Your first thought when shopping a crossover might not be Suzuki. It's one of the few brands known more for its name than its vehicles (what exactly is a Forenza,anyway?). And even then,the Suzuki most of us know has two wheels and a 200-mph top end.

But that may change after a first drive of the new XL7. Suzuki doesn't have the cachet of a Honda or a Toyota,but its XL7 readily compares with the RAV4 and CR-V,and now offers seven-passenger seating,too. The sharply-dressed new XL7 is also a cheaper alternative to the coming class of crossovers that includes Ford's Edge and the Honda Pilot,as well as existing Subaru wagons.