Six-seater SUV offers excellent fuel economy by only sipping 6.1 litres per 100km.
The Suzuki XL6 is all about comfort. Picture: Gareth Cotterell
There’s not much that is flashy about the Suzuki XL6, but it does what it says it will do.
While driving the 1.5 GLX auto version of the car, the one aspect that stuck out was the space it offers – for both passengers or cargo.
Ample space
The six seats mean there’s enough space for a large family to be accommodated, and nobody will be squashed next to each other. The two seats in the middle row even have space between them, including armrests, which is a nice touch.
Then, if you’re not moving people around, the third row of seats can be folded down, which drastically increases the boot space.
This was particularly valuable for us while we drove to Mbombela. We are not light travellers, but it felt strange to have all our luggage in the boot and still have so much space left in the car.
Fuel efficiency
Another attractive aspect of the Suzuki XL6 is its thrifty petrol consumption.
We got an average use of 6.1 litres/100km for our overall trip. While a large part of our travelling was on the highway, we also spent time pottering around the streets of Mbombela, wary of the many speed cameras in the city.
The XL6’s 1.5-litre petrol engine produces 77kW of power and 138Nm of torque. While acceleration and speed are not features of this car, once it gets momentum on the open road, it moves smoothly.
The XL6 is all about comfort, whether it’s the interior of the car or the drive. The suspension works well with most bumps on the road absorbed easily. The generous 180mm ground clearance was also welcome.
Another thing I loved was the large windows in the XL6, which were especially great when driving through the scenic mountain bends in Mpumalanga.
The interior is also without fuss.
The instrument cluster is old school with two large analogue dials, while the 7-inch infotainment system is less complicated than in other cars, but still features everything you need, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Automatic transmission
One aspect of the car that I didn’t enjoy while driving on the open road was the four-speed automatic gearbox. At higher speeds, the engine screams for the gears to shift up, but the car seems reluctant to do so.
Thankfully, this isn’t an issue when driving around town. In fact, the car is probably suited for trips to schools or shops.
At R402 350, the Suzuki XL6 does what it’s meant to do while also offering value.
