2006 Suzuki XL-7 Review - A Forgotten 3-Row SUV From The 2000's! 

This car has almost 278k miles and the condition that its in to be honest it looks like this car doesn't have that kind of mileage, This thing is cleeeeean💯

My mom has a 2004 and it has been the best car she has ever had, super reliable. here in Puerto Rico there are Grand Vitara XL-7 everywhere!!!

This was my old car! I sold it to Adrian a year ago and had this car throughout high school and college

2003 owner here, 4 inch lift, bar and winch on the front. on 31" tyres. 400kms a tank if im lucky. But goes anywhere. Back seat removed and its a mini van with 4wd. LOVE it.

XL7 launched in the late 90s. Unfortunately by the end of the 1st gen's run (~2006), GM had replaced many Suzuki models in the US with corporate GM rebadges. Eg the 2nd gen XL7, which was just another Theta platform car. Then the late 2000s happened and Suzuki pulled out of the US and Canada. Generally a similar story with Isuzu around the same time.

Not only do I like the looks of those, but this is a great & very clean example!

I owned one of these and it was the most reliable car I ever owned. It was thirsty, but it was a beast. Towed my classic canned ham camper with ease too.

Love the XL7's! Not trying to pick your video apart, but I would like to add some info. The XL7 was only offered with the 2.7 liter. The Grand Vitaras and Chevy Trackers had the 2.5 liter or 4 cylinder. Additionally, being that this is a 2006 model, it has a 5 speed automatic. The early iterations, from 1999-2004 had a 4 speed auto. The 5 speed was only available in the early 1999-2003/4 models. 2005 and 2006 received a heavier duty 5 speed auto trans only, as well as a super beefy steel front diff. Overall, that is one very clean XL! I wish my '06 was that clean!

You missed the primary reason why I hunted down my 2003 Suzuki XL-7. You can flat tow this vehicle which I do behind my motorhome. It is great for this purpose because when you park the motorhome you can hop in this little lightweight, but very capable 4x4 with transfer case and pretty much go most places off-road. It is also quite spacious so it also server as a towed trailer you can put stuff in that you want to take along on your trip. Great vehicle!

Awesome review! I was surprised to see this, as nobody seems to care about these, which in my opinion are the most underrated vehicles in the US. I have had several, I build them into street legal SXS basically. They are surprisingly robust, and have quality components that are similar, or the same as Toyota. Back to the review.. You do have some inaccurate information unfortunately. So, the XL-7, starting in 2001 (02 model year) only was available with the 2.7, (H27), the 2.5 (H25) as only available in the 99-2005 Vitara, Grand vitara, and Tracker (in the US). Second, the Transmission in the one you're reviewing is actually a 5 Speed, (Aisin A750). The 4 speed was replaced in 2004 with 5 speed. It has a beefy transmission, the same one used in 4runner (2003-current), Tundra (05-09), Sequoia(05-09), GX470(03-09), Tacoma (05-2015). The easiest way to tell is the number 3 on the Shift gate, vs 2.

The Pre-GM Suzuki XL7!!!! A V6 RWD machine!!!!

We got them In Puerto Rico

I once had one of those but here in Indonesia we called it grand escudo. It has the 2.5l v6. I had it for 4 years and me and my family were generally pleased with that car. It wasn't the biggest in terms of space and it wasn't the quickest and definitely wasn't the most efficient 7 seaters suv yet that car prove to be a great car. We took it to the beaten road and sometimes off road as well. The main issue as far as my own ownership of that car was the transmission. The automatic can sometime be jerky when shifting into gear. And also honorable mention of the common issue was steering control arm. So far that's it. I must say not all of xl7 got the same issue as mine was used pretty heavily. But overall, a great car. It is comfy, sufficient in power i say and still not to big in overall size especially here in the crowded, narrow city street of Jakarta. And it is pretty cheap to maintain as well. I can recommend this car for those who need this kind of car.

I just saw this car and a new red Land Rover parked at an estate sale. I was way more interested in this car. It reminds me of what was kind of cool when it was young

I HAVE ONE! Most reliable thing ever! Mine is a 2002, 22 years old!

YES! I have one of these and I LOVE IT

I still own this car until today and honestly most if these cars has been moved to Yemen and to Sudan back in the days when it was released. Lately i have fixed the car and its back on the road after it has been stopped by the door for over 4 years. Thank god the government didn't take the car, cuz my lovely neighbours had been cleaning that car for me while I'm away studying in another country. Thank god. 🎉😂

I had a rare 2002 xl7 with a 5 speed manual. I regret letting it go. Even with over 220k, it was such a great car.

Looks like the owner put bright white LED lights in the interior (dome lights)

I miss my 02 grand vitara the timing chain snapped when I tried to start it. the car "rolled" during the moose test. the people doing the test forced it to roll then the standard test

Even in Europe we had this model, it was called the Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7.

I’m looking at a 5-speed one of these for 3 Gs. Waiting on an answer from the guy. I hope it works out.

This is so strange. This is the third review you did the same time I looked at buying one the same day. I also looked at a Kia Soul today that has 488,000 miles. It's a 2014 and I almost bought it just to get to a half million miles but passed. I'm looking for a toad for my RV

I have this exact car! I was looking for videos on it lol mine doesn’t have heated seats though 😢

I always felt this truck was underrated.

