Suzuki XL-7

danix · August 2002

I don't own one, but recommended it to my sister in law and she bought one. She has the 5sp Touring, so it's got decent power. I suspect the automatic is more hampered.
My list is pretty short.
Pros:
- 3 rows
- inexpensive (compare to Pilot at over $10k more)
- 4x4
- should be reliable
- well equipped for the money
- good crash test ratings

cons:
- AWD is only part time (though this improves mpg)
- can't access 3rd row if you have 2 car seats in the middle row
- build quality is not up to Audi/VW/Volvo (compare size of door hinges)
- brand image/lack of reputation

5greyhounds · August 2002

let me think about it and post later.

5greyhounds · September 2002

I read in The Car Connection where the production line where theXL-7 is produced is going to be changed to another kind of truck (crossover). I have also heard with the increased interest in crossover type vehicles the XL-7 will also go the way of the real SUV and become like the Escape and others. Anyone heard anything?

mopar67 · September 2002

but the Vitara/tracker twins are due to be replaced by the Equinox, a Saturn platform unibody based SUV.

My hope is that Zuki will continue to import vitara from japan, frame and all!

Again, no word on the XL 7.

5greyhounds · September 2002

Shows you what I know, or do not know. I knew about the change in production but I thought the XL-7 was produced on the same line as the GV. Since it is made in Japan it may not change but I still have heard rumors about a change.

mopar67 · September 2002

TO clarify
Cami is a 50-50 joint venture 'tween Gm and Suzuki
Who does what I am not too sure. I would guess that GM provides the $$$ and Zuki provides the technical know-how on building the vehicles. Plus the parts are mostly imported from Japan, including the entire drive train. Minor trim and bits and pieces come from canadian suppliers
Current production from CAMI includes the Vitara 2 and 4 door and the Tracker 2 and 4 door.

The Grand Vitara comes to us courtesy the Iwata assembly plant (not far from Hammamatsu, Zuki WHQ)
as does the XL7.
I have not been able to discover what if any plans exist for those two vehicles since they are sourced from Japan proper and not part of any joint venture. I am keenly interested in this since I purchased my Vitara due to body-on-frame construction. Matter of fact, I wrote to American Suzuki on this issue, asking them to continue to provide us with a frame based SUV as well as manual shift 4WD (NOT an electronic doo dad like most other trucks and suvs)
Your XL7 is in essence, my Vitara with a longer frame, lots more room, bigger second doors, and a nice running v-6 engine. I could have pulled in an XL7 but was not able to find one with a five speed. All they had were autos on the lot on the XL7.
Given that, I would be very interested in trading the Vitara for an XL7 in a couple of years of course assuming body-on-frame, real 4WD, and sturdy construction are still hallmarks of this SUV.

flyingn · September 2002

We have a 2002 XL7 Limited and heres my opinion so far..
Pros-
*not too big to maneouver
*not too small to carry people/stuff
*sweet 2.7 4 cam engine with timing chain NOT belt.
* engine is DEAD quiet.
* trans's shifts are almost inperceivable
* built quality is up to normal Japanese standards (high)
* 3rd seat
* looks beautiful
* great standard warranty
* GREAT value for the $$

Cons-
* the truck is too narrow. Could be a little wider
* gas mileage is only okay. (what do I expect from a 4000 lb 4 wd vehicle?)
drivers seat needs 8 way power option
* seats need to fold flatter
* seats need an easier way to fold flat

Frank

danix · September 2002

I spent Saturday driving my sister in law's 2002 XL-7 Touring 5 speed. Some further comments:
- ride is way too cushy/bouncy for my taste. A set of Bilsteins might help.
- lack of steering feel. Better tires might help?
- Drivers seat is extremely narrow. This is not a vehicle for large people. Overall vehicle width is also narrow.
- You cannot access the rear row with 2 child seats in the middle row. This is a drawback shared by the Pilot which costs 10k more however.
- Engine seems to lack low end power. It has only 7000 miles so perhaps it's breaking in, but a supercharger would be a nice add on.

Bottom line - if you want a 3 row SUV for around 20k, there is no better choice. As a driving enthusiast, I would need to make a lot of changes to enjoy driving this as much as my 12 year old Audi.

paride · September 2002

At what tire pressure is your sister-in-law operating her XL-7? Suzuki recommends 26psi in the front tires, but if you look back a ways on this board, many posters have written that 26psi results in a lack of "steering feel" and a soft ride. Many XL-7 owners I've talked to ignore Suzuki's recommendation and operate their vehicles with the front tire pressure increased, usually between 32psi and 36 psi. Interestingly, my XL-7 was dealer prepped with all four tires set to 36psi. I've kept this setting through 9500 miles and have no complaints about the steering or ride. Also, I have not seen any unusual tire wear (Note that I rotated the tires at 7000 miles).

flyingn · September 2002

My XL7 was prepped with 43 lbs of air in all 4. I like a hard ride so thats where its staying. Steering feel is VERY good at these pressures too

Frank

danix · September 2002

One of my main complaints with the handling was the bump steer. Coming around a turn, you hit a small bump, and the vehicle changes direction, more or less depending on speed and the size of the bump.

