover Review

Jeffrey Ross — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:25:00 GMT

The XL7 is Suzuki’s seven-passenger flagship crossover featuring unique, stylish looks, a powerful engine and great value for the money. For anyone looking to get behind the wheel of the growing number of crossover SUVs, the 2008 Suzuki XL7 is a must see. Keep reading below for a full review on the 2008 Suzuki XL7.

More power, more room, better warranty and less price.

In describing the 2008 Suzuki XL7, all of the above can be used when comparing it against the slew of available midsize crossover SUVs on the market.

Since its redesign for 2007, the XL7 not only stands as the flagship vehicle in Suzuki’s lineup, but it’s also one of the safest and least expensive crossovers from which to choose. Built in collaboration with General Motors alongside the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent, the 2008 Suzuki XL7 boasts unique looks, a roomy interior and one of the best warranties in the business.

Besides the Infiniti FX, the XL7 probably has the most unique exterior styling of any other crossover. From the front, the XL7’s large headlights jut deep into the front fascia, while the black insert helps to break up what would be a wide expanse of monochromatic plastic. Out back, the same treatment is used only reversed with a large black bumper and a silver-colored lower scuff plate. In profile, the XL7’s thick roofline and flared wheel opening give it a truck-like appearance, but the long hood and front overhang seem to draw attention away from these in an oddness only rhinoplasty could resolve. Overall, its proportions and design help make the XL7 look and feel bigger than it actually is.

Inside, is where the XL7’s size is even more deceiving. Occupants are treated to plush, comfortable seats courtesy of the XL7’s top-of-the-line Limited Package that includes from soft leather seating surfaces, power sunroof and a touch screen navigation system.

From the driver’s seat all the controls and buttons are easily reached, although the parking brake lever is awkwardly placed in a deep crevice between the driver’s seat and the center console. The instrument cluster features four chrome-ringed gauges – two large gauges for the speedometer and tachometer and two smaller gauges for engine temperature and fuel level – and a small digital display. The center stack stands out from the rest of the instrument panel on a large swathe of black plastic housing all of the vehicle controls, including power window switches, except for the steering-wheel mounted cruise control and redundant stereo controls.

Riding on the same wheelbase as its GM cousins, the XL7 uses an extra nine inches of overall length and a more upright D-pillar to accommodate the third row seats. Front and second-row seats are almost identical to the Equinox and Torrent, but the rear seat is where the extra length is evident. Surprisingly, the XL7 boasts five inches more third-row legroom than the full-size Chevrolet Tahoe, while still packing up to 14 cubic feet of cargo behind the seat.

Despite the extra length, the Suzuki XL7 is less than 200 pounds heavier than the Equinox and Torrent. This equates to handling and performance expected out of a compact crossover with interior space closer to a full size. The unibody construction of this second-generation XL7 delivers a smooth and comfortable ride.

Under the long hood sits a slightly detuned version of the engine found in the souped-up Equinox Sport and Torrent GXP. The 3.6-liter 24-valve DOHC V-6 with variable valve timing (VVT) is the only engine available in the XL7 and provides 252 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque (almost 70 horsepower and 30 lb-ft of torque over the base Equinox or Torrent). With a five-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels, the XL7 gets an EPA estimated 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. The XL7 won’t win any drag races or fuel mileage competitions, but it offers more than enough power to merge into busy traffic or load up and head out of town.

When it comes to hauling, the XL7 is up to the task. With the second and third row seats folded flat and out of the way, up to 95.2 cubic feet of cargo space is available. If trailering is required, the XL7 Limited has a 3,500-pound towing capacity and the standard Nivomat® self-leveling rear suspension to help keep everything under control. For added assistance when hooking up to trailers, this XL7 came with the optional Rear Vision Camera. The camera’s display is cleverly integrated into the rearview mirror, but the fish-eyed view is not very helpful when backing the XL7 into a parking space. Instead, the camera acts more to prevent accidentally backing up into something and maybe making towing a bit easier.

The XL7 Limited could easily dip into the $30,000 range (especially with all-wheel drive), but our reasonably equipped XL7 Limited FWD left us more impressed than some comparable crossovers costing thousands of dollars more. The base MSRP of our test vehicle was $27,299, and with the optional Rear Vision Camera ($649), the as-tested price increased $27,948. Suzuki’s seven-year/100,000-mile fully transferable, zero-deductible warranty makes this deal even sweeter.

