The Suzuki XL6 GLX is a lot like the spacious people-carrying Ertiga, except it's more plush, like the Grand Vitara. So where does it fit? We find out...
If you’re talking about automakers that have made tremendous strides in South Africa, you must tip your hat to Suzuki. The year hasn’t even properly stretched its legs yet, and Suzuki has already broken a record.
According to the official sales report published by industry body Naamsa, the brand welcomed 5,235 new customers in January 2024. This is a new monthly overall sales record for Suzuki and the first time they’ve sold more than 5,000 new vehicles in a month.
Suzuki has a diverse range of models that appeal to so many buyers, not just because they’re affordable. They’ve also capitalised greatly on the compact SUV market, and their latest offering is the XL6, which sits below the Grand Vitara in the local model hierarchy.
More about the model
So, what exactly is the XL6? Is it a new model or just a facelift? According to Suzuki, it is a brand-new model, but it seems to us to be a much fancier and better-looking version of the Ertiga six-seater SUV that it is based on. It's nothing new for automakers to use an existing chassis and sell it as a completely new model, which often reflects positively on sales.
Starting with the exterior, the front section features redesigned headlights, a front grille, and a lower bumper. There is a strong Ertiga influence on the rear, starting with a black-painted boot and a familiar L-shaped brake light design—the only difference is that the lights are smoked. Other additions include the fitment of roof rails and protective body cladding to add that SUV appeal.
Buyers can customise their vehicle with a choice of several exterior colours. Those who opt for the GLX versions have the option of a two-tone colour scheme, where colours like Opulent Red, Brave Khaki, or Splendid Silver are matched with a Pearlescent Midnight Black roof colour. These models also have side mirrors painted in the same Midnight Black colour.
The inside is pretty much the same as most Suzuki models: there’s a multi-function steering wheel, and the dash houses a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment screen (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
connectivity) along with the climate control panel. What makes the XL6 unique is that there are six individual seats rather than having a bench seat arrangement in the middle row.
The boot space isn’t the biggest when the rear seats are upright, with only 209 litres available—enough for gym and laptop bags as well as a couple of smaller bags. That can be expanded to 550 litres by folding down the rear seats, which also offer a 50/50 split.
One thing we were really chuffed about was the ventilated dual cupholders. That feature is usually reserved for models with higher trim levels, and it was one of the first times we’ve experienced it in a Suzuki model.
Engine and standard features
The XL6 is equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine that delivers 77kW at 6,000 rpm and 138Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm. It is also used in the Fronx and Vitara Brezza, amongst others. Buyers can choose between a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox – the unit we had on test had the manual gearbox.
All models come standard with a wide array of convenience and safety features like LED headlights, LED front fog lights, 15-inch machine-polished alloy wheels, a rear-view camera, electric windows, manual rear air conditioning, three 12V power sockets and a USB port, keyless entry with push-button start, dual lSOFIX child-seat mounts, dual airbags, Hill Hold Control and four parking sensors.
The drive
We immediately noticed that the XL6 drove just like Suzuki’s other passenger cars, the Baleno in particular. The larger body does have a slight body roll, but overall, the SUV held the road well and was comfortable.
More power would be great, but the XL6 isn’t meant to do hot laps after all. On the plus side, the engine surprisingly doesn’t suffer much when you add more passengers to the rear. We had three extra passengers for a drive on some of Cape Town’s windy roads, and besides gearing down for more speed for steeper sections, the engine coped well while rewarding me with a bit more extra km in the driving range department.
Regarding fuel consumption, the XL6 with a manual transmission uses a claimed 6.0 litres per 100km, while the automatic uses 6.1 litres per 100km. Our real-world figures were a little worse, with an average consumption of 6.7 litres, but that figure can easily be lowered with much better driving habits.
It must be said that the five-speed manual does run out of revs quite quickly on longer stretches of road, so you’d be doing 120km/h, and revs would be sitting at 3000 rpm.
The only rival to the XL6 is the Honda BR-V. Still, overall, the XL6 is yet another Suzuki product that ticks the important boxes for customers—being affordable, spacious, and with a raft of nice standard features.
Spec and pricing
1.5 GL 5MT - R336 900
1.5 GLX 5MT - R351 900
1.5 GL 4AT - R355 900
1.5 GL 4AT - R355 900
The Suzuki XL6 range includes a 4-year/60 000 km service plan, a 5-year/200 000 km mechanical promotional mechanical warranty with roadside assistance for the same period is included in the package. A 6-year anti-corrosion warranty is also included.
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