This ¡°crossover¡± SUV is a rising star in our tow vehicle fleet.


(We changed the tires and upgraded to a Hensley hitch to achieve the optimum towing performance with a 30 foot trailer.)
Many people ask me about the suitability of the more popular family vehicles for the task of towing a travel trailer. I often make an example of the two extremes in today¡¯s tow vehicles. The first category includes front wheel drive vans with a relatively low 3500 lb. tow rating. They may not have a high tow rating from the manufacturer, but they have a wide stance, long wheel base, short overhang and low center of gravity that make them among the most stable tow vehicles available. At the other extreme are the SUV¡¯s, with a short wheelbase, long overhang, high center of gravity and large tires with ample sidewall sway - and very high tow ratings.

In the late 90¡¯s, the ¡°crossover¡± SUV began to appear, with SUV style built on a raised car chassis. They are a far more practical answer for those that like the look and winter traction of an SUV but are not likely to do any serious off-road driving.

In recent years, vans have acquired a ¡°soccer mom image¡± and are no longer considered cool in some circles ¨C this is not unlike what happened to the station wagon 20 years ago. Now almost all automakers are trying to combine the vans capability for handling people and stuff, in a vehicle that will sell well, deliver good fuel economy, a smooth ride and good handling.

The answer to all this is a new breed of slightly larger crossover SUV, usually with 7 passenger seating and more interior space than the first crossover SUV¡¯s. These vehicles are built on some of the same platforms as front drive vans, but with SUV styling, a raised ride height and the option of all wheel drive. Crossover SUV¡¯s are the fastest growing vehicle segment, with products ranging from small 4-cylinder models all the way up to the Porsche Cayenne. In the middle of this group is the new Suzuki XL7.

For the last couple of months we have been using a 2007 XL7 for towing. It is built just down the road from us in Ingersoll, Ontario, along with the Pontiac Torrent and the Chevrolet Equinox. The marketing people seem to have it right. When I first brought the XL7 home, my wife and teenage daughter (who normally don¡¯t notice what I drive) could hardly wait to try it out. Since one of the most popular combinations to come out of our store in recent years has been a 30¡¯ lightweight trailer connected to a front drive van, we thought this would be an ideal trailer type to test with the XL7 - after all, if you need a trailer that sleeps 7, a tow vehicle that only seats 4 or 5 won¡¯t do.

Crossover SUV¡¯s generally give a better combination of ride and handling than conventional SUV¡¯s, since the wheelbase is longer, the suspension stance is wider and they have independent rear suspension instead of live axles. As well, the tire and wheel combinations are generally better for towing. To prepare the Suzuki for it¡¯s role as a tow vehicle we installed a bolt-on receiver and then strengthened it with bracing to transfer the torque of the equalizing hitch more effectively. The XL7 rides on a 112¡± wheelbase with a 52¡± rear overhang or 46% of the wheelbase. This is a bit more than we would like, but again it is better than many of the vehicles in the category. The tires are 235/60R *17¡± not an absolutely ideal size, but much better than the balloons on many conventional SUV¡¯s.

Our initial set up used a 1000 lb. Eaz-Lift hitch with two friction sway controls. This worked reasonably well; handling in evasive maneuvers was good, but it was more affected by passing trucks and strong cross winds that we would have liked. It was not bad with a 24¡¯ trailer in tow, but the extra wall surface of the 30¡¯ affected it more.

The XL7 has a very comfortable suspension which rides very smoothly without wallowing, but combined with the longer overhang it was not as precise as I would like. To put this into perspective, twenty years ago I would have been delighted with this level of handling, but today we are getting more demanding. I blamed the tires for some of this imprecision, so we changed them to 225/55R *17¡± This improved the handling quite a bit as well delivering a slight improvement in performance. Still, with the 30¡¯ it was a little more work to drive that many RV enthusiasts would like. We modified the tow vehicle/trailer combination by installing a Hensley hitch, which as usual eliminated all sway. With the 112¡± wheelbase and the Hensley maneuverability, the roadability is great and it is easy to forget that you are even towing a trailer.

The XL7 uses a very advanced 3.6 litre, 24 valve V6 engine with variable valve timing from the Cadillac CTS. It produces 252 HP and the 243 lb.ft. of torque arrives at just 2300 RPM. It is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode - when in drive you just pull the shifter to the left, and it is in manual mode - touch it forward and you go up a gear, back takes you down one. I find this more intuitive than the controls that shift side to side. It allows you to lock the transmission into any gear and hold it there with the torque converter locked - just like a manual transmission. Of course, just as when you are driving a manual transmission, you have to watch that you do not lug the engine - but you can avoid kick-down¡¯s on short hills or when you just need to speed up a little. In very hilly country you have ideal control for engine braking. Basically you get the control of a manual transmission, without having to deal with the clutch. Results of our tow tests were impressive: 0-100 KPH with a 30¡¯ Surveyor was a quick 24 Seconds. With 24 valves and variable valve timing the XL7 has plenty of low end torque, and it tows effortlessly at 2500 RPM in fourth gear. When you want it to really go, acceleration progressively builds with RPM and it happily flies from 4000 to the 6300 RPM red line. With the 5 speed you can shift to 3rd gear on large hills and climb at 3500 RPM and 90 KPH - with the torque converter locked.

What impressed me most was the fuel economy when towing, it is nothing short of amazing for a tall four wheel drive vehicle. At 60 mph or 96 kph it turned in 16.6 mpg, or 16.9 l/100 km. This is the best mileage I have ever been able to get towing with anything other than a car, and even the most fuel efficient cars that I have towed with have been hard pressed to deliver this kind of economy towing a lightweight trailer. I have not had a chance to test it solo, but the Transport Canada ratings are 13.5 l/100 km city and 9.5 l/100 km highway, and the two wheel drive does even better.

If you are tired of the van but still need room, this vehicle makes a very nice package with a quiet ride and a very solid body structure. Pricing on these vehicles is reasonable starting at just $31,000. The Hensley hitch adds a little extra cost, but once you install it your tow vehicle/trailer combination will handle and ride better than a front drive van and a conventional hitch, so in the long run it is an investment in enhanced comfort and maneuverability.

The XL7 is now part of our test fleet, so feel free to stop in and take it for a spin! (Page Top)