The Grand Vitara XL-7 broke new ground by delivering comfortable cruising performance and capable off-road performance together with a cabin roomy enough for seven people.

Created as the smallest seven-seater sport utility vehicle in the class, it was based on the five-door Grand Vitara but was 320mm longer in terms of wheelbase and 485mm longer in terms of overall length.

Three rows of seats gave the Grand Vitara XL-7 unprecedented people-carrying performance for a Grand Vitara and contributed to its position as the flagship model in the Grand Vitara series.

Power came from the 2.7-litre V6 H27A engine, which was based on the Grand Vitara’s 2.5-litre V6 H25A engine but had a larger bore.