My brother in law and I agreed that with a stiffer suspension and a supercharger, this would be a killer vehicle - for us. Stock, it's fine for the wives

All kidding aside, I'm still considering one.

mopar67 · September 2002

These are solid if underated vehicles. They are a true SUV with a genuine frame underneath. They have solid if a bit underpowerd drivetrains. The design is proven.
Go get one.

paride · September 2002

My XL-7 has been excellent so far. This is a solid vehicle and an excellent value. I only have minor complaints (oil filter location and the size of the front arm rests). The XL-7 is now becoming very popular in my area. I've been seeing many of them around the neighborhood.

flyingn · September 2002

danix. that is not bump steer. That is a live axle and a hard suspension .. Thats where the rear tires will lose contact for a split second and the car will move sideways a tiny bit. Bump steer is when the FRONT suspension is compressed or extended and the suspension geometry causes the tie rod ends to move the wheels closer or furthur causing the wheels to slightly change steering angles..

Frank

jman950 · September 2002

The Car Connection featured some updatates for the 2003 XL-7.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=5322

XL-7

Suzuki's largest sport-ute carries as many as seven passengers on

three rows of seats in a cabin that stretches about a foot longer

than the Grand Vitara. Trim designations for 2003 include the base XL-

7, a well-equipped version for five riders and available in 2WD and

4WD formats. A second XL-7 model, dubbed "3rd Row Option", increases

cabin capacity to seven with the third bench installed. A Limited

model comes with either two or three rows, while an ultimate Limited

model marked "Loaded" adds rear air conditioning and running boards.

Power for all models comes from a 2.7-liter V-6 that generates 183

hp. Inside, there's a new dashboard faced with wood-grain finish and

chrome accents. Air conditioning and a keyless remote entry system

are standard items, along with a new seven-speaker sound package and

in-dash CD player.

5greyhounds · September 2002

Interesting on some of the changes. It appears the rear air is an option. It also appears you can get a limited w/o the rear AC and third row. All those were standard till this year and that is why I got the XL-7. It was (is) a great value for the money. I will be interested in what the new dash looks like. I purchased the "aluminium" look aftermarket dash kit for mine and I have to say it looks like original equipment. Fits right in.

louxl7 · September 2002

34000 on my 2001 has been a good vehicle till now. In the dealers now for a front diff. problem doing an oil change on the diffs, transfer case and transmission this week noticed an oil leak around the right side axle where it enters the diff. Found about 1/4" slop in axle hub to diff. up and down. Concerned Suzuki mechanic trying to say its normal. They are replacing the seal and axle hub on the diff. and the shifter to case seal on the transfer case. Any one else having diff. problems with there's. AND does any one have an diagram or picyure of how this diff. is built.
Thanks
marchlou@netheaven.com

flyingn · September 2002

I think that there is a TSB on the front axle on the Vitara. Im not sure if it included the XL7 tho..

Frank

5greyhounds · October 2002

Was at Dewey Beach with my Greyhounds this past weekend and gave my XL-7 a good workout. Did really well and had several people say how nice it looked. At 13,500 still trouble and rattle free.

paride · October 2002

Glad to here that. My XL-7 just turned 10K miles and is also trouble and rattle free.

mopar67 · October 2002

Gotta hand it to em, zuki does indeed build a tough SUV

patkool68 · October 2002

so does anyone know of any dealers who have 'em yet ?????
patkool

flyingn · October 2002

My local Suzuki dealer says next month. In fact yesterday they were still gettin in NEW 2002's.. I was watching em unload off the delivery truck.
Frank

rando2 · October 2002

Has anyone tried putting 235 65 16 tires on the XL-7???????

tronsr1 · October 2002

I suggest you go to TireRack.com, get their 800 number and call them.You are talking a speedometer change and possible tire rubbing at the wheel wells.{I think}...

loyalone · November 2002

I am looking into purchasing one of these vehicles. I am hoping someon here has driven both of them and can provide some good comparisons between the two.

flyingn · November 2002

It really depends on what you are looking for. The XL7 offers 7 passinger seating the Kia don't. The XL7 is a proven design. Suzuki has been making em for years. The Kia is a brand new design. Japanese vs. Korean.. no comment. no brainer here:)
The Kia is nice, no doubt. But the XL7 is nicer:) Espicially the 2003's. redesign of the dash and it looks really nice.
Drive both and you will see..

Frank

paisan · November 2002

Has both low-range and dry-pavement 4wd which is a Plus in my book. Also it's been out for a year at least overseas.