2008 Suzuki XL7 Pictures and Wallpapers

Review written by: Jeffrey N. Ross
All photos copyright Jeffrey N. Ross/Autotropolis.com © 2008

2008 Suzuki SX4 Crossover Review | New SX4 Reviews | Suzuki Hatchback Review

Jeffrey Ross — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:24:00 GMT

The 2008 Suzuki SX4 Crossover blends the safety and security of an all-wheel drive system to a stylish European hatchback design and an even more attractive $14,770 starting price, which stands alone as the smallest, most inexpensive all-wheel drive vehicles on the market. Keep reading below for a full review on the SX4 Crossover.

It’s hard to admit, but sometimes living in Florida loses its appeal. Although it’s hard to complain about 70 degree winters and sunny summers, there are parts of the country that actually get a winter and have to deal with driving in snow and ice.

Convertibles and sports coupes may be the perfect vehicle for beautiful, sunny days, but there is a breed of car that performs at its best when Mother Nature is at her worst. When the convertibles and sports cars would be parked, all-wheel drive cars shine when the sun doesn’t. The majority of all-wheel drive cars on the market exist as high-end performance cars, such as the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Porsche 911 Carrera 4, with price tags to match their performance capabilities.

Suzuki set out to prove that having all-wheel drive is not a luxury. In doing so, Suzuki created a small, efficient and versatile vehicle with a driver-controlled all-wheel drive system and topped it off with a unique European design. Now in its second year, the 2008 Suzuki SX4 Crossover remains the smallest and most inexpensive all-wheel drive vehicle on the market. As a matter of fact, the only vehicle cheaper with four-wheel drive and the ability to seat more than two passengers is the Kawasaki Mule – an ATV!

With a base MSRP of just $14,770, the SX4 competes with the likes of the Chevrolet Aveo5, Nissan Versa and Honda Fit. In this segment, the SX4’s all-wheel drive proves to be just as much as a curse as it is a blessing. The weight from the driveline components gives the Suzuki inferior performance and fuel economy. The combination of less than stellar fuel economy mixed with a relatively small 11-gallon fuel tank, the SX4 seemed to want to stop at almost every gas station.

Power is derived from a 143-horsepower, 2.0-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder engine. Like many higher-end cars, Suzuki’s SmartPass system allows the car to be unlocked and have the ignition started with the key fob in the driver’s pocket or purse. A five-speed manual transmission comes standard with an optional four-speed automatic available for all trim levels.

A rocker switch next to the central-mounted parking brake lever allows the driver to choose between the three all-wheel drive modes: 2WD, AUTO and LOCK. In "2WD" mode, the SX4 acts the same as a front-wheel drive sending all of the torque to the front wheels. In slippery conditions, the driver can set the three-mode Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive system (i-AWD™) into "LOCK" mode, which sends between 30 to 50 percent of the engine's torque to the rear wheels at speeds under 36 mph. The middle setting is the "AUTO" mode that automatically sends up to 50 percent of its engine torque to the rear wheels when front wheel slippage is detected for an ideal 50/50 torque split.

The SX4 was developed in conjunction with Fiat (who markets the car as the Fiat Sedici in European countries), while the surprisingly stunning looks were designed by the same company responsible for the beautiful 2007 Giugiaro Mustang concept car. With looks that are somewhere between a Subaru and Scion xD, the SX4 definitely stands out in the crowd of compact hatchbacks. The Touring package adds fog lights and a rear decklid spoiler above the rear window.

Inside, the SX4 shows its size and price. The front passenger seats are comfortable, but there is minimal space between the driver and passenger and the lack of a center armrest can be a little uncomfortable while driving. Rear passengers aren’t as lucky with cramped legroom and limited hiproom. From the driver’s seat, the three large instrument gauges are easily visible through the steering wheel, and the center stack instrumentation is simple and uncluttered. The optional Touring package adds a nine-speaker stereo with an integrated six-disc CD/MP3 player.

As is the case with most uniquely shaped vehicles, cargo space is noticeably limited by the sloped liftgate and short rear overhang. Behind the rear seat, the SX4 is limited to just 16 cubic feet of storage space, which is among the smallest of its main competitors. Ironically, with the 50/50 split rear seats folded out of the way, the SX4 offers best-in-class storage capacity at 64 cubic feet.

New for 2008, Suzuki adds a cheaper, more fuel-efficient and more conventionally designed sedan version of the SX4 Crossover, called the SX4 Sport.