Cleverly concocted Suzuki XL6 out to prove point as family mover

While any model Suzuki brings to South Africa usually sells like hot cakes, a rare exception is the XL6.

Despite its potential as a six-seat multipurpose vehicle (MPV) dressed up as an SUV, the Suzuki XL6 is very underappreciated in terms of sales since its local arrival almost years ago. During the same time, its close seven-seat sibling the Ertiga has flown off showroom floors.

Last week an XL6 in flagship 1.5 GLX auto guise joined The Citizen Motoring‘s long-term fleet for three months. We are quite keen to spread the gospel on why we think it deserves much more love it currently gets from the car-buying public. At R402 350, it offers a lot of value.

Captain’s chairs do the trick

Being the longest vehicle in the Japanese carmaker’s local portfolio at 4 445mm, the XL6 is all about size, exactly what its abbreviated moniker alludes to. The XL refers to “extra-large” and the 6 to its number of seats.

Separating the XL6 from the Ertiga, and giving it family-friendly appeal, is its second row of seats. The three-seat bench seat makes way for two captain’s chairs complete with centre armrests that can slide and recline.

In the third row, the two seats from the Suzuki Ertiga have been carried over. When up, bootspace is rated at 209 litres, which goes up to a very healthy 692 litres with the two third-row seats folded flat.

The Suzuki XL6’s clever cabin design further allows various configurations. The sliding captain’s chairs not only creates more legroom in the third row, but also allow for easier access for passengers seated in the rear. In turn, the third-row offers a 50/50 split to create more bootspace while still seating five occupants.
The third-row seats can recline at the expense of bootspace.

Suzuki XL6 offers rear comfort

All four seats in the rear have access to a drink holder, while each row feature a 12V power socket for powering devices. Roof-mounted air-conditioning behind the first-row features four vents can direct airflow to each of the four occupants in the rear.

The XL6 lacks the dual screen tech fest we’ve grown used to in garden variety Chinese SUVs, while it is also down on spec compared to flashier siblings in the form of the Grand Vitara and the Across. Yet it does not feel outdated nor sparsely specced, but more like the good Suzuki value we’ve come to appreciate over the years.

In the instrument cluster, two analog dials flank a 4.2-inch TFT colour display, while the 7-inch infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also comes standard with seats clad in a combination of synthetic leather and cloth, multifunction steering wheel, keyless entry with push-button start, ventilated cupholders in the centre console, USB plug and 12V power socket in the front and a reverse camera.

Safety comes in the form of dual front airbags, electronic stability control, ABS with EBD, door impact beams, hill-hold control and front and rear parking sensors.

Exterior SUV-touches

It is easy to spot the differences between the Ertiga and XL6 on the outside, with the latter shaking off typical mundane MPV vibes in favour of sportier SUV touches. These include a hexagonal front grille with chrome bar connecting the large LED headlights, blacked-out taillights cluster, black wheel arch cladding, front and rear silver faux bash plates, chrome door handles and roof rails. It rides on machine polished 15-inch allow wheels and features a generous ground clearance of 180mm, which is 10mm more than its crossover SUV Fronx sibling.

While the new Suzuki Across SUV recently ushered in the brand’s new mild-hybrid K15C 1.5-litre engine, the XL6 sticks to the tried and trusted K15B mill that has become a cornerstone of the manufacturer’s local product portfolio.

The naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine produces 77kW of power and 138Nm of torque. The twist does to the front wheels via four-speed automatic transmission. While the auto box might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it still does a sturdy job of swapping cogs if you are not in a big hurry.

Suzuki XL6 raring to go

When we sampled the Suzuki XL6 for a week after its local launch, our average fuel consumption was around eight litres per 100km. It will be interesting to see what the number will look like after spending the next three months in it. The car will spend most of its time in city traffic, with some open road trips chucked in for good measure.

The Suzuki XL6 GLX auto comes standard with six-year/90 000 km service plan and five-year/200 000 km warranty.