-mike

suvan · November 2002

I have liked the XL-7 since its introduction until recently read about Suzuki review on http://www.thecarplace.com concerning its gas tank being located too close to the rear bumper and right under the 3rd row seat (optional 2003), potentially high risk in a rearend collision...

Can anyone tell me if this is a valid concern?

I have confirmed the gas tank location from Suzuki website, but have not heard any complaint on this. I'm looking forward to seeing the 2003 XL-7 with redesigned interior next month but the gas tank issue has been putting me off.

Thanks for sharing any info.

mopar67 · November 2002

COuld be sensationalism on the part of someone.
Like the chevy pickups from 1973-87 that dateline expose' but no one mentioned how chevy built millions of these trucks and didn't seem to have much of an issue until Dateline popped up.

I'd rest easy if I were you....no vehicle company is going to risk millions on lawsuits and PR damage by building an unsafe vehicle.

suvan · November 2002

Thanks mopar67 for sharing the Dateline story,

I agree that Suzuki makes good and safe vehicles.

They claimed the gas tank under the rearbumper is protected by metal shield, although the safest place to put the gas tank is in the middle between front and rear axles away from crush zones. Currently gas tank location is not a requirement in the federal safety tests.

On quick research, I'm surprised to find an ongoing lawsuit against Ford's unprotected gas tank safety, have you heard this from

http://www.CrownVictoriaSafetyAlert.com

That's the problem of being a big company where image and lawsuit is costly...

flyingn · November 2002

do the research and see how many cars have the gas tanks placed in this place over the years. Too many to mention. I would not be too concerned over this point..

Frank

mopar67 · November 2002

No matter where the gas tank is.
Federal standards specify different crash scenarios and how much, if any, fuel can leak during a collision.
As before, I cannot imagine Suzuki, who is trying to capture market share, would construct a potentially unsafe vehicle.
More the point, Suzuki, being a Japanese company not dominated by shareholder interests, will more than likely not cave into a beancounter's cost cutting fetish.

Ford, in the 1970's saved approximately $4.00 on the fuel filler neck design for the Pinto. The problem was, in a collison, the fuel filler pipe would be ripped out and the gas would spill out thus making a fire pretty likely. Ford's beancounters weighed the cost of modifying the fuel filler neck to the potential lawsuits from deaths involved in collisions and decided it would be lest costly to fight a lawsuit than to modify the fuel filler tube.
To modify the tube, as I said, would be about $4.00 per vehicle. Multiply that over say 250,000 per year and you get a million dollars. Multiply that over the Pintos 10 year production run, now you are at 10,000,000 dollars!! That is money that Ford would have paid out. Now, take the opposite tack and DON't spend the money. Assume you will face a lawsuit. What would the chances be that Ford would have had to pay out millions in a lawsuit? Well the beancounters gambled......and lost.......Ford ended up paying millions in lawsuits and lost a lot of credibility in the eyes of the consumer.

This is why beancounters should not be involved in product design. They simply look at numbers, no more, no less. End of story. They are not trained to consider the remifications of their decisions and on occassion, the "people" factor is not considered either. That is how Bob Mcnamara tried to fight the Vietnam war; like you would run a company's balance sheet. Throw in micromangement to the highest order and well, you have a mess. But I digress.

Beancounters have a role for sure. Their role is the back room counting the money and presenting the CEO with the P&L sheet each quarter. But to place one of these people in the product planning or development areas of vehicle design is inviting disaster or at the least, a cheap, poorly made vehicle.

paisan · November 2002

Don't forget there are frame rails that protect the tank as well. On uni-body vehicles there are no frame rails to protect the tank which is a reason they put it in-board.

-mike

fresca1 · November 2002

Hi,

Have been comparing the usual small to mid-size SUVs (Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorrento, Saturn Vue, etc.) then saw the Suzuki X-L and LOVED it's looks and space (as well as that almost usable 3rd row seat option). But, I can't find much safety data, although my research shows the basic model has been out for a couple of years already. Only the one test in which it did well... Are there any roll-over ratings or history that anyone knows of (positive or negative)?

Thank you!

flyingn · November 2002

All the info that I can find is on the Vitara. No roll over testing was done on the XL7. Tho you can ASSume that the rating for the Vitara and the XL7 are similar. The vitara gor 3 out of 5 stars. Not too much of a threat of a roll over.
BTW- according to the crash tests the XL7 did EXCELLANT.
Frank

stever · November 2002

Please just link to copyrighted articles. Short excerpts are ok and won't upset the copyright lawyers. Thanks!