Boricua en la casa. 🎉

I have a 2004 Suzuki XL 7. The car runs great but I’m ready for a Lexus suv. I’ll sell my Suzuki to my stylist for $1500 since she could use the ride.

Can you do a review on a GMT400 please!!

Not Beige color ? Sandstone. I have problems with electrical won’t run using Die Hard Batteries profusely

Here's a car you never see any more. Suzukis tended to get run into the ground. This looks like it was trying to be upscale with all of that fake wood. 2000s cloth was fantastic, soft and breathable. The factory clear taillights are a response to the cheap Chinese clear taillight trend that was a thing back then. Suzuki should try to make a comeback in the cheap crappy car market and also bring the Jimny over. Also, again with the Puerto Rico flag. Puerto Ricans must have some rule that they must hang their flag from the mirror. I never see a Delaware flag hanging from a mirror.

I would like this truck but afraid that parts would be hard to find...

My brother in laws aunt had one but it had to be scrapped due to lack of parts

the swing rear door would be a deal-killer for me. I can see myself trying to load something big, bulky and heavy, and not being able to heave it easily into the door opening. For that reason alone I'd look for a vehicle with a lift door.

its an awesome little suv until you gotta replace the roll over vent valve in the fuel tank....

my neibour used to have a 1999 vitara the shorter wheel base with the 2.5L engine and that thing is quick and torquey and comfortable. in grenada i seen the JDM version of the XL7 called The grand escudo. in general in the US market they should use the ESCUDO nameplate, i love that name, I dont like the name Vitara for me it doesnt look like a vitara. i seen some XL7s in new york but not plentiful as before

I have an 2002 suzuki xl7 it's amazing

I have a 2002 and 2004 best cars i have owned both of mine don't have 3rd row seat holds its own off road

This thing has any connection with mitsubishi?

I personally really like Suzuki. My thoughts on why they didn't make in north america. They kept changing their model names. It's hard to build loyalty if you keep changing the names of your vehicles.

Ive been in one. Driven one. Super solid and heavy car around the corners. Suzukis were made by GM once upon a time. Power was definitely instant. Once speed picked up, it went but it did take some time to get pass 50KM. Seat comfort were below average. Minimal to none bolstering. Incredible in the snow. Sounded like a V8. Not the most quiet car. Peak torque & HP only came on at higher RPMs. This vehicle's ride quality resonates a G wagon or older Land Rover Defender. Not a plush ride because this rides like a TANK.

I saw a unicorn they other day, a Suzuki Verona which is a rebadged Daewoo Magnus that Suzuki sold in the early 2000s and which helped tank their brand equity. I don't know for sure but I feel like this was probably forced by GMM.

these donks were supposed to be reliable and were even used in small aircraft. they're allegedly very low maintenance and as long as the oil is changed every so often, should last without issue. there was a rattle that was rectified in 2002 but that's about it. for this thing to overheat, it must've been directly related to the faulty water pump and/or the rental company was useless

There are a couple of reasons the Suzukis didn't sell all that well in the USA/Canada. The first? Look for the advertising of them back in the day. There were only, I think, one commercial when the Grand Vitara was introduced, and when they were refreshed in the 2000s. That was it, and the ads weren't....all that inspired. There was also the memories of the Consumer Reports debacle over the Samurai still lingering in the minds of people who would buy them. That shit show damn near murdered the Suzuki brand in 1988. They never really could recover from that damage done to their brand image. It added to the conception that Suzuki was the lowest rung on the Japanese car maker ladder. Toyota and Honda at the top, Mazda, Subaru and Nissan in the middle, Mitsubishi below them, and Suzuki and Isuzu at the bottom. Suzuki and Isuzu were "pet" brands of GM, their brand identity diluted by being shared as Chevys, Pontiacs, Geos, etc. So, on the concept of buying a vehicle as any form of "status" is right out. They are small and compact, when most SUV buyers wanted Bigger. Further? 4x4 was not a selling feature that 90% of the buying public cared about. 90% of the market isn't ever going to go more off road than a gravel driveway. Most considered AWD as better, because "it's always active, I never have to think about it."

Cool 😀

Escudo XL-7 only 4X2 here in Indonesia

Sometimes I wonder how the highway would look if Suzki never left the US

I am from Sri Lanka,I own 2004 Suzuki grand Vitara XL7

Do a 2023 suzuki vitara review pls

trail blazer can tow 5000 lbs this tows 3000 lbs

Well, it was outdated compared to other Japanese options, and American truck buyers weren't gonna buy these. Plus they sold rebadged Daewoos which can't have helped the perception of the brand.

The Puerto Rican flags do not surprise me at all.

It was not reliable, especially the newer generation with GM engine

Traveling

My father rented one in the early to mid aughts. It was horrible.

🇵🇷

Over here in Israel we had this as a Grand Vitara until around 2014ish i think, with a very different front facia... In 2016 a new "Vitara" was introduced here and it just sucks... A horrible and small "drive to the mall" type of an "suv" which has nothing really to do with the real Vitara models... Kinda like the horrible new Chevy Trailblazer which has nothing to do with the real Trailblazer model...

"A vehicle of a bygone era"...🤣🤣. How old are you? 16? I would feel "offended" if I weren't a GENXer. I have one of these I bought in 2011.