The Ertiga-based Suzuki XL6 affords an fascinating and purposeful strategy to compact household transport. After spending a complete time frame with the CAR workforce, Kyle Kock shares what makes it such a pretty providing.
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Time spent: Six of six months
Distance lined: 7 578 km
Common gasoline consumption: 6.84 L/100 km
We like: Reasonably priced pricing, affordable gasoline financial system when pushed considerately
We don’t like: No rear parcel shelf, instability in crosswinds, lack of auto-locking doorways.
Almost all of the MPVs which have come by means of CAR’s take a look at fleet have featured seating configurations that may accommodate six or seven passengers, excluding the driving force. However we have been pleasantly shocked when the XL6 arrived for testing in time for the December 2023 concern. Because the identify suggests, there’s room for six right here and because it turned out to be, we might full a complete six month take a look at interval.
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My household took to the long-term XL6 instantly, with two boisterous boys sitting on two separate seats, or considered one of them often taking to the third row. There was sufficient house to forestall any sibling territorial squabbles, so journeys have been nearly at all times peaceable. And due to the massive doorways and home windows, there was at all times loads of alternatives “I spy” video games performed on longer drives.
There have been few black marks towards the XL6’s identify throughout its six-month stint as a household mover, however the lack of auto-locking doorways – particularly given the truth that the door handles are inside straightforward attain of the younger ones as soon as perched on their booster seats – was a disappointment. More often than not I needed to be reminded about locking the doorways within the curiosity of security. One other bugbear is that there isn’t a parcel shelf to cowl the 416-litre boot when the third row of seats are folded. This limitation had members of the CAR workforce favouring choices with a safer conventional boot or hid parcel shelf that stored baggage and groceries out of sight.
The K15B engine shared throughout the Suzuki product portfolio in fashions just like the Fronx, Jimny, and the Ertiga compact MPV upon which the XL6 relies, can be current right here. Although its outputs are ample (77 kW and 138 N.m), there’s the truth of a usually aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine contending with a 1 100 kg automobile that was usually loaded to the gunwales with passengers and their wares. To benefit from these outputs, Suzuki employed a short-ratio five-speed gearbox with a last drive of simply 4.41 to 1 to maintain the engine on the boil.
Round city, this mix didn’t lead to particularly nice gasoline consumption when maintaining with the final circulation of site visitors. My 30 km each day commute contains some freeway driving, which stored the consumption in examine, however in any other case a extra life like common is simply above 7 L/100 km. The candy spot is between 90 and 100 km/h, with the engine ticking over at round 2 500 r/min. That meant getting overtaken extra usually than I’d have preferred; not for a scarcity of oomph on the a part of the XL6, however extra as a result of I used to be actively attempting to maintain gasoline consumption as little as potential.
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With many shorter journeys to the seaside, native parks and the occasional mall go to underneath its belt, the XL6 was prepared for the open highway simply forward of our July 2024 concern SUV shootout. Picnic baskets packed in; my household headed within the course of Ceres on a reconnaissance run of among the shootout route.
It was on this journey that I realised the XL6 is most comfy at effectively under the nationwide restrict. At 120 km/h the engine noise made me attain for a sixth gear that wasn’t there on a couple of event, however that apart, the XL6’s flat sides and slim width made it significantly inclined to crosswinds. Even so, the journey was nonetheless fulfilling and cozy sufficient, with my eldest opting to take a nap on the final row of seats – effectively out of attain of his nagging child brother.
When the 2 latest members of the workforce joined the fray, the XL6’s gasoline consumption took a little bit of a knock as I believe it wasn’t being pushed as gingerly as was underneath my custodianship, and when I discovered myself behind its wheel once more the consumption had shot as much as 7.42 L/100 km.
As winter made its presence felt, I additionally began to understand the faux-leather seats, and substantial mats all through the cabin as my two boys tended to be even wetter and stickier than normal. Nothing a light-weight vacuum and fast wipe-down couldn’t type out. For that cause alone, I’d have justified the additional outlay from GL to GLX grade. However one other helpful characteristic as darkish clouds loomed on the horizon was the automated headlamps.
I packed the Suzuki with all kinds simply earlier than an annual journey to Gqeberha to get an excellent gauge of its load-lugging skills. The whole lot from backyard refuse, braai wooden, plastic patio chairs and coaching gear discovered its option to the again of the XL6. Fortuitously, the plastics all through the cabin are of the hard-wearing selection.
The XL6’s final job was a visit to the Jap Cape to attend the annual ADCC iBhayi Problem. Loaded with banners, baggage and three passengers, the Suzuki dealt with the 1 600 km spherical journey effortlessly. My coaching buddies perched within the second row particularly preferred the reclinable particular person rear seats with particular person armrests and in addition thought the roof-mounted rear air vents have been a pleasant contact as they may regulate them independently of my co-driver and I.
Though the auto-folding mirrors are particularly useful for tight parking areas, due to the XL6’s comparatively slim width, the characteristic is sort of moot and if I might have auto-locking doorways as a substitute, that’s a commerce I’d have gladly made. That, plus a parcel shelf and one other gear ratio would have made my six months with the XL6 good. However at this worth, it’s nonetheless very laborious to disregard.
Discover the complete report within the September concern of CAR Journal.
