With a compact price and full-sized features, this popular mid-sized SUV gains a fresh interior and key upgrades for 2003.

BREA, Calif. - As fully-equipped SUVs march inexorably upward in price, the Suzuki XL-7 stands as proof that it's still possible to have it all -- and have it for less. Advanced V6 engine? 'Got it. Long list of standard features? 'Has that too. True off-road capability? You bet. Room for up to seven passengers? Check. Top-rated crash protection? Certainly. And in the XL-7, all these great attributes come in a handsome, well-proportioned package that is easy to park, easy on fuel and just plain easy to love.

The XL-7 builds on the basic virtues of the Suzuki Grand Vitara. With a 12.6-inch longer wheelbase and an overall length that is 19.1-inches longer, the XL-7 offers much more interior space. It has a larger, more powerful V6 engine than its compact-class sibling, and the midsized XL-7 can be equipped with manual or automatic transmission and rear- or four-wheel drive.

With prices ranging from under $20,000 to just over $26,000 depending on trim level and options, the lavishly equipped XL-7 costs a fraction of some prestigious SUVs, yet it matches many of them feature-for-feature. And for 2003, the XL-7 moves further upscale with an all-new dashboard and console design, as well as the addition of new equipment such as: six-disc in-dash CD player with seven speakers including subwoofer and tweeters, automatic climate control and more.

Simplified trim level structure features lots of standard equipment

For 2003, the previous "Standard" and "Plus" designations have been dropped, but their most appealing equipment features live on in the simplified XL-7 line. Suzuki's flagship SUV now comes in two basic trim levels: Touring and Limited Edition. Either trim level can be had with a "third-row option" that adds a split-folding rear seat, upping the total head-count from five to seven passengers. The third-row option also includes rear air conditioning with control switches in both front and back, as well as a below-deck storage bin and a first aid kit. Both the Touring and Limited Edition are available in two- or four-wheel drive.

Though the Touring offers impressive standard equipment, it's the Limited Edition variant that truly pegs the luxury meter. The Limited Edition gets standard four-speed automatic transmission and a six-disc in-dash CD changer with seven speakers, including a subwoofer with tweeters, along with automatic climate control, power tilt-and-slide sunroof, leather seating surfaces, four-wheel ABS, aluminum alloy wheels, fog lamps, rear spoiler and more. The only options available on the Limited Edition are third-row seats, heated front seats and floor mats.

New interior appointments take XL-7 further upscale

Slide into the XL-7's supportive driver's seat and you're greeted by new interior colors and fabrics and an entirely new dashboard and console that blends style, functionality and features. Accented by woodgrain panels and chrome highlights, the new layout positions an upgraded in-dash CD player high in the center instrument stack within easy reach. Right below it, an outside ambient temperature display and clock are positioned near the automatic climate control system. There's plenty of useful storage space, including room for CDs in the center console under the adjustable padded armrest. There's also a 12-volt power socket built into the center console -- perfect for a cell phone. Overhead, a console provides more storage and dual maplights (except in the Limited Edition, which has power tilt-and-slide sunroof in place of an overhead console).

The new audio system features a total of seven speakers, including two high-mounted tweeters to enhance imaging and staging, plus an adjustable subwoofer to handle deep bass. The Touring has an in-dash CD player with seven speakers, while the Limited Edition gets an in-dash changer that can handle six CDs. All XL-7s now feature integrated stereo controls and cruise control on the steering wheel.

Let 'em bring their friends-there's room for everyone

Right-sized SUVs are not known for their generous accommodations; consider the XL-7 an exception. With 127.5 cubic feet of interior volume, the XL-7 can be easily configured to accommodate people and cargo. Stack it up against vehicles like the Ford Escape (100.1 cubic feet), Hyundai Santa Fe (100.7 cubic feet), and the Toyota Highlander (105.7 cubic feet) and it's easy to see that the XL-7 has a decisive edge. Even some high-dollar SUVs like the BMW X5 (97.6 cubic feet) aren't in the same league. Third-row seating is another rarity that's available on the XL-7. When you've got a herd of Cub Scouts to drop off, the 2003 XL-7 Limited Edition with the third row option trumps the similarly equipped $45,000-plus 2003 BMW X5 every time.

Have cargo to haul? It's pretty much the same story. The XL-7 (without the third-row seat) has a cavernous 37 cubic feet available with the rear seats up. The Ford Escape offers just 34.8 cubic feet in the same configuration and the Hyundai Santa Fe has only 30.5 cubic feet. With an eye on mixing passengers and cargo in the most beneficial way, the XL-7's second and third row (if so equipped) have split-folding seatbacks. Here's how the cargo volume opens up in a seven-passenger XL-7: with all seats up, you've got 6.6 cubic feet of storage room; drop the third row and the total jumps to 43.3 cubic feet. With the second and third rows down, the total cargo capacity is a hangar-like 75.1 cubic feet.

The XL-7's long rear door openings are about a foot wider at the bottom and about eight inches wider at the top than typical SUVs in the class - so getting in and out is easy. The second-row seating slides fore and aft and the seatbacks offer a tilt adjustment. Throughout the interior, you'll find plenty of storage compartments and thoughtful details like a cargo-area light and a change slot for parking meters and toll roads.

V6 power is standard

In 2002, the XL-7's engine made a significant gain in horsepower; for 2003 it continues to rank as a solid performer among mid-sized SUV powerplants. Closely related to the 2.5-liter V6 that powers the Grand Vitara, the XL-7's all-aluminum V6 has larger cylinder bores that bring displacement up to 2.7 liters. Peak horsepower is 183 and maximum torque is 180 pound-feet - figures that give the XL-7 a competitive power-to-weight ratio and strong pulling power. (With its 3,000-pound towing rating, the XL-7 can easily handle a wide variety of trailers.)

