2007 Suzuki XL7 Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/Platinum Touring Package (3.6L 6cyl 5A)
I bought the car at 20,000 miles and got rid of it at 45,000 miles. In that time, three wheel bearings were replaced, along with a rear strut ($600) and all new brakes. The first impression I had was that I got a steal, nice SUV loaded with all the features at a low price. All service was done at the dealer for the first 20,000 miles. The inside looked nice, but was cheaply built. Several plastic handles inside broke within a month. The tires would never hold air, no matter what I did. The check engine light came on at 40,000, indicating that the valves were sludged up and the engine would need replaced. There are no aftermarket parts so it is expensive to repair,which happened often
Suzuki replaced the bearings under warranty, but I paid for the strut and brakes, which approached $1000 before labor. I took good care of the car, changing the oil every 3000 miles, but it didn't seem to make a difference with the engine. The turning radius is horrible and it drives like a truck. The gas mileage is bad as well. 17-20 at best on the highway, worse in city driving. The manual says to take the car to a dealer to replace a headlight bulb! I managed to do it on my own, but you have to take out the wheel well just to get to the bulb. It took 45 min per bulb.
It seems like no real effort was put in to designing this car, they just threw some cheap shiny junk together and put it on the lot. Of the 20 or so vehicles I have owned over the years, this is without a doubt the worst by a country mile. There is no way to improve this car, it is not possible. Please don't make the same mistake I did, stay away from this car!