ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: ebewley on December 05, 2006, 01:24:22 PM
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Bigger XL7 puts Suzuki into a new segment
Kathy Jackson | | Automotive News / November 13, 2006 - 1:00 am
CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Suzuki's redesigned XL7, which reached dealerships in late October, differs from its predecessor in just about every way.
It is the largest vehicle Suzuki has ever built and will test the Japanese automaker's ability to compete in one of the most crowded segments -- mid-sized SUVs.
The basics: The 2007 XL7 is based on General Motors' Theta architecture, used for the Saturn Vue, Pontiac Torrent and Chevrolet Equinox crossovers. The new six-cylinder engine was designed by GM and is built by Suzuki.
It has a longer wheelbase than the 2006 model and is longer, wider, taller and has a more powerful engine. Despite the bigger powerplant, it also delivers better mileage than the 2006 XL7. The two-wheel-drive version gets 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. That compares with 18/22 for the same version for 2006. The all-wheel-drive model gets 17/23, up from 17/22 for the predecessor.
The vehicle also has a handsome body, somewhat resembling the Cadillac SRX crossover.
Notable features: The XL7's standard 252-hp V-6 bests the engines of major competitors. The Hyundai Santa Fe's base V-6 makes 185 hp, the Mazda CX-7's inline-four generates 244 hp, and the V-6 Honda Pilot makes 244 hp.
The interior has most amenities. The front passenger seat and second and third-row seats fold flat to accommodate gear. A touch-screen navigation system is available for the first time on a Suzuki in this country.
Safety features include an electronic stability program with traction control, side curtain airbags for all three rows and a tire pressure monitoring system. The system warns not only that a tire is low, but which one is low.
What the company says: "This is new territory for Suzuki," said Gene Brown, vice president of marketing, at a press event in Carlsbad, Calif. "but we stack up well against the competition on handling, interior and engine power."
Shortcomings and compromises: Suzuki may not have enough marketing bucks to outgun the many competitors in the segment. The company has budgeted about $60 million in the fourth quarter of this year to promote both the XL7 and the 2007 SX4 small hatchback. But almost every major carmaker in this country has a mid-sized SUV, and many have deeper pockets than Suzuki.
The market: Suzuki must attract a different type of customer, since it has previously sold only small SUVs with a lower price. Brown says the main customers for the XL7 will be married couples aged 35 to 45 with an annual household income of at least $80,000. He says Suzuki will make a large TV advertising buy, primarily on network cable.
The skinny: Suzuki hopes to sell about 30,000 units in 2007 and up to 40,000 in 2008. The redesigned Grand Vitara, Suzuki's small SUV, has been well-received by consumers. That could help bring traffic to showrooms. The XL7's base engine and base price of $23,534, including shipping, also should prove attractive.