Steve, Host

5greyhounds · November 2002

getting ready for the 15k service. Still no trouble with a thing. I just keeps going. Maybe it should be call a TIMEX.

paride · December 2002

While driving last night, both the "BRAKE" and "ABS" lights on the dashboard simultaneously illuminated and remained on. The brakes continued to work and the fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir was good. According to the manual, both lights on simultaneously could indicate a problem with the ABS proportioning valve associated with the rear brakes. My vehicle is a 2002 with 11,800 miles on it. The dealer will be taking a look at it tomorrow.

paride · December 2002

I took my XL-7 to the dealer for the problem described in the previous post. I was within a mile from the dealership when I stepped on the brakes to stop at a traffic light. At that time, both the "ABS" and "BRAKE" dashboard lights turned off. I took it to the dealer anyway, but they could not find a problem. The entire time those two lights were illuminated, I did not notice any difference in braking capability. For now, I'll write it off as a fluke, but if it happens again, I'll be back at the dealer.

bunoy · December 2002

Hello everyone. I have owned my XL7 for about 9k miles now. No problems so far. I would like to know if everyone here gets the recommended servicing done;ie the 6 months service, the 12 months service etc. Is the scheduled service really, really necessary or would my money be better saved? I was quoted about $110 for the 6 mths and $250 for the 12 mths. I did not get the 6 mths service btw.

PS: Was great in snow today. The 4wd works GREAT !! Just worried about not being able to stop:))

mopar67 · December 2002

welcome to the Suzuki club!
You will find that these hamsters are tough, well made, and dependable. I have 8K on my Vitara no problems save for an alternator that went south.

As far as the service interval, check your manual rather then go by the dealer recommendation.
The dealer will recommend stuff that is designed to MAKE money for them not necessarily for you.

Paride..keep us all posted on your mystery brake light. My guess is that a sensor is going whacko on you but prudence dictates you stay on top of this and make every effort to keep the dealership advised.

devans999 · December 2002

Just picked up our 2002 xl-7 today, with about 18k miles. The tires, like most here it seems like, were already showing a lot of wear. I was looking at getting new ones, and wanted to try and get something larger, to give a little more ground clearance and better appearance. Has anyone gone with a larger tire like a 235/70-16?
Just eyeballing it, it looks like there would be enough room, but wondered if somebody had already tried it. Thanks
dave

5greyhounds · December 2002

I am getting ready for the 15k service and was wondering if anyone has had it done yet and if so what was the cost?

stever · December 2002

The Edmunds Maintenance Guide will suggest what we think it should cost.

Steve, Host

kimied · January 2003

Hello all, we are new to the boards. Just purchased the XL-7, 02 Limited Model on the 30th. My husband and I LOVE it, except......for the whistle!!! When it reaches anywhere between 60 and 70 mph, there is this annoying whistle that seems to come from the middle of the dash board. It doesn't happen all the time, but maybe the wind needs to be just right??? We have only had this XL-7 for 3 days so I am wondering if it just needs to be "broken in"? I can't stand the sound though!

Any thoughts? Should we contact the dealer? Thanks for all your good postings, we really love what we've gotten and do feel like it is a really well kept secret.

Kimie and John

PS What is a reverse sensor system???

fiddlerlady · January 2003

Specific problem: I just purchased the 2000 GV. There's a squeaky-rattle in the dash area near the driver's side. Does anyone have infomation about this matter, specifically, how to resolve it?

Specific thanks: Before summer arrives I will have the A/C system checked. Thanks for the advance warnings; it's always nice to know about problems in advance.

Useful site: TireRack.com. I'm a very satisfied customer!

e-mail to Fiddler Lady

tidester · January 2003

Welcome aboard, Kimied!

My husband and I LOVE it, except......for the whistle!!!

I understand that with the right combination of terrain and modulation of speed you can get the whistle to play a reasonable rendition of the 1812 Overture - quite fascinating! If you can get your GV to backfire it's really dramatic! ;-)

tidester, host

flyingn · January 2003

welcome Kimmy. We too have a 02 Limited. What color is yours? Ours is pearl white.
Anyway.. is the ac or outside vents and fan on?? I have been in many XL7's and have never heard such a whistle. Id take it back to the dealer and show them. This is a warranty problem.
Let us know what happens?
BTW- where are you from? Where did u get it?

Frank & Terry

kimied · January 2003

Hi Frank and Terry,
No, the AC is not on. The outside vents are open and I think the fan was on the lowest setting. Oh, it is soooo annoying! It has dramatically declined in duration (thank goodness!), but still happens. I guess we'll have to take it in. Dang! We are from Portland, OR and we got in in SE Portland. It is Black (we would have rather gotten the silver or the white--but they were out of those colors). The Burgandy looked too brown for us, the green too light and my husband did not like the dark blue at all. So we got the all purpose black, which is just fine!!!! Would like to know again what the rear sensor system is. We keep reading people say they are going to install one in their vehicles. We'll let you know what happens with the dealer...

Suzuki XL-7

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