Yeah, its not a 4x4...... not even in all wheel drive mode......
I mean as a mid sized SUV i dont hate it.
I honestly dont consider any SUV that costs more than 20k to be areasonable off roader, they are more for snow and looks, so they may as well be front wheel drive with a rear wheel assist.
My other truck is an Avalanche Z71, with all the little bells and whistles that you get with that 4x4 package. Snow cant stop it....and light duty off-roading is ok, but i would never consider taking it anywhere that it would scrape a tree or get near a log or rock......it just cost too damn much.
I just got back from Florida, saw a Minnesota driver down there with his custom lifted ford super duty diesel off road beast.....thing must have cost 60k with a huge custom body painted winch bumper, custom axles, pumpkins, suspension, wheels, tires, rooftop cargo rack, safari canvas cargo bed tenting, off raod lights MOUNTED BEHIND THE CAB ABOUT 6" ABOVE THE ROOFLINE.....duh, Anyway the point being it could have been front wheel drive for all that it would ever get near dirt or a rock...... it was totally for show.
Last point...
Our kids who are interested in off roading will probably only have pick-up truck derived 4x4's to play with. Passenger vehicles are becoming more and more regulated and engineers are under pressure to improve gas mileage, safety, comfort, ride, handling, all the things that a good 4x4 compromises. The Samurai could never be liscenced in america as a new car these days, it would never pass the new saftey regulations. You can see what those requirements do if you trace the Samurai through the final convertible Tracker......they keep getting bigger and heavier until they dissappear forever.....
So as much as we hate that the XL-7 is no longer a true 4x4, it was inevitable.