This sophisticated powerplant features the latest advances in Suzuki engine technology. Each of the four valves in every cylinder is operated automatically by a system called Direct Drive Valvetrain (DDV) and the dual overhead cams are driven by self-adjusting chains that run in a continuous oil bath. Another maintenance and money saver is the XL-7's direct ignition system, which positions a coil above each spark plug and eliminates the need for regular replacement of the distributor cap and high-tension ignition wires. A specially tuned crossover induction system improves throttle response and overall engine efficiency. In terms of fuel economy, the two-wheel drive XL-7 returns 18/20-mpg city/highway when equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. With the optional four-speed automatic transmission (standard on the XL-7 Limited Edition), the rating is 17/20-mpg city/highway.

Two drive systems to choose from

SUV buyers have unique needs and priorities. For many, the XL-7's standard rear-drive system is an ideal fit, with its fractionally better fuel mileage and lower purchase price. But if foul weather or off-road exploration is on the agenda, the XL-7's optional four-wheel drive is clearly the optimal choice. This rugged system can shift on the fly between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive at any speed up to 60 mph when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line. A convenient console-mounted lever engages the front differential and eliminates the need for manually locking front hubs. Like all four-wheel drive Suzuki SUVs, XL-7s in either transmission grade are engineered for easy towing behind a recreational vehicle. There is nothing to disconnect and the vehicle does not accumulate odometer mileage while being towed.

Two different ratio ranges in four-wheel drive give the XL-7 a huge speed spectrum off-road, from a slow crawl to fast, smooth dirt roads. Car-based SUVs with single range all-wheel-drive systems are OK for easy cruising, but they don't offer the low-range ratios you need to claw through really tough terrain. Without the torque multiplication offered by low-range gearing, they can simply bog to a stop. The XL-7, on the other hand, can keep its wheels turning -- and gets you to where you're going.

A rugged, yet refined structure

Since the XL-7 is designed to be at home on the road and on the trail, it needs a tremendously strong structure. Unlike many car-based competitors in the class, the XL-7 has a body-on-frame structure instead of a stamped steel unibody. Its steel ladder-type frame carries the steel body on specially engineered body mounts that help keep road and powertrain noise and vibration from entering the passenger cabin. The standard V6 engine rides on fluid-filled engine mounts-another layer of protection against noise intrusion. Throughout the body, noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) countermeasures like foam, asphalt melt sheet and other damping materials work to kill resonance and vibration.

Suspension tuned for on-road comfort and off-road capability

Though the XL-7's suspension system delivers remarkable ride comfort on the road, it is engineered to meet harsh off-road challenges. The MacPherson Strut front suspension uses a unique design feature-separately positioned struts and coil springs-to allow for extra wheel travel. This allows the massive cast front suspension arms to track farther to smooth out large off-road impacts. The rear suspension is a tough live-axle design that features coil springs and five separate locating links. The system positions the axle precisely for accurate handling, yet allows plenty of articulation on uneven terrain. Fade-resistant nitrogen-charged dampers are used front and rear.

Steering is via rack-and-pinion, with provides nicely weighted response and good feedback to the driver. A front anti-roll bar complements relatively wide, low-profile tires running on 16-inch aluminum wheels.

Top-rated crash safety

Crash safety was a top priority throughout the design and development of the XL-7. Its sturdy ladder-type frame features built-in energy-absorbing zones, and the cabin features a steel reinforced passenger compartment utilizing the A, B, and C pillars that help minimize passenger compartment deformation. These systems work together as an integrated occupant protection system in the event of an accident. It all works so well, in fact, that the XL-7 has earned the highest score rating in the overall evaluation category for an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test. The IIHS gave the XL-7 an overall "good" rating in its 40-mph frontal offset crash test. (Ratings range from "good," to "acceptable," to "marginal," to "poor.") The XL-7's "good" rating places Suzuki's performance among that of the priciest mid-sized SUVs tested by the IIHS: the Acura MDX, BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery Series II, Lexus RX 300 and Mercedes M Class.

Additional safety technologies employed in the XL-7 include steel guard beams in the doors, second-generation dual airbags, an energy-absorbing steering column, height-adjustable shoulder belts, the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system, and rear-door child safety locks. For improved rearward visibility, the rear headrests are smaller for 2003.

Backed by America's best warranty

And like all 2003 Suzuki models, the XL-7 is covered by the best warranty in the business, Suzuki's new 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. Fully transferable to succeeding owners and free of deductibles for covered items, the powertrain limited warranty is designed to boost value of time of resale value or trade-in and underscores the corporation's confidence in its product quality. This powertrain warranty covers the engine, transaxle, transmission, transfer case and front- and rear-wheel-drive systems. Although Kia and Hyundai offer 10-year/100,000-mile warranties, they aren't fully transferable.

Suzuki's 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty is part of Suzuki's "Open Road PromiseSM," a new three-tiered program designed to strengthen Suzuki's customer satisfaction. Other "Open Road Promise" elements include a 24-hour, 365-day Roadside Assistance Program and a Warranty Repair Courtesy Vehicle Program.

The Automotive Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, Calif., was founded in 1985 by Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC). ASMC markets automobiles in the United States through a network of 430 automotive dealerships in 49 states. SMC, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide automobile manufacturer. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 120 distributors in 190 countries.

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