2002 Suzuki XL-7 Std 2.7 V6 from North America

Summary:

Space for less

Faults:

Nothing major. The brakes are not up to scratch. They seem to grind in emergency braking. The dealer said they were fine. I'm going to get a second opinion.

There is an intermittent rattle at rear, which I can't locate.

Otherwise this car drives beautifully.

General Comments:

I bought the car because I needed some extra space, but didn't have lots of money. This car more than satisfied my requirements.

I normally use the car with the 3rd row folded away, but it's a pleasure to have the extra seating when required. Although the 3rd row is a bit cramped, it's perfect for two little kids.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th March, 2004

2002 Suzuki XL-7 XL7 2.8 from North America

Summary:

Beautiful and affordable.

Faults:

Good! However, the brakes makes a squeaking sound when pressed, but later I found out that it only needed brake cleaner. Other than that it's a great SUV for work and family.

General Comments:

This SUV is reliable, easy to manage, and one of the best assets I currently own.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th June, 2003

2002 Suzuki XL-7 Touring 2.7L V6 from North America

Summary:

Great bargain for a large SUV

Faults:

The Bridgestone Dueler tires that were supplied with the vehicle were worn by 15,000 miles. The dealer replaced them for free.

General Comments:

The front seats are a bit uncomfortable for long distance driving.

The pickup and economy of the V6 engine is very good.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd June, 2003

2002 Suzuki XL-7 Limited 2.7 liter from North America

Summary:

An excellent, exciting ride at a great value that puts the FUN back in functional

Faults:

The passenger side second row seat pull-ring mechanism malfunctioned.

General Comments:

This care is perfect for carpools with elementary age children.

Four adults can sit in this car very comfortably.

The Limited model offers vastly more luxury, versatility, and excitement than other 7 passenger options and it is many thousands of dollars cheaper than comparable SUVS by other manufacturers.

The leather interior and climate control is excellent.

Plastic interior parts scratch easily and the 2003 model utilizes much more scratch resistant parts.

This vehicle's rack and pinion steering is much tighter and more accurate than the 1995 Honda Odessey.

Safety testing was much better is several categories than Mercedes and BMW SUVs.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st April, 2003

2002 Suzuki XL-7 medium model 2.7L V6 from North America

Summary:

An economical to buy and own reliable 4X4

Faults:

The slant of the rear cargo area with the third seat down required that we purchase a net to extend across the tailgate area. Without the net when we had a load in the back and opened the door we had to grab fast to keep things from falling on the ground.

Other than that absolutely NOTHING has gone wrong with the vehicle.

General Comments:

Previous vehicle was a Saturn SC2 coupe. We also have a 1998 Chevrolet Tracker 2 door. We wanted something in a SUV that was as reliable as the Saturn. We looked at the VUE, but didn't like the full time Four wheel drive system that comes with the V6. We really like our little Tracker so looked at the XL7 and fell in love. We've owned it for about a year now and took it from Phoenix, AZ to Yachts, OR. We went on 2 lane highways going through Nevada, Northern California and Southern Oregon to the coast. Coming back we took all freeways through California and Arizona. It handled the twisty turns excellent (like the road from Crater Lake, Oregon to the coast), with plenty of power to pass on short straightaways. On the freeways we cruised at about 80mph for hours, while getting 19 - 20 mpg. This is my 6th SUV going back to my first a 73 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 30 years ago, and my second favorite (the first was a 1980 International Scout II Turbo Diesel with ranger overdrive/gear splitter auxiliary transmission and 3 inch lift).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th March, 2003

21st Mar 2005, 12:21

It's now March 2005 the vehicle now has 28,000 miles on it and other than a problem with tires nothing else has gone wrong. I average 18 mpg in the city and about 21 on the highway.

7th Feb 2006, 16:22

It is now January 2006 and the vehicle has 37,000 miles. It is at the dealers today to have an accelerator cable replaced under recall and to have the #1 timing chain tensioner replaced. According to other sites on the web this is a common problem with the 2.5 and 2.7L V6 engines. If you hear a ticking sound like a lifter get it in and get it fixed. If the chain slips the engine seizes. The problem is a design fault and Suzuki won't repair it for free. If you don't have the extended warranty (late 2002 models and on) which I don't, expect to pay around $1,200. Consumer Reports and MSN auto rate the engine very poorly. Now I have to decide whether to keep it or unload it. I'm not going to put a new tensioner in it every 40,000 miles. I still really like the vehicle, but I demand reliability.