REVIEW | Suzuki XL6 is a master people-mover with class

Like the fellow shopper standing too close to you at the till, Suzuki is breathing down Volkswagen's neck in new vehicle sales.

New products keep coming, which means there is a greater possibility of the Japanese brand supplanting the German favourite for second spot. Last month it reported 4,478 units, behind 6,316 by the Volkswagen Group.

Bolstering the Swift, Vitara Brezza and S-Presso as Suzuki mainstays was the Fronx and XL6 this year, with the five-door Jimny launch imminent.

We spent a week with the XL6, a slightly different take on the compact multipurpose vehicle segment, boasting a character that aspires to premium, upmarket traits not usually associated with Suzuki.

The range consists of GL and GLX grades, starting at R326,900 for the former and R341,900 for the latter. Add R19,000 if you want a four-speed automatic, the default transmission being a five-speed manual. Pricing includes a five-year/200,000km warranty and four-year/60,000km service plan.

You would be correct in pointing out that Suzuki already has a people-mover in the stable, the proven, second generation Ertiga. Which is a competent pick, as shown in our 2019 shoot-out against the Honda BR-V and Toyota Avanza.

Much has changed since then. A new BR-V was launched, upping the ante, while Toyota took the Starlet and Urban Cruiser approach, rebadging the Ertiga and selling it as the Rumion. In the category, buyers have other options such as the nasty Renault Triber or the underrated Mitsubishi Xpander.

While those are all seven-seater choices, the XL6 has different goals. Based on the Ertiga, it retains three rows but adopts a six-seater layout, with individual seats rather than a middle bench. The obvious upside is more room for occupants to stretch out. But the interior (and exterior) executions also strive for a stronger air of exclusivity.

On the outside, while the typical van-like silhouette is unchanged, there is more in the way of embellishments. Consider the chrome trinkets in plentiful supply, tougher black cladding for the lower sections, alloys with a diamond-cut finish and spiffy headlamps with distinctive LED signature, complemented by a more prominent grille.

Seeing it in our test garage, my first impression of the XL6 was it looked like a Chinese car from 2009, before Far Eastern brands got into stride from a design and aesthetic identity perspective.

But forget the styling, as the real trump card of the XL6 is inside. You can see the Suzuki designers really tried to give the cabin more sophistication than what one is accustomed to from the economy brand. We drove the range-topping GLX with a manual gearbox.

The seats are wrapped in convincingly rich leatherette upholstery, with a perforated pattern, the decorative inlays almost look like the dark ash wood trim you may find in a real luxury car. Almost. And the space factor is excellent. Sitting in front, there is ample room to stretch out. You could even get away with wearing a top hat.

But the second row is where you want to be. A pair of captain chairs, with armrests, are perfectly suited to lounging. You can slide them fore and aft. The backrests recline. The second row also benefits from overhead ventilation. Air conditioner pumping away, basking in the Suzuki with my laptop open, it proved to be the ideal mobile office. Window shades would have sealed the deal.

The vehicle has a length of 4,445mm, width of 1,775mm and wheelbase of 2,740mm. The Ertiga matches the XL6 in wheelbase, but differs in length (4,395mm) and height (1,690mm). Luggage compartment capacity is 209l with the third row up, extending to a useful 505l when folded.

Road manners are fair. A 180mm ground clearance inspires confidence over shoddy roads. The 185/65/15 wheels are suited to local conditions.

It drives with the same easy-going, plucky character experienced in the contemporary Suzuki range. Shifts through the five-speed require little effort, the clutch pedal is light and the steering sends the wheels where you point it. All you could ask for, really.

As is the case with most of the Suzuki range, power comes from a normally aspirated 1.5l petrol four-cylinder engine. This motor is ubiquitous in the Suzuki realm. If the company made blenders, they would be powered by the faithful K15 engine family.

Output is 77kW and 138Nm, unchanged from various other Suzuki applications. Seems deficient on paper but the 1.5l manages an acceptable job in most conditions. My partner bought 60kg worth of washing powder (six 10kg drums) and we loaded them into the XL6. Keeping the manual gearbox in lower ratios, the XL6 scampered up the hills of the area with less strain than expected.

In reality, the average XL6 is going to find itself used for commuter pursuits instead of hauling big loads. You can easily imagine hotel chains using it as a shuttle or funeral service providers putting it to duty as transport for the bereaved.

In usual Suzuki fashion, the standard kit is plentiful. Even the regular GL boasts alloy wheels, LED headlamps, fog lamps and tail-lamps, multifunction steering wheel, keyless-entry and start, climate control, cruise control as well as rear parking sensors. The GLX ups the ante with leatherette upholstery, automatic headlamps and dual-tone exterior colour options.

More airbags would have been nice. Standard safety fitment on the GL and GLX include dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control.