Based on the same platform as GM's Chevy Equinox and Pontiac Torrent, the Suzuki XL7 is a unibody crossover SUV that's eight inches longer than the Chevy and the Pontiac. It also gets more power than the Equinox and Torrent, using a GM 3.6-liter V6 assembled in Japan by Suzuki and shipped to Canada where the XL7 is assembled. This is a curious arrangement; one we assume is a by-product of Suzuki's 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Suzuki version of this V6 makes slightly less power than similar engines in GM products, generating 252 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 243 lb.-ft. of torque at a low 2,300 rpm. Power is managed by a five-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift feature, driving either the front or all four wheels. EPA fuel economy estimates range from 18 in the city to 24 on the highway for the front-wheel-drive model to 17/23 for the XL7 AWD. During our test drive, we averaged slightly less than what the EPA estimates, coming in at 16 mpg for combined driving. Towing, of course, puts a big crimp in fuel economy, and with the XL7 you can tow up to 3,500 lbs.

Compared to the outgoing XL-7, you get more power and better efficiency, more towing capacity and a better ride, the latter thanks to that unibody frame and a four-wheel independent suspension comprised of MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup in back. For all those improvements, however, the one thing you can't do in the new model is go off-roading. Suzuki has positioned the Grand Vitara as the off-roader in the family while the new XL7 is the pavement prowler, though when equipped with all-wheel-drive the XL7 should prove rugged enough to handle a dirt road. Another improvement over the outgoing XL-7 is a four-wheel-disc antilock brake system with traction and stability control. The steering setup remains the same – hydraulic rack-and-pinion – and while the base XL7 and XL7 Luxury come standard with 16-inch wheels wearing P235/65R16 tires, Limited models get 17-inchers that wear P235/60R17 tires.