The facelifted Suzuki XL7 made its premiere back in June 16, 2023. From the outside, it looked like a mild update, but there was a significant change under the skin. Like the Ertiga, the XL7 received mild hybrid power for its mid-cycle update.
The new XL7 presents Suzuki’s baby steps towards the company’s drive to electrification. The XL7 and Ertiga are among the several products that received mild hybrid power. With that, we reckon that the XL7 MHEV (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle) will reach the Philippines eventually given that the current model has a fair bit of success locally.
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The question is, when will it arrive here? By the looks of it, it might be sooner than later. That’s because exports for that model have begun. The first shipment of facelifted XL7s set off on August 11, 2023 in Indonesia. Per Suzuki, the high-riding seven-seater is being exported to 24 countries, and it all consists of the MHEV version.
Suzuki reckons 39 percent of XL7 production in Indonesia will be for export. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise since most models sold in Southeast Asia are sourced from Indonesia. In fact, the Philippine-spec XL7, Ertiga, and APV roll off Suzuki Indonesia’s assembly line in West Java.
As for the updated seven-seater, the mild-hybrid XL7 uses the same hardware as the Ertiga, meaning the specs are identical. Powering the XL7 Hybrid is a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that does 103hp and 138Nm of torque. It is then paired with a 12V lithium-ion battery and an integrated starter generator (ISG). The Indonesia-built XL7 still sticks to a conventional four-speed self-shifter, although a five-speed manual is also available.
The facelifted Suzuki XL7 also gets a few tweaks for the exterior and interior. At the front, it has a new grille design with a black chrome surround. The updated model also rides on new wheel designs, while the rear gets smoked taillights. The interior looks largely the same, but it gains geatures such as the ‘E-mirror’ system that can turn the rear-view mirror into a camera, cruise control, and black wood trims on the dashboard.
